The Batik Process PREPARATION OF MATERIAL THE first step in the
batik process is to prepare the material. This is nothing more
elaborate than a thorough washing, which will result in freeing
the goods from any artificial loading and will shrink the piece
and the size will not be an unpleasant surprise when the work is
finished and one will not find that the triangle especially cut
for a lamp-shade will not fit by an inch or so. If one is using
"dyed in the piece goods" (that is, material already dyed one
col-our when bought), it is a good plan to boil it for ten
minutes, in order to remove any loose colour, and to make sure
that no un-expected colour will run and mix itself with the dye
in which the fabric is being dipped. The drying and ironing of
the material makes it ready for the application of the design.
APPLICATION OF DESIGN Some people when making a simple design
draw directly on the material with wax, but it is usually the
best plan to make the design on paper first, together with a
coloured sketch t