Justine Gaster-Sult

I am a textile artist in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. Creating beautiful clothing, bags, quilts, tie-dyes, and much more has always been at the center of my heart. The rolling hills and quiet streams of the beautiful Appalachian mountains have become my inspiration of color and light.

Fortunately for me, my dyeing adventures began with the use of fiber reactive dyes, which always gave me brilliant, vibrant colors. Soon after getting online, I found Dharma Trading Company, and began using Dharma Fiber Reactive dyes almost exclusively. The assortment of colors at Dharma never gets boring, and when I mix my own colors, I get such unique results. After discovering the wonder of Synthrapol, it has now become a staple, and also a security, in my dyeing jobs.

In the fall of 2004, I made my first batch of batik baby clothes, using Dharma Trading Company blanks and Tjanting tools. I was hooked the moment the clothing came out of the boiling water! The ability to seal the fabric from dye penetration is really quite amazing! The following purchase included Dharma's Better Tjanting tools and more specialty-type blanks, like the baby bunting, rompers and bodysuits. Currently, my favorite pieces to work with come from your Bolivian Cooperative, which feels so good to participate in and be a part of changing these people's lives. Providing bright, colorful clothing for children and adults has now become my passion!

I combine low water immersion techniques with traditional batik to create one-of-a-kind pieces. After washing the fabric in HOT water with Synthrapol, I sketch my design in with pencil. Then I use an electric skillet to melt a combination of Paraffin and Beeswax. Using Dharma's Tjanting tools, better Tjanting tools, and a variety of home-made objects, I fill in the design after it's been stretched on an embroidery hoop. Sometimes I paint the dyes in using Sodium Alginate to thicken the dye; other times, the design is left white or over-dyed later. I allow the items to sit overnight for curing, then I rinse it out the next day. After rinsing with cold, then warm water, I like to let the items sit in a hot water bath with Synthrapol for at least 15 minutes. The items then get rinsed twice. I have found that this is THE best way to remove excess dye. I boil out the items at least once, if not 2-3 times to remove the wax, and it's good to go!