#22 - batik & tie-dye
I tried making batik prints today, based on these instructions. Basically, involves stamping designs on fabric with melted wax, submerging the fabric in dye, then ironing/melting the wax away to reveal the design (since the waxed parts will resist the dye). I printed on white cotton napkins. They are drying now (photo). The yellow stuff is the beeswax.
The whole thing turned out to be so much more complicated than I had imagined. I couldn’t keep the wax hot enough for long enough to make it penetrate the fabric. By the time I had brought the wax-covered stamping tool over to the fabric, the wax had cooled too much. (I think using an electric skillet or double boiler would help - I just melted the wax in a can on the stove and brought it over to the work area. We had to reheat the wax twice.) I couldn’t get anything close to the designs I had planned. After struggling with the first two napkins, my husband I just poured the hot wax on the next couple of napkins in a random pattern, before the wax had a chance to cool. Then we said, Fuck it, let’s tie-dye! So we tie-dyed the rest of the napkins. Then, because we’re CRAZY and SPONTANEOUS like that, we dyed some tshirts, too.
And now I have blue hands. Because I’m a stubborn person who doesn’t follow instructions. Or her husband’s advice.
It was totally fun, though. I’ll update this post with added photos of the finished batik prints, when they’re done drying and being ironed.
p.s. I missed yesterday! Damn.
Last 5 posts by shinwha
- #23 - attempting drawing - February 24th, 2008
- Day 21 - cards with cork cutouts - February 21st, 2008
- Day 20 - doodles/sketches - February 20th, 2008
- Day 19 - keychain - February 19th, 2008
- Day 18 - felt tray - February 18th, 2008
I love doing batik!
I used to use a rice cooker to keep my wax nice and hot. It would probably work well with stamps, now I’ll have to try it.