soy wax batik

Ages ago I bought a bag of soy wax flakes which I tossed in a drawer and forgot about.   Well I've recently been bitten by the batik bug so I gathered up some supplies and tossed the soy wax into a electric skillet and spent a couple of days this week doing some experimenting.

I started with some cotton fabric that I had pre-soaked in a soda ash solution and let dry overnight.  This first piece I did by dipping the rim of a glass in to the wax:

and this next one was done simply by brushing the wax onto the fabric:

Then I remembered that a very good friend of mine gifted me a while ago this gorgeous wood stamp:

It's a large one - almost 6" across at the widest point.  I love it and thought it would be perfect for batik so...

Then I decided to work with some silk.  Here's my practice piece:

It take a bit of practice to get used to working with the Tjantings and as soon as we get another decent weather day around here I'll be back on the deck doing some more practicing with it.  This last piece of silk I did with a paintbrush:

This is my favorite piece.  I love how the dye seeped through the cracks of the wax.  I really had fun creating these pieces and I can't wait to get back outside to do some more experimenting.

Online class update:  The Creative Box Making for the Fiber Artist class starts tomorrow!  Registration for the class is still open and will remain open through next Friday.  All the details on this class can be found here.

And speaking of next Friday... the More Journal Making for the Fiber Artist class starts next Friday June 26th.  All the details on that class are here.

Comments

[Jennifer]

has anyone used this soy wax while doing Rozome style silk painting? Just curious is the application of water affects the wax-does it smear/wipe of or crack with movement?
Thanks for any help you can share.

[Gina]

These are beautiful! I'm such a soy fan I may have to try this. Maybe I could dip into a burning soy candle?!

Your glass rim one may be my favorite!

[ME]

Sue, what great ideas. Never would have thought of a glass. I bought some metal cookie cutters which I hold with a pair of pliers. Did you use Procion dyes or Dye Na Flow for the colors?
Thanks again for your continuous inspiration.
Marie

[Sandy Jandik]

All the pieces are beautiful. The glass worked well. I'm so glad the wood block did too.

[Vicki W]

Cool!

[Judi (Approachable Art)]

Ohhhh that's good news, Sue... I'm on my way out to buy some supplies. I'll poke around and see if I can't find some soy wax. :D

[Judi (Approachable Art)]

These are gorgeous! I love to batik but haven't tried the soy wax... it can be boiled out of the fabric, right? Or did you use a different method for removing it?

[Sherry]

Wow Sue. All of them are my favorite.

[Michele]

Lovely pieces, Sue. I'm with you--that last one is my favorite. I've tried traditional wax batik and love it, but hate trying to remove the wax. I keep telling myself I'm going to order some soy wax one of these day!