Batik

In Batik, campers use cotton fabric to make wall hangings, pillows, quilts, and material for clothing or soft sculptures. Wax is applied to the fabric to create designs by producing a "resist" where dye won't penetrate. The entire fabric is then dyed in the camper’s chosen color, before they add more wax and dye the next color. This iterative process builds up a design as each layer creates new depth. Campers can also try using the wax as a resist on other materials such as wood, then stain the material to show stronger definition within their chosen designs.

Campers are introduced to the many varied styles of batik, like shiborai, an ancient form of Japanese tie-dye. Shiborai uses pressure instead of wax as a resist by folding fabric between pieces of wood or wrapping string around fabric before applying dye. The patterns this process makes are often more geometrical or extremely random.

The Batik Shop in a nutshell: bright colors, a lot of wax, and tons of games to help pass the minutes while dyeing! It's all about fun!