I found a wonderful cross stitch finished project at a thrift store. I really liked it but I decided I would love it even more if it looked like it has a more aged or an antique look to it. In this post, I will show you how I will age the cross stitch project.
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Aging the Cross Stitch:
My cross stitch piece came taped and glued onto a piece of cardboard. After I disassembled that, I was ready to start the antiquing process.
In a pot of almost simmering water, add some instant coffee, a couple of tea bags, and a little bit of vanilla extract. I didn’t use any particular measurements. I just dumped a little and stirred.
You can dip the edge of your project or a paper towel into the mixture to see how dark it is. Keep adding more instant coffee until it is your desired color.
Once the mixture is a good color, remove the tea bags and set them aside for using later.
Immerse the entire cross stitch project into the liquid, stir it well and let it set for 10 minutes or so.
Remove the cross stitch piece from the liquid. (I used a dishpan to carry it outside.)
While the coffee dye is still hot, add more instant coffee and stir to dissolve. The more you add, the darker the extra ‘stains’ on the cross stitch piece will look. Let the liquid cool.
Lay the cross stitch piece out flat to dry. Take the used tea bags and place on the piece, squeezing out some of the liquid onto the fabric.
After the liquid is cool, pour some into a clean spray bottle.
When the fabric is almost dry, spray some coffee mixture onto the cross stitch piece. The more you spray, the more and darker the staining will be.
Let it dry completely and press with an iron – using a pressing cloth.
Be sure to Pin this Primitive Craft Tutorial:
