Making Batik with School Glue
 

This just came up in the Instructables email and looks like fun. It would be much safer and easier to handle than hot wax. https://www.instructables.com/id/Eas...m_medium=email

My wheels are turning with the realization that I could personalize some fabric for a wall hanging that would be a gift for a special someone. I don't have any experience with fabric dye and wonder how stable it is or isn't for a quilt that would be washed regularly.

Looks like a great project to do with my young nieces and nephew. Messy but fun for a weekend at the cottage project.

If you use Rit dyes, don't they slowly fade??

It's funny that you posted this now. (Well, yesterday).
I just (today) found a gallon jug of school glue that I bought last year when school supplies were on sale. I intended to try this technique.
But I was just thinkin'....

Isn't this glue washable? Why doesn't it all just wash away when it goes into a dye bath or when wet dye is applied? I mean before you want it to wash away?

And yes....you're right. It has been sitting around that long. Good intentions :confused:

Mindless, I wish I had a dollar for every item I bought with good intentions and then didn't use for a long time! A year shouldn't make much difference with that glue. I would think you were right about the glue dissolving in the dye bath, but they do have pictures of the finished fabric. Maybe it's a matter of the fabric taking up the dye quickly. Presumably the glue, if it's completely dry to begin with, would take longer to dissolve. My only experience with dye was a t-shirt tie-dye kit from Joann's that I did with a grandson a couple of year ago, and don't remember much except that it seemed to work quickly. He wore the t-shirt several times and it didn't fade. I think with this I'd use it in a wall-hanging to avoid a lot of washing. I also experimented with a tie-and-bleach technique on an old dark t-shirt, and that's another option that might work well with the glue. It's less fun than adding colors.

Tartan, you're probably right, especially if you intend to use it in a quilt that will be washed. But Rit dyes have been around for a long time and the label will probably have recommendations about what fabric to use. I plan to check on that when I get to the grocery store next time. Actually, the labels might be readable online at sites that sell the dye. Off I go to see what I can find out.

Okay! They've got us covered. There are different ones for different fabrics, and they also sell fixative and color remover. A person could easily go whole hog. I have a feeling I should finish some ufos before I dare look at this again.

I wonder how hard it is to remove the glue