Chinese Wax Knives

As a result of her travels to China Ria van Dijk will give an experimental batik workshop. Strips of fabric are decorated and applied to existing clothes.

The Miao in China apply batikwax on small pieces of fabric which they incorporate in their beautiful and typical national costumes. They are being used as stripes or borders on sleeves, as a pocket, or on the backside of a jacket or a sling to carry a baby. The Miao use Chinese Wax Knives: very handy small tools to apply wax on fabric like using a kind of fountain pen. They make very fine motives with these knives. 

During this workshop you may use these wax knives as tools to apply the wax. It is okay to work this fine as well, but we encourage you to work more freely and adapt to your own style of fabric design. 

Please, bring your own blouse, jacket, t-shirt or bag and give it a second life by embellishing it afterwards with the stripes you are going to make yourselves during the workshop. You can bring more pieces of clothing with you to see what will work the best.

Ria will bring photo's and fabric pieces to share and to inspire you.
This workshop is being organised for the members of the Surface Design Association in Europe in particular, and is part of the first European SDA conference.
Non members can also join provided there are places available (members rank above non members)
Spoken language =  English