Batik Butterfly Pillow

That's Clever! : Episode HCLVR-148 -- More Projects »
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Project by Carolann Tebbetts from Shrewsbury, Mass.
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Carolann Tebbetts is a visual arts teacher at Milford High School in Massachusetts. She loves experimenting with a wide range of media and techniques and interacting with teens that love art or need to learn how to love art. She considers her position a "dream job" since she gets paid to be surrounded by art supplies and teens all day! She makes a batik and bead pillow similar to those that her students created as their final decorative arts assignment.

Materials:

paper pattern
soda ash fixative
#2H pencil
staple gun and staples
4, 9" x 12" stretcher bars or an old picture
100 percent cotton sheeting, organdy, muslin or similar lightweight woven cotton fabric
beeswax/paraffin mix (sold as Batik wax or 50/50 mix)
small crock-pot for melting wax (do not use for cooking)
old bristle brushes for waxing
small and medium Tjanting wax tools
cold-water dye in various colors
white plastic watercolor palette
watercolor brushes in various sizes
old steam iron
18" x 24" newspapers and clear newsprint
backing material to coordinate with Batik design
fiberfill
beading thread
beading needle
embroidery needle
size 11 seed beads in various colors for tassels
size 6 or 8 seed beads for border
4 large focal beads
various accent beads and charms
organza ribbon
organza wedding favor bag pouch
potpourri

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Figure A
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Figure B
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Figure C
Batik Steps:

1) Choose an image with clear contour lines like a stained glass pattern or flash/tattoo art. Make sure there are no areas smaller than a raisin as the areas will be too small to wax. Copy or draw the image on white paper to the exact size of the 9" x 12" pillow (figure A).

2) Transfer the design to the cotton fabric by taping the drawing to a sunny window or a light box. Tape the fabric over the drawing and trace lightly with a pencil (figure B).

3) Stretch the fabric over the assembled stretcher bars or picture frame. Staple in place (figure C).

4) Cover the work surface with newspaper. Melt the wax in a crock-pot set on low. One pound of wax will take approximately two hours to melt.

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Figure D
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 (figure D).

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 along side the line that did not penetrate.

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

Also in this Episode
That's Clever! : Episode HCLVR-148
•Lighted Ceramic Building
•Batik Butterfly Pillow
•Pressed Flower Art
•Whimsical Monkey Tiles