Rusting Items By Debbie

Rusting Items
by Debbie

This recipe
will nicely rust safety pins, jingle bells, or anything else you
want 'age' for your primitive creations. The most important
thing to remember about rusting, is that you will want to buy
the cheap brand of pins, bells ...etc that you can find. The
more expensive brands have a shellac coating on them that you
will have to sand off before rusting. Makes sure they are NOT
brass either-brass will not rust. Do this outside away from
children and pets... and fumes are terrible!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cider
vinegar

1/2 cup bleach

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine the
ingredients in an old quart jar.

Add items you
want to rust and cover loosely-place in a safe spot and let set
for at least 2 days.

Line a tray
with a couple of layers of paper towels and remove the items
with an old fork from the mixture. Place in the sunshine... the
items will begin to rust as they dry. Move them around so that
they dry on all sides.

Perfectly
rusted bells, pins, and any other item you wish to rust.

CAUTION: Do not
throw the mixture down the sink- dispose of properly where no
animal or child could come in contact with.

Written by Debbie Hainline- Two
Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com)

If you fabric is new be sure to wash it first to remove the
sizing before dying.I have found 4 cups of water and 4 single
cup tea bags will dye one yard of fabric.

Bring the water to a boil and remove from heat add tea and let
set for about 5 minutes until the liquid turns the desired
color. Remove the tea bags from the water if you dont the tea
bags may make dark stains on your fabric

Wet the fabric in water thoroughly, removing excess before
putting in the tea mixture- stir gently

Let soak for about 10 minutes checking to see if the fabric is
dark enough. Remember you fabric will dry a shade lighter.

When fabric has reached the desired color remove from the tea
mixture and rinse well with warm water and a mild dish soap- if
you don"t the fabric may become damaged by the tea- tea contains
acid which can destroy fibers over time

Line dry or place the fabric in the dryer. I like to put the
fabric in an old pillowcase to protect my dryer and if Im going
to put in white clothes right after I will wipe the dryer out if
it jeans I just don't worry

When the fabric is dry if you want it darker repeat the process
, if the fabric is too dark wash the fabric in a gallon of water
to which you have added 1 tablespoon of bleach this will lighten
the fabric- rinse thoroughly and redry

If I am going to use the fabric for something that is going to
be washed I will soak it in a gallon of cold water to which I
have added 1 tablespoon of vinegar to set the color.


Have
fun tea staining - remember the possibilities are endless -old
linens, clothes, etc can all be tea stained !

Debbie
owns "Two Old Crows" (www.2oldcrows.com) where she sells her
handpainted folk art and other handcrafted items she makes along
with antiques, primitives and vintage collectibles