Super simple Kidlet BATIK

Grandma brought over a bunch of nice, crisp white pillowcases she had found yardsaling, figuring I could use them for something. I had been thinking about trimming them in ricrac, embroidering them, or making dresses from them but all ideas were eventually outvoted for the good of the childer.

Corynn has been asking for "a project" (and by asking I mean begging) for a while so I sacrificed crisp white for wrinkled COLOR---and got in return two very happy children with their own personalized made-all-by-themselves Batik pillowcases.

It's a very simple art project any age can do (and have fun with). Here's how:

You need:

white fabric (use scraps to sew a pillow or make a banner, cut triangles for a bunting, use a square or rectangle for a wall-hanging or use something premade like a pillowcase or shirt.)

Elmer's School Blue Gel (easily found, but no substitutes!!!-white glue doesn't work):

and Acrylic paints (I watered them down a bit to make a smoother consistency--and to prolong them!)

Acrylic paints will STAIN fabric (which is why we are using them!) so have paint aprons/old t-shirts available for messy painters.



Step 1) Draw a design on your white fabric with glue. This design will resist paint and will stay white for the finished product. Have your child experiment with thin lines and thick lines. The more details the better. For the very young, you can draw a design for them.

Let glue dry overnight. (In our case, we let it dry for about 2 weeks, thanks to a ridiculous amount of rain and busy-ness!)
Step 2) Using watered down acrylic paints, paint your piece, even over the glue design. Encourage your child to paint until there is no more white space showing.


Andrew and Corynn painted happily for over an hour until both of their pieces were done~I was impressed with their "stick-to-it-iveness". Great "keep 'em occupied for a bit" activity, if you ask me!


Let dry completely.
Step 3) In a VERY warm bathtub or sink, soak your fabric until all glue is washed out. I eventually got impatient and used my kitchen brush for those last pesky bits of slimy glue. A few paint flecks will appear in the water (it is from the paint that was over the glue, not the paint on the fabric.)

Once all the glue is washed out, let dry completely. You can use the dryer or line dry (which I did-which is why they are all so wrinkly.)

There you have it. Masterful, permanent creations of their very own!

(PS. I have found that children stick with projects much longer and take their time more when you are right there doing it with them (not helping them with theirs, rather, working next to them on your OWN project. So get your own hands dirty too!


And if you have any babies around~they can paint too! (with water, that is!)