How to Dye Batik Cotton Napkins
Whether it’s to match the decor of a wedding or to bring new life to an old place setting, batik cotton napkins are dyed to change the fabric’s color. A batik cotton napkin is one coated in a pattern of wax. The wax is a barrier that prevents the dye from touching the fabric, leaving it uncolored. Cold water, fiber reactive dye is used to color a batik cotton napkin so that the wax doesn’t melt.
Things You'll Need
- Bowl
- Urea
- Spoon
- Fiber reactive dye
- Plastic squirt bottle, 4 to 8 ounces
- Plastic tub
- Sodium carbonate
- Plastic sheet
- Rubber gloves
- Plastic or garbage bag
Instructions
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Prepare the Dye
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1
Mix one tablespoon of urea with one cup of water in a bowl. Stir the solution with a spoon until the urea dissolves.
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2
Mix four teaspoons of fiber reactive dye into the urea solution with a spoon until the dye dissolves. Use eight teaspoons if you're using turquoise dye; it requires twice as much to obtain the correct color.
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3
Pour the dye solution into a four- to eight-ounce plastic squirt bottle. Tighten the cap on the bottle. The dye will store for one week unrefrigerated. If you prepare the dye more than one week in advance, store it in the refrigerator.
Dye the Napkin
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4
Fill a plastic tub with one gallon of water and one cup of sodium carbonate.
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5
Submerge the batik cotton napkin in the sodium carbonate solution for 15 minutes. Lay a plastic sheet on a flat surface such as a table or countertop. The plastic prevents the dye from touching materials that you don’t want to color.
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6
Lay the cotton napkin flat on the plastic sheet, wax side up. Put on a pair of rubber gloves.
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7
Hold the dye bottle above the napkin. Squeeze the dye onto the napkin and rub it into the cotton with your hands. The wax on the napkin prevents the dye from coloring the cotton it covers, just as the rubber gloves prevent the dye from coloring your hands. Rub the dye into the cotton until it's evenly coated. The dye will soak through the cotton and dye the other side of the napkin.
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8
Leave the napkin on the plastic sheet for two hours. If you live in an area that isn't humid, cover the napkin loosely with a plastic or garbage bag. The napkin must remain somewhat moist, but not soaking wet for the two-hour waiting period.
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9
Wash the napkin in cold water. Use the detergent recommend by the dye manufacturer, which is often found on the bottle. Common recommended detergents are Synthrapol, TNA Soap and other textile detergents.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Urea is a chemical used during the dyeing process and can be purchased at craft and fabric stores.
Fiber reactive dye is a permanent dye that can be purchased at craft and fabric stores.
Sodium carbonate is commonly known as soda ash and can be purchased at hardware and swimming pool supply stores.
Special fabric detergents can be purchased at craft and fabric stores.
