Batik Butterfly Pillow

3. Stretch the fabric over the assembled stretcher bars or picture frame. Staple in place.

4. Cover the work surface with newspaper. Melt the wax in a slow cooker set on low. One pound of wax will take about two hours to melt.

5. Place the stretched fabric on the newspaper close to the wax pot. Holding the tjanting in one hand, dip into the melted wax. Initially the tjanting must be in the wax for 30 seconds to melt any solidified wax and to heat up the well. Hold the tjanting tilted up to prevent drips. Hold it over a paper towel in the other hand if drips are a problem. Place the tjanting’s tip on a drawn contour line, and without hesitating, draw the line until the well runs dry or the wax comes out translucent instead of transparent. The wax is then to cool to penetrate the fibers. Return the tjanting to the pot and refill the well. Repeat the process until all the contour lines are waxed.

Note: Make sure the wax is penetrating the fiber. The cloth will look darker and the wax will come through the other side. If it is not penetrating, the dye will bleed through the contour line into other sections. Remove wax that has not penetrated and re-wax those areas. Remove by picking off with your fingernail, or draw another line of wax alongside the line that did not penetrate.

6. Mix dye according to manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure to add the required fixative.

7. Fill the wells of a watercolor palette with the dyes to be used in the design. Fill in the spaces with desired colors with a watercolor brush. Work from the interior of the space out to the edges. If a wax contour is not fully sealed, the dye will bleed through slowly instead of soaking completely into the next space. If you discover a problem, stop that section and continue with another. Once the fabric dries, use more wax to seal the leak.

8. Once you’ve filled in all areas, let the dye dry completely.

9. Apply more wax to areas that you want to remain the current color. Apply more dye to deepen or change the color in the unwaxed areas.

10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 until the desired color and detail have been achieved.

Keep in mind:

• Colors dry lighter than they appear when wet.
  
• Multiple coats of dye will produce more vibrant or darker colors.
  
• Colors can be mixed on the fabric for interesting effects. Test on scrap fabric for color and technique. Wet on wet will fully blend; wet onto dry will blend less and will leave a water line or stain at the intersection.

11. Cover the entire surface with a coat of wax using a bristle brush. This will ensure that the fabric is of a consistent texture. Remove the fabric from the stretchers.

12. Cover the ironing board with several sheets of newspaper and then at least two pieces of unprinted newsprint paper. Sandwich the waxed fabric under another sheet of newsprint.

13. Using an old iron set on “cotton,” iron over the fabric and the paper. Change the paper above and below the fabric as it becomes saturated with wax. Repeat until no more wax melts onto the paper.

14. Crop the work to the desired dimensions, allowing a quarter-inch for the seam.

Pillow Steps:

1. Cut fabric into two pieces, one 9-1/2" x 8-1/2" and the other 9-1/2" x 6-1/2".

2. Using a sewing machine and matching thread, finish one 9½-inch raw edge on each of the two backing pieces.

3. Place the batik face up on a table. Place the two backing pieces, face down, over the batik. Line up all edges to create a 2-inch overlap in the center of the pillow.

4. Pin together and sew all four sides.

5. Turn right sides out. Stuff with fiberfill, making sure to force stuffing into all four corners.

6. Tie a knot at one end of a 12-inch piece of organza ribbon. Using an embroidery needle, thread the ribbon through the backing fabric 3 inches down from the top of the pillow to the left of the opening in the back. Repeat to the left and 3 inches up from the bottom of the pillow. Add beads to the ribbons and tie knots on the ends to secure the beads.

7. String additional beads or charms onto another ribbon. At the midpoint of this ribbon, sew to the organza favor bag. Tie a decorative bow.

8. Fill the organza favor bag with a small amount of potpourri. Place the bag inside the pillow. Tie the ribbons together to close the back of the pillow.