When it comes to making my vintage treasures the thing I use the most is muslin shreds. I get asked all the time how I do them so today I’m going to show you how to rip and stain muslin shreds. Keep a pile of these on hand and you’ll always be ready for vintage crafting!
You probably already know that crafting is my favorite thing. Especially vintage crafting. I have created a ton of vintage treasures over the years and so many of them have muslin shreds incorporated into them somehow. In the video below I show you how to make a big batch of shreds that you’ll be able to use in all of your vintage crafting. Depending on how often you craft this pile should last you quite awhile!
Making Muslin Shreds
This part of the crafting process may not be the most glamorous but it is so worth it in the end. I love having a stash of ready-to-use muslin strips on hand! The thing that is great about this project is that you can do your shredding while relaxing. I like to keep my hands busy while I watch t.v. so that’s when I do most of my ripping and tearing. Pick out your favorite movie, grab a glass of something tasty, and put your feet up. That’s the best kind of crafting if you ask me!
I usually use muslin for this project but in the video below I use some white sheets that I’ve had laying around forever. They only difference that you’ll notice in the finished product is that muslin has fewer strings and doesn’t fuzz out at the edges as much. You definitely want some fuzzing (is that a word?) to give your strips that rustic look but you can decide on which fabric you want to use based on what you like and what you have on hand. When you are out searching for treasures at thrift stores, flea markets, and garage sales, keep an eye out for some used white sheets. That will give you an inexpensive start to this project!
A note about tea bags…
I like to use the family size stringless bags for this process but you absolutely could use any kind of tea bag you want. I like the family size ones because you don’t have to open a ton of tiny bags and remove their strings. If all you have are the little ones though (or if you just want to make a small batch of strips) by all means use what you have or what you find on sale. Any old tea will work for this technique!
Muslin Shred Supply List
- Fabric (muslin or white cotton sheets)
- Scissors
- Tea bags
- Large pot
- Tongs
- Rubber bands
Step by Step Instructions
- Start by making cuts on the edge of your fabric about an inch apart. These will be the starting points for your tears.
- Next, rip at your cut marks until you have torn the whole strip from your fabric. Remove any loose strings from the edges of your strips. After I’ve removed the strings I drape the strips around my shoulders to keep them from tangling.
- Fill a large pot with about an inch of water. Add 7 family size tea bags (or more if you’re using single serving tea bags). Bring the water to a boil and simmer it until you have a nice dark tea. Leave your tea bags in the pot.
- Next, add your shreds in small batches using the kitchen tongs. Coat the shreds with the tea and continue adding more until all the tea has all been absorbed. Now wait for your tea to be cool enough to handle.
- Then grab a handful of shreds and ring out the excess tea. Wad them up into a ball and then wrap rubber bands around them to secure the ball. Let them dry. If it’s warm outside I dry mine outside. If not I leave them somewhere with good air circulation. Every day or two undo your rubber bands and rotate the wet spots to the outside. Re-secure the rubber bands and allow the ball to continue to dry. Repeat these last steps as often as necessary until your strips are dry.
The Wrap up…
And that’s it! This is a super simple way to get muslin strips that look authentically vintage. I love the crinkled wrinkled look because I think it adds to the authenticity of the strips, that’s why I use the rubber bands during the drying process. If you aren’t a fan of that look you could always just lay them out to dry. However you go about it I hope you have fun crafting with your muslin strips! Time for me to go pick out that movie and get to ripping!
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If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!
I loved this project.