DIY Network

The Under-$10 Gift Inexpensive gifts can still look like you spent a fortune. From "Creative Juice" episode DCRJ-406

Got a lot of gifts to give and not a lot of money to spend? Crafters Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza have some great ideas for saving a few bucks. An easy dyeing technique creates an elegant silk scarf, a stenciled doormat adds a personal touch to any home, and your photos get a new home with a customized silk-and-ribbon photo album.

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Batik Silk Scarf

Adding designs and patterns to your next dye project is a breeze with a simple batik technique that’s guaranteed to turn some heads.

Batik Silk Scarf

Materials:

double boiler (or glass bowl and slightly larger saucepan)
prewashed silk scarf
wax
cold-water fabric dye
clothespins
small cookie cutter
plastic tub or metal sink
kraft paper
iron

1. Using a glass bowl and a saucepan as a double boiler, heat the wax until it's melted (figure A).

Safety tip: Be sure to tilt the inner container; otherwise a vacuum could form and you could receive a nasty burn.

2. Clip the clothespin to the side of the cookie cutter and dip the cookie cutter into the wax for at least 20 seconds (figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

3. Place the wax-dipped cookie cutter onto the scarf and press lightly until the wax is transferred to the scarf (figure C) (figure D). Allow the wax to cool.

4. Mix the dye (following package instructions) in a large tub or a metal sink. Wet the scarf and place it in the dye bath; stir and let the fabric sit in the dye for about an hour (figure E).

Figure C

Figure D

Figure E

5. Rinse the scarf in cold water until the water runs clear; hang the scarf to dry.

6. Place the fabric between pieces of kraft paper (figure F) and press with a hot iron to remove the wax(figure G).

7. Rinse in hot water with a mild detergent to remove remaining wax, then let the scarf hang to dry (figure H).

Figure F

Figure G

Figure H

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