Have you considered looking at sheers made specifically for bungalow-type dwellings? They're kind of pricey, but worth taking a look at?

Here is a link that might be useful: Cottage Lace

Penney's has a variety of sheers in many colors.

Here is a link that might be useful: Penney's selection

check the fabric content. cotton takes stains better than polyester. it is difficult to get polyester to take stain/dyes using the process we use to the color shown on the box but it can be done.

I would use cold coffee instead of tea. I have done coffee many times. Oh, yeah, they call it tea stain but most people actually use coffee. Brew a strong pot, cool it in refrigerator or just on the counter. Place it in a small pan, preferably stainless or ceramic, not plastic or metals like aluminum or iron. You don't want to use anything that will oxidize or anything that will suck up the stain, the reason I recommended something like this. Corning ware works great and so does the stainless steel. You just dunk it in there, let it set for 30-40 minutes. Check to see if it is dark enough. IF not, let it set longer, keep checking to see if you have reached the intensity you want. When you have (if the washing/drying label allows) dry in dryer or dry. Don't wash then. Let the color "cure in" before you wash it and you might want to always handwash using Woolite thereafter.

Thanks for the links, and thanks patricia43 for those directions. I think I will try the coffee on one of the white pieces I already have. Just one more question....is there any skill involved here? Do I have to worry about the stain taking unevenly if the fabric is stuffed in a bowl? Is it best to fold it to get it to submerge? I don't want it to look uneven or spotty.

Daft as it sounds, have you tried KMart? I remember the Martha stuff had some surprisingly nice cotton/cotton-blend semi-sheer panels awhile back. (I loathe polyester sheers! I consider sheers to be curtains you can see details quite clearly through, while semi-sheers permit only shadows and shapes to be seen, which is how the cottons tend to behave.) One of the fun things about Arts & Crafts window decorating is that the cheaper fabrics actually look very good because a lot of coarser, homespun-ish fabrics were used!

If you can sew or know someone who does, Fabrics-Store.com has gorgeous linen at very good prices. They send free swatches. Linen is 100% bungalow-appropriate!

FWIW, if you're at all interested in laces, London Laces has absolutely stunning Scottish-made lace - I am in lust with the "Town and Country" pattern. Burrows has very nice ones too but London Lace is really beautiful.

Your trim is so gorgeous, you're going to inside mount these, right? If you can bear to put two small holes in the inside trim, think about these inside mount barrel brackets. Very period accurate and that is the best price by far that I have found for them! Umbra makes a decorative tension rod (or at least better looking than the ones with the big rubber caps on the ends) but I don't like it anywhere near as much.

johnmari, I agree about the fabric for sheers.

Wow, that London Laces site is great. I like the madras thistle myself. Victorians would approve!

Yes, inside mount. I'm having a bear of a time deciding on window treatments because I want to see the 6-lite upper sash and trim. We just paid an insane amount of money to restore the windows so I don't want to hide them. I'm leaning toward tier-length sheers, then if I decide on some simple panels later, the tiers can stay. I'm liking Country Curtains' Hatfield panels.

Do I have to worry about the stain taking unevenly if the fabric is stuffed in a bowl? Is it best to fold it to get it to submerge? I don't want it to look uneven or spotty.

Don't stuff it into a bowl!! For the best results, this is what I do.

First, soak the item to be dyed until it is good and wet - dripping is good.

Use a container that allows you to move the fabric around without fear of splashing. I have used a bathtub, a washing machine, the laundry sink.

Mix the dye or coffee (whichever you are using) in the container first, then add the dripping wet fabric.

Get it as flat as possible, try not to fold it, just loosely crumple it into "mounds that you can press down. Use enough coffee and water to cover the item.

Once I'm done, I add more water and then pull the plug.

Air dry, because the dryer will set the colour, and you may want to soak them again or wash them to remove some of the colour.

Good luck.

If you have access to a sewing machine and can sew a straight line, the most cost effective solution is to buy muslin and make them yourself. You are pretty much just sewing 4 -5 lines on each panel.

You might check eBay too - ya never know! I came across these this evening, and thought they were very pretty. They're advertised as "white", but don't look blindingly so to me. (And the seller has 4 panels available.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Lace sheers on eBay

I've also bought sheers for my kitchen from this eBay seller, and was very pleased with the product and service.

Here is a link that might be useful: More eBay sheers ...

The coffee should work pretty well and as poster said, make sure you have ample room to keep them immersed. Try a small piece and judge by how well it takes before doing the whole thing and then you can have a guide as to how well it will take and how long.

Well the coffee definitely works -- they turned brown immediately! LOL

I ran them through a wash and most of it washed out so they're about the same color as the "natural" curtains now, but it has a more "aged" cast to it, so it definitely looks better. Hard to explain. I will definitely have to experiment with the technique to get just the right shade.

Thanks for all the info and the other suggestions too!

An update...I tried again with a 50% solution of water and brewed coffee, dunked, then washed immediately, and they turned out just right. Just enough to take the white *BLING* away. (The "natural" version of that curtain is very yellow in comparison.) They are a bit spotty when I look at them flat, but it is not noticeable when they're hanging, so I'm going to call it good! (This was the Country Curtains hemstitch panels...hopefully the cotton voile will work at least as well.)

Thanks again!