When we got to work this morning we went straight back to sketching designs for our stamps for our batiking project this afternoon. After looking at most of the batik designs that global mamas already has, I think the simpler the design the better. I feel like the more details you try to add the more cluttered it looks. After sketching many ideas it was hard to decide which one to use for my stamp. Even though this is my first time batiking I am hoping that I like the end result so that I can use it for my final project. I don’t want to have to pay for the workshop again. I ended up choosing a design I made out of dots and lines. It’s really simple, but still cute.
After deciding on which stamp we were going to use we had to cut a block of foam into smaller squares. Then, we carved our designs into to the block. After this we went to on of the Global Mamas, Georgina’s, home to finish the batiking process.
In order to get to Georgina we stuffed all 7 of us, plus the driver, into a 5-person car. It was quite a cramped ride and by the time we got to Georgina’s we were all dripping with sweat.
Georgina went over the basics of the textile chemistry they use to dye the fabrics. She went to a University in Ghana and has a degree in Textile Science. As well as being a Global Mama, she is also the Head Mistress at a school here. It seemed like she really knew what she was talking about and was passionate about textile design. The way she cared for the industry reminded me a lot of Usha, the textile teacher at CMU.
Georgina taught us that the word batik means to draw or write with wax. The first stage in batik depends on the color you want the stamped design to be. I choose to leave mine white. So the first stage for me was to stamp my fabric with wax. Then you get the fabric wet in cold water. Next, you place the fabric into the dye. After it is totally saturated you hang it to dry. Then you repeat the process using different stamps or colored dye depending on the intended end result. I died mine yellow first and followed it with green.
Something interesting I learned today while we were batiking is when you mix the dye they use here it turns to a color other then the color it will be at the end. For example, the yellow was purple at first and then by oxidation the dye turned from purple to yellow while on the fabric.
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