Batik!

G'day fellow bloggers....

This post is about a Textile design technique that I had never even heard of before now, i.e. :- 'Batik".

Very simply, batik is a cloth that is traditionally made using a manual wax resisting dye technique. - Wikipedia.org

The theory behind this technique is that wax, even ordinary candler wax, repels dye when it is applied onto cloth.

The wax is applied using a specialized tool known as a 'tjantin':-

The tjantin has a needle size hole at the end from which the wax pours out.


The following is the most basic procedure when performing this technique:-


STEP 1
Obtain a reasonable sized piece of fabric, (ideally about 20" x 24" for beginners) leaving a one inch boarder hem and another inch for stretching over a wooden frame.

STEP 2
Obtain a wooden frame of dimensions 16" x 20" to complement the dimensions of the piece of fabric.

STEP 3
Wash the fabric to remove the sizing.

STEP 4
Stretch and staple the fabric onto the frame.

STEP 5
Draw your design in pencil onto the fabric.

STEP 6
Melt the candle wax in a DOUBLE BOILER.
A double boiler consists of a pot within a pot, as shown in the picture below. If the candle wax was melted directly over a flame, it would burn and turn black. Instead, the wax is placed in the top pot and the water is placed in the bottom pot. Them the entire assemble is placed on the stove. The heat of the boiling water will then melt the wax, without burning it.

STEP 7
Dip the tjanting in the wax while it is still boiling, (the wax will harden very quickly if you stop boiling at this stage). Apply the wax to the lines that you have drawn on the fabric, ensuring that the wax seeps through onto the other side of the fabric. Everywhere you apply the wax will resist colour. Ensure to apply the wax to small areas at a time.

STEP 8
Remove the fabric from the frame

STEP 9
Mix your dye bath using cold water and salt.

STEP 10
Crumple the fabric (giving it a crackled look)  and place it to soak in the dye bath for at least 40 minutes.

STEP 11
Remove the fabric and rinse it under running water.



If you used a pure white piece of fabric for the batik, then you will realise that the places where you put the wax would have remained white!

You will be left with a lot of candle wax still attached to the fabric which, unfortunately, you will have to remove by hand.

I advise for beginners to use a simple pattern to start with, just as I did:-

I wasn't too enthusiastic at first, but now having completed the batik, I can truly say that i found it to be an enjoyable experience, particularly because it was something new in my monotonous routine.

I don't plan on doing any more batik pieces anytime soon, but I feel very accomplished to know that I can do it if I wanted to!

Until the next post fellow bloggers.........