Batiking

So, the work begins...

The main focus of Global Mamas is selling 'Batiked' garments. Batiking is a traditional wax stamping and dying technique that produces bright, patterned fabrics. Having just taken the Batiking 'workshop', here's the Tim and Lydia guide to making Global Mamas products.

Begin with a plain white sheet of 'calico' (pure cotton)...

Using an image cut into a piece of foam, stamp (100% Paraffin) wax prints onto the cotton, as demonstrated by my beautiful assistant...

Now ask an experienced Batiker like Emma to mix the dyes to form the colour you're looking for, and to dye the cloth. This process is toxic, along with the dye and water, there's Caustic Soda and Hydrochloric Sulphate in that bowl. It doesn't smell good! Next hang the fabric out to dry. Look at those colours!

Finally ask a hard working young man (in this case Philip) to boil up some water and melt the wax out of the finished cotton...

Rinse, dry and you're done! (If only I had a photo of the finished garment). Lyd plans to have a dress made from hers, so once we've seen the seamstresses in action we'll show you the finished product.

Finally take a photo of some pigs near the boiling pot in an an attempt at artistic photography. Shame about the bin...