Tea Stained Shirt - Naturally

Part of the wagon train experience was to dress in period clothing. We had a lot of fun gathering together shawls, skirts, dresses, bonnets and aprons. The guys really just needed a vest or suspenders and a hat. David had a number of white shirts and to make them more authentic looking we used tea and also chamomile to give them a soft yellow or muslin look. We simmered up a strong pot of tea -- using tea leaves we had already enjoyed once as a beverage. Then strained and added the wet shirt to the pot of tea. It is important to wet the shirt or fabric first so that the dye is absorbed evenly. Let the clothing soak in this tea bath until it has achieved the desired shade. Wring the cloth, and allow to hang dry.
The soft muted shades that these tea stained clothing developed was simply perfect for our purposes. Many professional dress makers will use this process to match material to a faded gown that they are altering.