What is a hippie tapestry and how are they made?

Hippie tapestries are generally single layer cloths that have been dyed and/or painted using the tie-dye method or via screen-printing. Some hippie tapestries are inexpensive while others can be rather pricey. The inexpensive hippie tapestries are generally rather thin, made of cotton, and either tie dyed or screen-printed. These tapestries can be used for just about anything from bedspreads to curtains to wall hangings to throw rugs. They are so versatile partially because they are rather replaceable. If one gets damaged, you can always get another one for a small amount of money. No large investments here.

The more expensive hippie tapestries are generally made from either cotton or silk and are created via silk screening or via embroidery. These hippie tapestries are more expensive because they are more detailed and not machine made. Because they are so fine in structure, these pieces are generally best used as a wall hanging, or possibly curtains. You definitely don't want to use one of these silk screened hippie tapestries as a rug! If you don't care about wear and tear, they can also make gorgeous bedspreads that are soft and silky to the touch.

Most hippie tapestries come unlined, so you can do even more with them. You can make a full sized stuffed comforter out of one easily with a sheet of fabric of equal size, some stitches and of course, some soft stuffing. You can also sew a rubberized backing on one to create a non-slip surface rug with style. Hippie tapestries also make excellent wall cover. If you have a large area of your wall that you want to cover (A/C unit, botched wall papering job, you name it), hippie tapestries make an excellent large area camouflage and look great while hiding those unsightly things.

You can make your own hippie tapestries very easily and trust me, the kids will be begging to help! First you need to decide on the size that you want the tapestry to be. Then, purchase plain white or beige cotton fabric in your size along with some textile dye, rubber bands, and a few mid depth containers. You can find all of these items at your local arts and crafts store for less than you think. Then, lay the fabric out and have your little helpers start pulling the tapestry and wrapping it in rubber bands. There are so many ways you can arrange the rubber bands to create new and different patterns, so experiment and see what you like best. The materials are cheap enough to be able to have a few practice runs before you decide on what you like. Now that the fabric is covered in rubber bands, now is the time to dye. If you want multiple colors, you will have to use shallow dye containers so you don't cover the whole thing with one shade. Just let it sit in the one color dye for the specified amount of time listed on the dye packaging. Then, rotate it and move it to the next color container and repeat. Let it dry for the amount of time on the dye package. Then, unravel it to see your awesome new home made hippie tapestries.