When dying material, I use 100% cotton. If there is any polyester in the fabric the colours don't soak in, at least with the rit dyes that I use. Silk takes colour in nicely too, I just find when I have used silk it has snagged and torn on me.
I photographed some cotton batik originals in my back yard once, and the wind picked up one of them before I took them inside. That night it rained, and it was the next day before I noticed that the art work was missing. I found it in the woodpile, dirty and wet. Took it in, rinsed it with warm water and then ironed it. It was just as good as before and is still hanging on my friend Rose's livingroom wall. Maybe that's why I love to work with cotton so.
