This might sound a bit strange, but have you ever considered simply adding dirt to your mixture? I can't think of a way to get a more realistic "earth tone." If this forum defines hyertufa as containing moss or other organic materials, then I haven't made hypertufa with dirt, but I HAVE used dirt, cement, and sand to fashion an extremely durable slab of "dirtcrete." It's been outside now for about two years and shows no signs of breakdown. I don't know why dirt couldn't also be used in a hypertufa recipe.

What fiber is the rug made from? You must match the type of dye you use to the fiber content of the rug, or else the dye will just come right back out. You will have a horrible mess on your hands, with dye permanently staining the floor under the rug, if you use the wrong type of dye. If your rug is made from polypropylene, you won't be able to dye it. Polypropylene must be dyed while it is still liquid, before it is made into thread. The upside is that polypropylene is also very hard to get dirty. If your rug is made from cotton, you can dye it easily with fiber reactive dyes, such as the Procion dyes found in any good tie-dye kit or in the Tulip One Step Fashion dye in the local crafts store. These dyes can be used at room temperature, so there's no need to cook the rug, a major advantage if it's any size at all. If your rug is made from wool, silk, or nylon, you can dye it with acid dyes. A huge problem is the fact that acid dyes require heating in order to bond to the fiber. Do you have a cooking pot large enough to boil your rug in the dye? It's unlikely, and if you used it for dyeing, you'd never be able to cook with that pot again, because fabric dyes will contaminate food. Dyeing a large area rug with any sort of hot water dye is completely impractical unless you're a pro who can invest in the right equipment. If your rug is made of polyester, it requires still another type of dye. Polyester can be dyed only with a special polyester dye called disperse dye. It requires higher heat and more boiling than nylon does, so it's more of a problem to dye. Again you'd need a huge cooking pot, large enough to submerge the rug in the dye. You cannot dye polyester at any temperature below boiling; the dye will just rub off. With all kinds of dye, you must take the rug outside and rinse it out very thoroughly after you dye it, or else excess unattached dye will permanently stain the floor under the rug, as well as your shoes. As an alternative, you can use fabric paint to change the color of all natural and most synthetic fibers, instead of dye. (It won't stick to polypropylene.) However, fabric paint will not make a perfectly smooth solid color. In addition, fabric paint wears off quickly with heavy use, unlike dye. Source(s): Choosing the right dye for your fiber: http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/aboutdyes.s� Fabric Paints: a different way to color fibers: http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/fabricpaint�

It depends on the fabric content Sue. Even if it's all cotton it would have to be washed first to get all the sizing out. A polished cotton wouldn't tea dye well even after washing if at all.

I have dyed polyester lace before with wonderful results. However, I was tea-dyeing white lace to a "tea-ecru" color. I have also tea dyed a white satin purse with white rayon fringe. It was lovely when finished. I have no clue about dyeing something black. I have a fear it would come out an odd grey color. Have you tried Etsy or eBay to find black lace curtains or yardage? The important step I learned - with both tea dyeing and Rit dye - is the material to be dyed must be thoroughly and evenly damp with water before putting it in the dye bath. Use the hottest water the fabric will tolerate. Pre-dampening the fabric will help it absorb the colorants evenly. I hope you share photos of the finished room, whether you dye or buy the curtains!