Let's Chat About Wax With Tjaps

Let’s Chat About Wax With Tjaps

So today let’s work with paraffin wax and tjaps on silk. This is just mostly busy work that can almost turn into meditation if one allows to get caught up in the process. As always, I am chatting about how I approach my work and since I continually use that square wheel there could be an easier and better method to the madness. This is mine-

First of all, the set up. Takes up most of your time and if you don’t do it—it all turns out in a mess so here are a few tidbits about my set up.

Depth of wax in your frying pan. I like it to be about 1/8” deep but 1/4” will do. The deeper the wax the more wax on your tjap– so more prep time removing it to get it just right or a messy scarf. I have lots of those—but as Hamada said—there may be only one pot in a thousand that is truly worthy but that does not mean that the other 999 are not beautiful in their own right. Oh yes– where was I?

Temperature of wax about 250 degrees. I am not sure, but if the wax is too hot it will spread out on your silk and of course if not hot enough, well you won't get a full print. So about 250 works for me. Remember to always work in a well vented area and never let your wax smoke. Now that you have your porridge I mean wax ready to go lets drop in the tjap.

Now lets work on getting the image of the tjap on the silk.
Place the tjap in the wax and let it warm up. Shake the excess wax off the tjap and then place it on 2 layers of plain paper. (I use the packing paper sold at Walmart) Let it sit for a long moment—I count to about 30-and then make a print on the paper. Check to see how it looks. If it is messy then print again, or just try to print the part that is really messy– like the cat’s face that I struggled with on the examples.

Now having already prepped your table with a few layers of towels and your silk is all nice and stretched and you are working on the wrong side, place the tjap on the silk and firmly rock it on and off. This takes a bit of practice to know where you want it longer and less, but I am sure you will get the feel of it. Actually, think about how it feels on the silk and you will know you have a good print.

Continue this process on your silk until all the areas you want a print have been stamped but not overlapping.

Turn your silk over to the right side and dye and paint as you wish. Remember all these images will be waxed before we go on to the next layer. After letting the dyes dry once again turn your piece on the wrong side for waxing.

With a brush designated for wax that you are comfortable with– better to go slow with a smaller brush than use a brush that is too large–  fill in all the images you have stamped and painted. When your silk is thoroughly dry it is time to go to the next layer.

With the wrong side of your silk on the table, once again apply the hot wax to your piece creating areas of overlapping and interlocking images. This creates depth and interest to the pieces. You can continue this process of waxing, dyeing, drying, waxing until you feel it is finished.

Remember to keep the waxed images clean of additional layers of colors if you are doing a gradual increase or such and might be spraying. Clean these images of wax on both sides and keep them clean—if not all those little bubbles will be waxed in and you might not be happy. Took me forever to catch on to this idea, but…. I use paper towels and clean them while the dye is still wet.

Now the piece is almost finished. Oh, I forgot to tell you that don’t worry too much about the bleed outs as the final or background will be very dark and will cover up those mistakes. However, today I did come across a tip about using kelp thickener in your dyes—just a tad and it will be more likely to stay where you want it. Just tried it and I am impressed.

So there are several ways to finish up your pieces. In the example today I painted up to each waxed image and was careful not to cover the images. Another way is to spray it alland then clean the images up -mmmmmmmmm lots of time –but gives a very antiquey look if you are looking for that. If you want a true batik do this background in the next to your darkest color and wax it off completely. Take the scarf off and crinkle a bit—and watch out where your crinkles are– control them- if you want it to look really good. Then apply a final coating of dye and work in to the cracks for that fine line batik look.

OH, yes now we have to remove all that wax we spent so much time carefully applying.


It is really a good idea to have a designated iron and ironing board for removing the wax. I tried putting layers of old sheeting etc. on my ironing board but alas it is not a good idea.  Invest if you can in an iron and board or use a very old table top covered in several layers of towels and if by any chance you have a flat iron that is not for steam send it to me immediately if not sooner. That is what you want to iron out wax with if you have one. I think they are like hen’s teeth to find. (Hen’s don’t have teeth) I use my table to iron on and lay out an old blanket and a old towel and then 2 layers of the packing paper the length of the scarf. I then lay only one layer of paper on top and begin removing the wax with a hot iron. It takes about 3 layers for each area on top. I flip the bottom papers over after round one and leave them. Sometimes, when I can see an area of wax still in the fabric that is around the image, I just reiron it without paper on top until it fades away. Steaming will get the rest of the wax out, but if you are really heavy handed this is what you do after steaming.

Fill up a large kettle with water and then add a tad of soap. Place the scarf in the kettle and let it heat up—do not boil– leave the scarf in the pot and stir until the wax is all removed. Let the kettle cool- remove wax from top and good to go. Remember this step is after you steam your scarf.

Well that about wraps up this adventure.
I hope my methods have been instructive and perhaps if you use them let me know.

If I don’t see you sooner, wave as you drive by,
Swinging on her old garden gate,
She waves as you she watches you leave the drive.

Making Art with Friends

Amy and Elise

For the last year, I have had the pleasure of having two delightful and wonderful people over to share my studio.


In a few weeks, they will be moving away and our Art Adventures will be coming to an end. For the grand finale we decided to play with silks, cottons, tjaps, shibori and even some tie dying for four days this week.

Today we played with silks and tjaps. Their pieces are not finished but I wanted to share each day in a blog. I think they are coming along grand.

So met Amy and Elise with their silks.

Well that about wraps it up for today, check back by as we will be showing some Japanese pole work with velvets.   OH so pretty.

So see you around town if not earlier and have a great day.