Gingerberry Creek: 2014

In some of our Patterns we call for the fabric or material to be antiqued or stained before starting. So we figured you might want to know our Primitive Antiquing Stain Recipe and how to make it and then all the Primitive Stain Drying Techniques. So here you go and let's get started!

Supplies
2 cups Very Warm Water
1/2 cup Instant Coffee
1/4 cup Instant Tea
1/8 cup Ground Cinnamon
1 TBSP Vanilla Extract (optional)
1 TBSP Cinnamon Extract (optional)
Empty Plastic Container (seal-able)

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a seal-able Plastic Container. (I like to use a clear potato salad container that I've thoroughly cleaned, or those clear tubs that hold the dishwasher cleanser packets. That way I can use them to store my stain in as well as staining my fabric all in one container.)
Add the 2 cups of Very Warm Water and whisk until all the granules are dissolved.
Add Vanilla and Cinnamon extracts and whisk. (This is optional, but I love it when my projects have that warm holiday scent. Add what ever extract flavoring you like to make it your recipe. Add more extract for a stronger scent or less for a more subtle affect.)
Cover and store until ready to use.

Observation: The dry ground cinnamon will, over time, sink to the bottom of the container creating a grungy sludge. This is good!! This is what will give your projects a real primitive grungy aged look.

Application: When you are ready to stain your fabric or material there are several ways that you can apply the stain. It's a good idea to test the following applications before proceeding with larger quantities of fabric or material.

Soak the material for 10 minutes or for several hours depending on how dark you want the fabric to look. Then you can choose which Primitive Stain Drying Technique you want to use and that depends on what type of aged affect you are trying to achieve.
Spray the material or project. Place the stain in a spray bottle (being careful not to pour in the grungy sludge because it will clog the sprayer) and start spraying until you have the desired look. Dabbing off any excess spray. Then again you can choose which Primitive Stain Drying Technique you would like to use.
Paint the material or project. Using a paint brush or foam brush paint on the stain and the grungy sludge for a more extreme primitive look. Then choosing which Primitive Stain Drying Technique you want to use.

After staining your fabric or material KEEP the extra or leftover stain and reuse for your next application or project.

This stain recipe should last for many months if stored in a air tight container.

If you are staining larger quantities of fabric you may need to double or triple the recipe.

Since this is just a Primitive Antiquing Stain there is no reason to purchase anything expensive or name brand. So I normally choose and buy the cheaper generic brand supplies.

Tip: I like to keep a set of measuring cups and spoons and bowls, etc that are used just for all my crafting recipes. This way I never mix up my good kitchen cooking/baking tools with my crafting ones. Some dyes and recipes may call for things that are harmful if swallowed or ingested and that is why I have a whole separate set of tools that never go back into my kitchen.

Hope you get a lot of use out of our Primitive Antiquing Stain Recipe! Be sure to check out the Primitive Stain Drying Techniques and some of our other Tips and Tricks.

Happy Crafting!
Ginger