In high school art class we did batik. I always wanted to do it again. But using hot melted wax to draw designs on fabric is not so easy. A couple years ago, I ran across instructions for a batik project using Elmer's Glue and Acrylic Paint, in my Family Fun magazine. I made the fall banner and it was a lot of fun. I thought it would make a good Christmas decoration. I decided to make a couple of pillows, backed with fleece, and using the batik prints for the front.
I first had to come up with designs. I used sheets of freezer wrap paper. I drew 16-inch squares, and also drew two midlines to properly center my designs. I tried to just randomly place designs, but that didn't work out. I didn't trust my free-hand, so I traced various cookie cutter images.
I then went back and traced over with a Sharpie marker. I needed the images to really stand out as I was going to put them under a sheet of plastic, with my cloth on top of that.
Then, seeing my drawn images through the fabric (I used muslin), I traced each item with Elmer's Glue. You have to let it dry for 24 hours. Then take a paint brush and wet the fabric all over. Then I started dabbing various paint colors where I wanted them. Where ever the glue is, no paint will flow.
Then let that dry--mine took many hours. Then you soak the cloth in warm water for 30 minutes and rub off all the glue. I then ironed each piece and sewed to my fleece. Stuffed, stitched, and voila!
As you can see, where ever the Elmer's Glue was, the fabric stayed its original color--which was off-white.
Here are side shots, so that you can see the fleece on the back.
This was a fun project. And I don't even sew!
You can find better instructions here - http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/glue-batik-banner-785331/
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