Prewash batiks?
04-20-2012, 03:12 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 4,001
I don't prewash fabrics either. Having heard all the reports about the dye running on batiks I plan on it for them. Also they say that it is easier to quilt through batiks that have been washed first. I haven't tried it yet, so we shall see.
04-20-2012, 04:08 AM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Northern Wisconsin
Posts: 7,991
I might be totally insane or very brave. I never prewash. I dislike ironing of wrinkled fabric so much that if I had to do it all the time, I would not enjoy the quilting process and would probably quit. I doubt that, but I really don't like washing and ironing new fabric and like the feel of the not washed fabric.
I bought a batik jelly roll from a board member. It was not prewashed. I made a beautiful braid lap quilt with it and some other batiks that I purchased (joanne's and lqs). When I was finished I washed it in cold water with three color catchers and LOTS of water. It turned out beautiful. This quilt was mine to keep.
Am I recommending my method...nope. I am just sharing my experience.
I bought a batik jelly roll from a board member. It was not prewashed. I made a beautiful braid lap quilt with it and some other batiks that I purchased (joanne's and lqs). When I was finished I washed it in cold water with three color catchers and LOTS of water. It turned out beautiful. This quilt was mine to keep.
Am I recommending my method...nope. I am just sharing my experience.
04-20-2012, 04:45 AM
#14
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,312
Never trust a Batik not to run or bleed! If you are going to pre-wash, Retayne is a better choice, it will set the dyes. This is something to do BEFORE you cut into the fabric. Retayne and Synthropol both require 140 degree water for the best results. If you have used Retayne , the items you make from treated fabrics should be washed in cold water.
The most notorious bleeders are the "watercolor" batiks.... but some of the other styles of batiks use the watercolor batiks as the base or background fabric.
It always facinating that when I soak and pretreat the colors that can come out. Colors that do not appear to be in the fabric.
The most notorious bleeders are the "watercolor" batiks.... but some of the other styles of batiks use the watercolor batiks as the base or background fabric.
It always facinating that when I soak and pretreat the colors that can come out. Colors that do not appear to be in the fabric.
04-20-2012, 04:54 AM
#15
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Keene, New Hampshire
Posts: 4,211
Like mcdaniel023 I rarely prewash any fabric. My reason has nothing to do with ironing, since I rarely do that either.
I'm a template person so if the fabric has been washed the template will flatten it and cutting is far easier with unwashed fabric.
The one exception - if I'm using a light or white fabric in the quilt (seldom).
I'm a template person so if the fabric has been washed the template will flatten it and cutting is far easier with unwashed fabric.
The one exception - if I'm using a light or white fabric in the quilt (seldom).
04-20-2012, 05:10 AM
#16
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Mechanicsville, IA
Posts: 1,497
Another QB member posted some time back that to wash jelly roll strips and other pre cuts she would hand wash them in the sink, trying not to manhandle them to much but to get all the extra dye and chemicals out, rinsed them well until there wasn't any color to the rinse water then put them in a salad spinner and gave them a spin to get most of the water out. Then layed flat to dry and pressed. I haven't tried this personally but I thought it was a clever idea. I keep my eyes peeled at garage sales as I am looking for a salad spinner. I don't really need a brand new one to spin fabric!
PS - I had never heard of Sew Batik and just went to their website. They have gorgeous fabrics! I have never seen or heard of batik flannels! a bit pricey at $11.49 a half yard but pretty just the same!
PS - I had never heard of Sew Batik and just went to their website. They have gorgeous fabrics! I have never seen or heard of batik flannels! a bit pricey at $11.49 a half yard but pretty just the same!
04-20-2012, 05:26 AM
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,688
Batiks do not ravel so washing pre-cuts of any type (jelly-rolls, charms, etc) is actually quite safe - safer than not washing them, imho. The key with prewashing batiks (and any fabric that runs) is to wash it until it stops running. In order to know when that point is reached, you have to retest for bleeding after what you believe is the last wash, i.e., the one where the Color Catchers remain white.
04-20-2012, 06:28 AM
#20
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
So given that their exceptionally nice batik flannel is 2 1/2 times wider than your average LQS flannel the price works out to be around $9 per yard which is comprable to 42" wide LQS flannel.
I have gotten sewbatik flannels as well as their regular cotton batiks and I can personally vouch for the very fine quality of their products. They are competitively priced when comapred to many LQS when no huge sale is going on.
To the OP, I always prewash everything. Batiks and non batiks alike but as so many others posted batiks can be especially notorious for bleeding. With Batiks I treat with Retayne in my prewash to set the dyes as well.
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