Batik Printing a Wall Hanging

Batik printing is traditionally made using wax-resisting dyeing technique. The wall hanging you see here is Batik printed. Though the design seems very intricate, it is very simple and does not require any specialization or any special tools and equipment.

Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to Batik print the design shown here on a muslin cloth.

Step 1: Preparing the Muslin Cloth

White muslin cloth is best suited for this Batik Project.

• Cut a piece of about 12 inches square muslin cloth.
• Wash it thoroughly to remove the sizing (the stiffening agent in new cloths)
• After complete drying, iron out any wrinkles from the cloth

Step 2: Transfer the Design

Here, I have drawn the Batik design in a plain paper and transferred it to the cloth using a carbon paper. You can also directly draw on the cloth using pencil, charcoal or any other drawing material.

Step 3: Waxing the Outlines

Melt wax in a double boiler to the temperature between 75 to 80 ⁰C. Mount the fabric on a frame. Wax in all the outlines on the fabric.

A tool known as tjantling is used by professional workers for this, but, here I have used a coconut leaf stick to wax in all the outlines

Step 4: First Dyeing in Yellow Dye-bath

Take yellow dye in a container and immerse the waxed fabric in the dye. Remove from the dye-bath and allow it to dry completely. Do not squeeze out the excess dye as it may damage the waxing.

Now the entire fabric is dyed yellow other than the waxed outlines.

Step 5: Waxing in Areas Which Are to Remain Yellow

Mount the yellow dyed fabric on a frame and use a brush to wax in areas (flower petals) which are to remain yellow.

Step 6: Second Dyeing in Orange Dye-bath

Take Orange dye in a container and immerse the waxed-in fabric in the dye-bath. Allow it to dry completely.

Step 7: Waxing in Areas Which Are to Remain Orange

Now we need to wax-in for the final dyeing.

Mount the fabric in the frame and brush in melted wax in areas which are to remain orange.

Step 8: Final Dyeing in Blue Dye-bath

Take blue dye in a container and immerse the fabric. Take out the dyed fabric and hang out to dry.

Step 9: Iron Out the Wax

Place the dried fabric between news papers and use a hot iron over the paper. Wax melted by the hot iron will soak through the papers. Change the news papers few times till all the wax from the fabric is melted and absorbed by the papers. 

Step 10: Hang It on the Wall

This is the final outcome of the Batik printing, which is hung on the wall.

Hope I have made this instructable easy to follow. You can try different designs also for the Batik printing following these simple steps.

Step 11: Tools and Material I Have Used

I have added this step at the bottom to show that I have not used any specialized equipment, tools or materials for this project. 

Materials and tools I have used:

• About a square foot of Muslin cloth
• An A4 sheet of paper for drawing the design
• A carbon paper to transfer the design from the paper to the fabric
• A ball-point pen for transferring the design
• Yellow and Orange-red food colors and fabric whitener for the blue dye-bath
• Recycled wax
• A coconut leaf stick in place of the tjantling and a tender plant stem for brushing in the wax

The aim is to show that anybody can do the Batik printing with whatever material available to them. 

Comments

[satoko68]

Really gorgeous. My husband is from a country where batik is a traditional art form. I lived there for a decade & had the opportunity to watch the women - it's usually women you see doing this there - making very intricate batik designs. It's amazing how fine & detailed they are able to draw their designs with hot wax & the traditional tool. Unfortunately, more & more so-called 'batik' textiles are made by machine now, no freehanding with wax involved. I'm going to ask a family member to send me one of the traditional tools so I can try this at home. Thanks so much for this instructable :-)

[antoniraj]

thank you very much satoko68... I hope you will get those tools soon and try your hands on this

[Justincorrigible]

How is it "faux" batik? What is missing from the authentic process?

[Justincorrigible]

nevermind. was the title for the instructable above (as visible on mobile app)

[marcellahella]

wow! Is really pretty! I should try one day.

[antoniraj]

thank you...

[daweng]

beautiful.. belajar membatik yaa...

[antoniraj]

thank you...

[crochetronix]

Excellent instructable of a beautiful artform..!!

[antoniraj]

thank you...

[Rich_Limburger]

Great instructable, very readable and clear. I own a few batik printings myself (some bought some presents from my parents) and love this art form beacause of the not so straight lines.
I think i'll lend my fathers tjantling some day and have a go at it myself when i have finnished other lay-around-projects...
The instructable would be even grander if you could perphaps include a bill of material uh list of parts and materials needed for this lovely project.

[antoniraj]

Thank you very much...

I will add a step including materials and tools I have used.

[audreyobscura]

Beautiful!

[antoniraj]

thank you...