DIY Project: Dip-Dyed Ombré Table Linens by Stockroom Vintage
Happy Holidays, lovelies! It’s Elizabeth from Stockroom Vintage event rentals here to share a holiday DIY that’s sure to make your tablescapes worthy of all sorts of ohs and ahs! It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with ombré, but I’ve found that it’s so difficult to track down gorgeous ombré fabric and table linens for the photoshoots and events I style. So I picked up a bottle of merlot-colored Rit Dye and a bolt of cream-colored utility canvas fabric at the craft store and decided to make this fabric for the rustic harvest dinner party I designed and styled for the November Epicurean + Entertaining issue of Nfocus Magazine. I love the graphic pop of color it brought to this fall tablescape–the jewel-toned hues are such an unexpected and lovely color palette for the holidays! Thanks to Nfocus Magazine and Bunchtown Weddings for sharing the images from the shoot with me!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fabric in a neutral hue (I used a cream-colored utility canvas)
- Rit Liquid Dye (I used a Wine shade)
- Rubber gloves
- Plastic bucket
- Glass measuring cup
- Metal spoon
- Salt
- Dishwashing liquid
- Iron-on fabric fusing tape
How to Make Dip Dyed Linens
- Start by cutting your fabric to size. I cut my dinner napkins to 20 in. square and cut my table runner to fit an 8-foot table. Sew the edges if you like, but I cheated with an iron-on fabric fusing tape.
- Put on your rubber gloves and prepare your dye solution. I got this recipe from the Rit Dye website and was really happy with the effect: Shake liquid dye bottle and measure ½ cup liquid dye into your bucket. Add 1 cup salt and 4 cups very hot water and stir well. If water is not hot enough (140º F), heat water in the microwave beforehand.
- Add 2 gallons very hot tap water and a squirt of liquid detergent. Then stir well again.
- Now you’re ready to start dip dying your textiles. I folded my napkins in half to ensure that both the top and bottom of the fabric had the same ombré effect.
- Dip 1/3 of the folded napkin into the dye for 1 minute. Gently swish it back and forth (no splashing!) to immerse all of the fabric in the dye.
- Pull the fabric up so that only the middle section is in the dye for 5 minutes, gently moving it back and forth again.
- Pull the fabric up again so that only the very end of the fabric is in the dye for 9 minutes (or until you reach the desired shade–this will be the darkest shade in your fabric).
- Remove the fabric from the dye and wring out excess liquid. Making sure the lightest part of the fabric is up top, rinse fabric under cool running water. Rinse until water runs clear and hang fabric to dry.
What do you think? Will you be whipping up a few custom ombré table linens for your holiday tablescapes this season? Even if you’re not hosting a dinner party, I think this dip-dyed DIY would make for a lovely ombré effect on curtains, bedding, shower curtains–so many possibilities!
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