The blouse shown on [page 23] was made on silk. The design was drawn out carefully on paper and then traced on the silk. The design was then waxed and dyed in a basin containing about two quarts of water, one-half teaspoon of 36% acetic acid and a teaspoon of imperial blue dye solution. It was kept gently moving in the dye for fifteen minutes, rinsed thoroughly, dried and pressed between clean old newspapers or blotting paper and ironed dry. The ironing melts the wax out. If traces of the wax or pencil marks still adhere, the goods can be washed in gasoline or benzine. When the wax was removed, the result was a piece of two-tone Batik work of deep blue with a white design. For most Batik work, light colored fabrics are used, as designs can be successfully darkened, but cannot be made lighter on dark goods. But, on the whole, a delicate color is better as a foundation than white, because the white will often be a little out of harmony with the colors.
The designs for the two charming sashes on [page 37] illustrate additional steps in more elaborate designs. The right-hand scarf was dyed first so that the ground was not white. For such a sash one-half teaspoon of dye solution in four quarts of water, with one teaspoon of 36% acetic acid, would be used for the background, with perhaps a ten-minute immersion. After it was dyed it should be rinsed thoroughly in cool water to remove all excess acid and any loose color. Rinse until the water is practically clear. Hang it up so that it will dry smoothly. When dry, wax the flowers, the connecting lines, and the broad light bands. Prepare the second dye. An agreeable color scheme is pink for the lightest, made by using scarlet dye in a weak solution, a deeper pink for the second color, and lavender for the last. If the color scheme suggested were to be used, the same dye would be used for the deeper pink and the material immersed a second time with the addition of another teaspoon of the scarlet dye solution to the basin. After the second dyeing, all the superfluous color was rinsed out, it was dried, and the parts to remain the deep pink were waxed. That left the heavy bands alone exposed to this last dye bath. For this a green solution was used which on the pink gives a beautiful grey lavender.
A color scheme of, first, orange dye; second, brown dye, and third, navy blue dye, is attractive. Some silks will ravel so as to make a good fringe; in that case a pattern for the fringe would be dyed in before raveling. With a purchased fringe the tied and dyed method will give charming bands.
Two sashes done in Batik by the students of the Art Institute of Chicago
The interesting sash shown on the left of the previous page is also a three-process piece in which greater contrast has been kept between the colors.
Such a place as the wing and crown of the bird figured on the velvet bag shown on [page 30] could well be painted in with a brush. A blending of the colors found in some of the tropical birds—yellow, orange and blue, for instance—would be gorgeous.
The process of cleaning and finishing velvet is long and requires skill to do it successfully. The craft worker is advised to send a piece of velvet Batik to a professional if possible, rather than risk spoiling it herself.