Karen Kamenetzky Fiber Art

Dan was also working on his own pieces while he taught us. When we arrived we saw a pile of large bundles of 2 color batiked fabrics which had been widely folded accordian style and bound. These were awaiting final resist dyeing.
Dye bowls were placed tilted in a drainage gap in the floor. Dan mixed dyes into the bowls.

Dan mixing dye for his own work

You can see three bundles in the foreground ready for dyeing. Each bundle will be stood on its side to pick up that color and then stood on the opposite side to pick up a second color and to allow for color combos along the middle. Hard to explain but easier when you see the picture hopefully:

Dyeing the bundles

I really wish I had taken more close up pictures of his finished fabric so you could understand why I was so taken by the uniquely  intricate patterning and rich colors. Here’s another shot of fabrics for sale at the shop. It does not do it justice.

fabrics in the shop

So back to finishing my piece of beginner batik: After the second block printing, dyeing and drying, the fabric was rinsed in the outside bathtub.

bathtub rinse

Then Dan plunged it into boiling water from the heated oil drum to melt off the wax. He deftly moved the fabric around using two sticks like tongs.

wax off

Et voila:

finished

Notice the heavy handed moments. Dan and Elizabeth made it look easier that is was!
I hope this vicarious experience was interesting for some of you. It was wonderful for me to relive that day!

This entry was posted on September 4, 2013 at 9:55 am and is filed under Artists, Dyeing, Inspiration, Process. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.