Easy DIY Rag Wreath: How To Make A Neutral Heart
Follow this easy step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own DIY Rag Wreath for Valentine’s Day using tea-dyed strips of fabric
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and I have been working on some fun new projects to get ready to celebrate. I wanted to create a wreath for the holiday and had the idea to make a neutral rag wreath with tea-dyed fabric scraps. I love easy projects that don’t cost a lot of money, and the result is just what I was looking for.
Transforming fabric with tea offers a natural, cost-effective, and eco-friendly method to alter its color. Utilize pre-used tea bags to minimize waste; for instance, after making iced tea, repurpose the tea bags for dyeing. Embrace the enchanting array of neutral hues achieved through dyeing fabric with tea.
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What You Need To Make A Rag Wreath
Materials Needed
- Cotton Muslin Fabric- Purchase 1.5 yards of fabric in both white and ivory. Alternatively, consider using white fat quarters. You can purchase both at Hobby Lobby or the local fabric store. You may even have scrap fabric in your craft room that you can use.
- Lipton Tea Bags – I used the Extra-Large size Lipton tea bags they sell for Iced Tea.
- Heart-Shaped Wire Wreath Form (you can find these at the Dollar Tree)
Tools Needed to Make a DIY Rag Wreath
- Containers for dying and storing fabric strips
- Tongs
- Strainer
- Regular scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Rotary cutter (optional)
How to Make Fabric Rag Wreaths
In this project, I opted for solid colors to dye the fabric with tea to make a neutral wreath. However, you can apply the same instructions using fun fabrics for a pop of color and omitting the dyeing step.
Step 1: Cut one-inch strips of fabric
You can begin by tearing the fabric into long strips approximately 1″ wide. Cutting the fabric with a rotary cutter will also work. I prefer the raw edges you get from tearing a piece of fabric versus cutting it.
Step 2: Make a batch of tea
Boil water, add the tea bags, and let the tea steep for a few minutes.
Different types of tea will give you different colors of dye. I went for basic, neutral tones and found that good old Lipton tea gave me the color I was looking for. I used my tea to make iced tea and then used the bags again to dye the fabric. You can try different kinds of tea for different color results to make your beautiful wreath extra special!
Tea is rich in tannins, which bond well with natural fibers, so it doesn’t require a mordant (a substance used to bind the dye to the fabric).
Step 3: Dye the fabric
Place a small portion of the fabric strip into the tea bath and allow it to absorb the tea until it achieves the desired color. The longer the fabric remains in the bath, the darker it will become.
Remember that the fabric may appear slightly lighter after drying, so consider this when determining the duration for keeping your fabric in the dye. I dyed multiple batches of fabric strips for various neutral tones, varying the duration for each.
Step 4: Drying the fabric
After reaching your desired color, remove the fabric strips from the dye carefully. Exercise caution, as the tea might still be hot. I think you should use tongs and a strainer for this step. After that, please take the fabric strips outdoors to dry. I hung mine over a gate to dry under the sunlight.
Step 5: Cut the fabric for your rag wreath
Once the fabric is completely dry, cut the fabric strips into pieces that are 6 inches long. I separated mine into colors so I could alternate them as I was adding them to my wire wreath frame.
(Here you can see the color variations I got by using two different colors of muslin, white and ivory, and dying the strips in different batches)
Step 6: Tie your fabric strips onto the wire wreath
You should start with the inner wires of the frame.
Take one 6″ fabric strip, fold it in half, and place the loop end of the fabric under the wire and up. Now, you can place the two ends of the same fabric strip (over the wire) through the loop and pull tight.
This is a great way to adhere the strip to the wire frame well.
(Of course, you could use several tying methods, such as a double knot on each piece of fabric, but this takes longer.)
You can continue this process, alternating the fabric colors as you go along.
Repeat this process around the entire wreath and fill in any empty spaces.
Step 7. Trim any necessary pieces of fabric if needed
How To Make a DIY Rag Wreath
Discover the joy of crafting with our easy DIY rag wreath tutorial! You will create a charming heart-shaped wreath using tea-dyed fabric.
Materials
- Cotton Muslin Fabric- Purchase 1.5 yards of fabric in both white and ivory. Alternatively, consider using white fat quarters. You can purchase both at Hobby Lobby or the local fabric store. You may even have scrap fabric in your craft room that you can use.
- Lipton Tea Bags – I used the Extra-Large size Lipton tea bags they sell for Iced Tea.
- Heart-Shaped Wire Wreath Form (you can find these at the Dollar Tree)
Tools
- Containers for dying and storing fabric strips
- Tongs
- Strainer
- Regular scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Rotary cutter (optional)
Instructions
- Cut 1" strips of fabric- You can begin by tearing the fabric into long strips approximately 1" wide. Cutting the fabric with a rotary cutter will also work. I prefer the raw edges you get from tearing a piece of fabric versus cutting it.
- Make a batch of tea- Boil water, add the tea bags, and let the tea steep for a few minutes. Different types of tea will give you different colors of dye. I went for basic, neutral tones and found that good old Lipton tea gave me the color I was looking for. I used my tea to make iced tea and then used the bags again to dye the fabric. You can try different kinds of tea for different color results to make your beautiful wreath extra special!
- Dye your fabric. Place a small portion of the fabric strip into the tea bath and allow it to absorb the tea until it achieves the desired color. The longer the fabric remains in the bath, the darker it will become. Remember that the fabric may appear slightly lighter after drying, so consider this when determining the duration for keeping your fabric in the dye. I dyed multiple batches of fabric strips for various neutral tones, varying the duration for each.
- Dry your fabric. After reaching your desired color, remove the fabric strips from the dye carefully. Exercise caution, as the tea might still be hot. You should use tongs and a strainer for this step. After that, please take the fabric strips outdoors to dry. I hung mine over a gate to dry under the sunlight.
- Once the fabric is completely dry, cut the fabric strips into pieces that are 6 inches long. I separated mine into colors to alternate them as I added them to my wire wreath frame.
- Attach your strips of fabric to the heart-shaped wire frame. You should start with the inner wires of the frame. Take one 6" fabric strip, fold it in half, and place the loop end of the fabric under the wire and up. Now, you can place the two ends of the same fabric strip (over the wire) through the loop and pull tight. This is a great way to adhere the strip to the wire frame well. (Of course, you could use several tying methods, such as a double knot on each piece of fabric, but this takes longer.) You can continue this process, alternating the fabric colors as you go along. Repeat this process around the entire wreath and fill in any empty spaces.
7. Trim any necessary pieces of fabric if needed
Hang your wreath and Enjoy!
For the final step, find a perfect spot to hang your Valentine’s Day Wreath, and enjoy!
Where to Hang Your Gorgeous Wreaths
This wreath would look great hanging in any room of your home, but here are a few ideas if you are looking for a few suggestions.
- Hang the fabric on your front door or entryway to welcome guests into your home.
- Create a festive display over your mantel with this beautiful heart wreath as the centerpiece.
- Dress up a window, mirror, or framed artwork for Valentine’s Day.
- As a festive focal point, hang it above your bed or in a guest bedroom.
No matter where you hang it, this easy and fun DIY Rag Wreath will make a beautiful addition to your home décor!
Other Rag Wreath Suggestions
Fabric wreaths are a great project for different holidays. Here are a few of my favorites.
- All white rag wreaths are beautiful for the winter season.
- Halloween rag wreath. You could use a pumpkin wireframe or a witches hat.
- Make a mini rag wreath as a place card holder for a festive dinner party.
- St Patrick’s Day. Use a shamrock wire frame.
Bonus Project: Tea-Dyed Paper
You can also dye paper with tea. Tea-stained paper creates an antique look that if beautiful to use for different projects. Last year, I dyed paper with tea and coffee to create a fall leaf garland.
To dye paper with tea, you can use a few different methods:
- Dip a paintbrush into a cup of tea and brush it on the paper. You can drop droplets onto the paper, paint it fully, or paint just the edges.
- Fill a pan with a small layer of black tea and soak the paper for a minute or two. You don’t want to soak the paper entirely.
Wrapping It Up
In closing, I hope this DIY rag wreath tutorial has sparked your creativity and inspired you to embark on a crafting journey. Whether you choose vibrant hues or soothing neutrals, let your unique style shine through in each carefully tied fabric strip. Crafting your own rag wreath is not only a delightful project but also a wonderful way to add a personalized touch to your home decor. Happy crafting!
Other wreath projects you will love:
How To Make a Winter Wreath with Wood Flowers
How To Make a Fresh Lemon Wreath
How to Make a Pink Heart Pinecone Wreath
If you loved this project, you’ll love these projects too:
Did you make this craft?
We would love to see what you have created, so mention us @wmdesignhouse on social media, or send me a few pictures to [email protected]. We would love to see your creations!
More about me!
Hello, I’m Wendy – a dedicated “So Cal Gal” with a deep passion for decorating, gardening, cooking, and crafting. I find joy in harmonizing beautiful elements to create a space that is both comfortable and inspiring. I will help you create a beautiful home and garden, one project at a time.
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This is so beautiful, Wendy! I am excited to feature your post at Tuesday Turn About. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much, Lynne! I appreciate the feature. This heart was a fun project, and I love the neutral look.
Gorgeous rag wreath idea for Valentine’s Day.
I found you at The Cottage Market.
Hi Kippi, Thank you so much. I am so happy you found me. I hope you enjoy my content.
I love how this wreath turned out. The neutral colors are such a nice change for Valentine’s Day. Plus my grandmother used to love Lipton tea. Thanks for the clear instructions.
Thank you Anna, i’s a fun and rather easy project to make.
Your heart turned out beautiful Wendy. Many years ago I decided to tea stain my bedding for that vintage lived in feel. I have to say, the comforter turned out great, but the pillow shams were a shade off. I am guessing they were not from the same dye lot, but I went with it because that’s what I do. You may get a kick out of this, but in my 20’s I decided I needed red carpet in the bedroom, and so I dyed my carpet. It was RED, but I loved it. Now I have an itch to dye again, but I should go with something on a smaller scale than a whole room. You always have so many wonderful ideas to share with us! Hope you are doing well.
Oh my goodness, I cannot believe you dyed your entire carpet, Cara; what did you use? That must have been
a very big project. And how long did it take you? Send me a picture if you have one; I would love to see it.
You maze me, girl! And the dye never bled onto your feet or shoes? I am in awe!
I really enjoyed your tutorial; very easy to follow! I had to smile when you said you recycled used tea bags. As a dollhouse accessory maker, I use the used tea leaves as “dirt” to top off my little potted artificial plants! Any remainder goes out to the compost heap! I have been using an instant coffee solution to stain wooden pieces for projects, too! I can make things a darker brown than tea.
Thank you, Kathy! I try to recycle when I can. And hey, I also get a pot of Iced tea out of it.
I can imagine all the darling things you must make as a dollhouse accessory maker. Do you have a website?
Using the tea leaves for dirt is brilliant.
This is adorably cute! I’m not very crafty, but I may try this one!
This is an easy one, Susan; however, it does take a bit of time to tie the fabric onto the frame.
This is SO COOL, Wendy!! I adore neutral decor for Valentine’s Day and this is so perfect!! What a cool idea to use tea. Pinned!
Thank you, Rachel! This wreath was a very fun project to make!
I love tea stain! It’s the perfect vintage color! This is so sweet!
Thank you, Amy; there are so many fun things you can stain with tea.