Guide for Adding Tulle to a Grapevine Arbor

About Tulle

• Tulle is a common, netlike fabric used frequently in party decorations, to create tutus and to create underskirts for gowns. Though most commonly found in white, tulle is occasionally available in other colors and can be dyed to suit any color scheme. Tulle is easy to manipulate, cut, twist and tie, making it ideal for working through the openings in a grapevine arbor.

Dyeing Tulle

• Tulle fabrics can easily be dyed using standard fabric dye, allowing you to create the perfect color to complement your celebration or garden décor. Add about 3 quarts of tap water, a dye packet and 1 tablespoon of salt to a soup pot. Stir until the salt dissolves completely. Heat until the dye begins to boil. Turn off the heat on the stove and add tulle to the pot. Stir it gently until the tulle sinks down into the dye. Keep the tulle in the dye until it becomes slightly darker than your intended color. Remove the tulle from the dye and add it to a bowl filled with cold water. Rinse the tulle in cold water until the water runs clear. Set the tulle in a bath of white, distilled vinegar to set the color. Leave it in the bath for 10 minutes, rinse it and hang it to dry.

Cutting and Attaching Tulle

• To cover a garden arbor with tulle, plastic zip ties are ideal for holding the tulle in place. They are easy to manipulate and blend in with white tulle and are simple to cut away when it is time to remove the decorations. Simply cut tulle to the appropriate size to cover the arbor. Include about 50 percent more tulle than you think you will need to accommodate twisting and wrapping the tulle around the arbor. Weave the tulle through the trellis work on the arbor or wrap it around the arbor poles in a circular manner. Secure with zip ties as necessary. Zip ties will also anchor the tulle in the event of a windy afternoon.

Hanging as Curtains

• In addition to twisting and weaving tulle through the arbor, you may also hang the tulle in panels to create the effect of sheer curtains flanking either side of the arbor. This project works best on square-shaped arbors rather than arched arbors. Cut tulle into a sheet that is about 6 inches longer than the height of the arbor. Wrap the tulle around the top bar of the arbor. Cut a small hole in the tulle where it falls over the bar. Insert a zip tie or floral wire into the hole. Wrap it around the top bar, twisting the floral wire or securing the zip tie. Repeat this on all sides of the arbor where the tulle curtains should hang. Add more whimsical interest by hanging a collection of colored paper lanterns from the ceiling of the garden arbor.