44 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
Dutch Batik c 
carefully pressed between sheets of absorbent paper, and 
dried still further. The design is looked over and wax 
added where required so that the mordant cannot pene- 
trate through it. This mordant is acetate of aluminum, 
in which the textile is placed, then it is dried, preferably in 
a warm place. A tepid chalk bath is prepared in which 
the textile is moved to and fro, after which it is rinsed in 
running water and dyed without drying. After being well 
shaken, the alizarin is now mixed with water and put 
through a sieve into a dye bath (an enameled saucepan or 
porcelain dish) with more water. The textile is first 
moved in this bath, then the bath is heated and brought 
to the boiling point; this boiling must last an hour. The 
wax which naturally melts during this operation is con- 
tinually skimmed off. The design is apparently lost, but 
will gradually reappear in the next bath. After a quick 
rinsing of the textile in cold water, the design is revived 
in boiling soap water which is continually renewed. The 
execution of this alizarin process, etching on cloth, as it 
were, is extremely fascinating. The color is absolutely 
proof against the long boiling. 
Alizarin dyeing of silk — Silk is dyed with alizarin in 
very much the same way. The batiked silk is placed in a 
solution of alum water, to which soda is added (the sedi- 
ment that is first formed is dissolved by heating). Then 
the textile is well shaken and fixed, without drying, in a 
solution of soluble glass. By the adding of alum and soda, 
the mordant may be repeatedly used ; the solution of soluble 
glass must be made fresh every time. After being fixed 
in this bath, the silk fabric is rinsed in running water and 
placed in the dye bath. A more detailed description will 
be found in Bulletin 28, pages 56-65. 
As a result of experiments with alizarin dyes and a 
few of the very best aniline dyes, we have come to the fol- 
lowing conclusions : 
1. The use of even the best aniline dyes in the dye- 
ing of batiks on cotton, silk and wool, is not to be recom- 
mended. Of the basic dyes for cotton (blue, red, 3^ellow, 
green, purple) only five proved to be at all non-fading, and 
these were all blue, and certainly not more beautiful than 
the absolutely fast indigo blue. Of the substantive colors, 
six proved to be non-fading, four yellows, one rose and 
one purple. One of the yellow dyes was tested in the 
laboratory and proved not to be fast at all. Of the dyes 
for half-silk only four proved to be non-fading, two blues, 
one rose, one grey. Of the dyes for silk, eight proved to 
some extent non-fading, three blues, two rose tints, one 
green, one purple, one yellow. But, excepting the yellow, 
which was a beautiful golden tint, these colors were harsh 
and much inferior to the indigo blue, the cochineal red and 
the campeachy wood purple. As these results were obtained 
with the best aniline dyes fresh from the most important 
factory in Germany, it is not to be wondered at that much 
batik work without any durability as to color, is placed 
on the market nowadays, especially as many batikers have 
their dyeing done by others, who take the first aniline dyes 
without testing them as to non-fading qualities. 
2. The use of alizarin dyes is much to be recommended 
for the dyeing of both cotton and silk. They have stood 
perfectly the test as to fastness and non-fading qualities. 
The process is slower than aniline dyeing, but the result 
is very satisfactory. These dyes will give a fine red, orange 
and purple on both cotton and silk. 
Dyes for parchment — On parchment we may use with 
favorable results the following dyes : 
Red — Cochineal with a mordant consisting of tartaric 
acid and salt of tin. 
Purple — Cochineal with acetate of aluminum. 
Brown — The dye described before, with bichromate of 
potash. 
Black — Hydrochloric aniline with spirits of ammonia 
and bichromate of potash. 
Blue — The Indigo bath described before, and some- 
times the so-called Prussian blue, obtained by sulphate of 
iron and yellow prussiate of potash. 
Yellow — Bichromate of potash with acetate of lead 
(sugar of lead) , or sulphate of iron with soda. 
Green- — Sulphate of copper (blue vitriol). 
The fastness of these colors leaves little or nothing 
to be desired but it must be remembered that, as a rule, 
parchment is much easier to dye than cotton and linen. 
