Batik experiments in progress

Batik "cap" carved wooden block

This weekend I have been experimenting with some batik techniques. I used to love dying fabric but haven't done any for years. My husband bought me some beeswax and a cap (carved wooden block used for printing the wax onto fabric) for christmas.  I tried using the block, however the cold british climate has meant the even inside the wax was cooling too quickly to apply evenly to the fabric. I might give it a go later in the year when its a bit warmer.

Experiments using a Tjanting

I still wanted to experiment and decided to use the Tjantings I had already to apply the wax. This works very well on a small scale and can easily be controlled, but I wanted to dye a large 3m piece of fabric. 

Dye bath and wax pot with Tjanting

I decided to use an old paintbrush to apply the wax in a random swirl pattern, drawn freehand.

I had experimented with the dye and used Dylon Bahama Blue. 

Design applied with paintbrush

On my samples it worked very well. I'm not sure it's working quite so well on my large piece. I did double up the amount of dye used, but I suspect that the fabric is not 100% cotton and has some polyester in it - despite checking at the shop when I bought it.

First sample - pre painted fabric, you can see the uneven stamping, then dyed blue

The fabric is currently steeping in the bath while I type, but will have to come out soon as the kids need their baths! I will be applying some more wax and over dyeing with purple dye. I'll see what that turns out like and may add a third layer of dye.

Fabric in dye bath

I need to invest in some Procion dyes. I used to use the a lot when I was a student, but haven't kept any for a few years. They are incredibly versatile and provide vibrant and strong colours.

Maybe a spot of tritik or shibori next.

Dying for a new lease of life - how to dye leather shoes.

 

I just love Dr Martens Shoes. I have done since I was about 17. Several years ago I had these tan leather Mary Jane DM shoes, which I wore all the time. You can see from the photo that they had become scuffed and rather tatty, to the point of being unsuitable to wear and they ended up relegated to the backof the shoe cupboard. 

A few weeks ago I was clearing out, and wondered if there was anything I could do to breathe new life into these that wasn't going to cost the earth. After a little bit of research I discovered that dying leather shoes wasn't that difficult and relatively inexpensive.

Step 1. Clean the layers of polish off the shoe. you can buy special deglazer to do this, but I used nail polish remover and cotton pads. deeper scuffs could be sanded with fine sand paper.

 Step 2. The dye. I bought Fiebing's leather dye from Amazon, it cost about £5, but i had some gift vouchers so I used those. I also bought neutral wax shoe polish, this was only £1. You will also need something to apply the dye with. I used a sponge dabber, but a natural fabric cloth or paintbrush would also work well. Gloves are also a good ideas to keep your hands clean.

Step 3. Cover the surface you are using with Newspsper and stuff the shoes with paper too to support them while you apply the dye.

Step 4.  Apply the dye. I worked in sections, starting from  the heel so I could check it was going on ok. This dye did run a little, but that was becasue I put too much on the sponge. apply a thin even layer and allow to dry fully. Depending on the style of your shoe, you may need to mask some areas with tape. I just wiped spills away with damp cotton wool. After the first coat of dye the shoes had a pinky tinge. In total I applied three coats of dye, allowing the shoes to dry completely in between each one. In total I used less than 1/3 of the bottle of dye.

 Step 5. Polish. I applied wax polish and buffed to a shine. I used two layers of the clear polish to achieve a good finish. The colour darkens considerably when the polish is added, so bear that in mind. I'm really pleased with the outcome and feel that these shoes have a new lease of life. can't wait to wear them.