TampaGov home page
             My TampaGov    en Español

Quick Links

Batik Fabric Design (Banners, table linens, cards)

Image directions for making Batik Fabric DesignsWhat you need:

  • 100% cotton muslin (pre-washed)
  • fiber reactive dyes (sold at art supply stores)
  • wax
  • wax pot - electric tea or soup warmer
  • Brush for dye and for wax
  • Push pins
  • Gloves
  • Tub for dying
  • Newspaper
  • Iron (used for crafts only)

More image directions for making Batik Fabric DesignsWhat to do:

  • You may lightly sketch your design with pencil on your pre-washed and dried muslin. It is easier to draw if you stretch it on a board and secure it with pushpins.
  • Remember that you are drawing with the hot wax. Everything that you paint with wax will be natural color of the muslin.
  • Make sure the wax is hot enough to go completely through the material (HINT: It should stick to the paper underneath.)
  • Now begin painting in your colors. I like to start with the lightest and work darker.
  • After your painting is finished and your piece has dried completely, you may brush wax over the entire piece of material.
  • Let the wax harden. Some people like to put in the freezer for a minute.
  • Crumble the material into a ball to cause the wax to crack. These cracks will give you the beautiful crazing lines of batik.
  • After crumpling, open it up. You are ready to put your gloves on and put in the dark or black dye bath. Submerge your piece and swish around a few minutes for the dye to absorb in the material. Take out, wipe off and hang to dry.
  • When dry, get your craft iron out. Place your batik on several old sections of newspaper (new paper sometimes bleeds ink.) Sandwich the batik with more newspaper on top.
  • With the iron on a high setting iron out your wax. This will take several pieces of newspaper. Keep ironing until very little wax comes through paper.
  • Your batik is finished and ready to become a design for a banner, your table, maybe on a t-shirt, or for unique greeting cards!

Image directions for making nostalgic and contemporary picture framesNostalgic and Contemporary Picture Frames

Glass globs fit in any decor, especially when you can choose your colors.

What you need:

  • Glass globs (art supply, hobby stores, floral department)
  • Inexpensive frame (you'll only use the glass and the stand) Choose a frame one size larger than you need so that the stand will be big enough to hold picture up.

What you need for stained glass:

  • Copper foil
  • Glass cutter
  • Zinc channel
  • Soldering iron
  • Solder 60/40
  • flux
  • brush 

What to do:More image directions for making nostalgic and contemporary picture frames

  • Decide what size frame opening you want (2 x 3, 3 x 5, 5 x 7)
  • Draw your opening on a piece of paper to make a pattern for your clear glass.
  • Score and break glass to the opening size.
  • Using a board with a right angle, lay out your center piece of glass with enough room for the sides of the frame.
  • To foil your globs, wrap tape around and rub foil on the glass. When all done, put glass in a plastic container 1/2 full and shake with lid on. This magically burnishes the foil on!
  • Turn on your soldering iron. When hot, tin the edges of all your globs with solder.
  • Add foil to clear glass and position in place.
  • Begin tack soldering the globs to each other and to the center glass.
  • Run a nice bead of solder around the center glass
  • Cut your cardboard stand to fit your opening (remember we have to go larger so that stand will work)
  • Cut 3 zinc strips to size. Clean zinc with steel wool before soldering at seams.
  • Check your frame stand back to make sure it slides in and out.
  • You may choose to add a patina at this time or just polish and leave silver.
  • Add your picture and enjoy!