Could someone please tell me how to go about picking out batik fabrics. I see them in the stores but I just don't seem to be able to match them up, to come up with a color scheme.
I have read to pick out the border afterwards so you can match it up better. I am trying to do something in browns, beige and maybe dk green.
Where do I start please?
Also, where is the best place that sells Batiks re:Joann's, Hancock's, LQS
Thanks in advance!

There are plenty of batiks in the colors you are thinking about. I try to do darks, med. and lights in each color grouping I'm working with. That's just me...don't know if anyone else thinks this way. With that said, will shop tomorrow at Fabric Depot for blues and browns in batiks. My GD wants these colors and a cream used in a quilt for her. Can't wait to get there. They offer batiks on-line too(at 35% off).

Around here the batiks in the LQS are less expensive than JoAnns. Of course at JoAnns there are coupons. Connecting Threads has ALOT of nice ones too!

Check out Thousands of Bolts , they have a large selection of batiks and very reasonable prices. Do use the search tool as they really do have thousands of bolts. You could spend days looking at all they have.

stitch-n-frame.net has a lot of batiks on sale right now. Go to their 12 days of Christmas sale to see them.

I always like to get my border fabric first and pull colors from that. That can't always happen, but it seems to work better for me when I can do that. I don't use too many batiks, but I'm working on one now that is mostly batiks in purples, blues and greens. It's a storm at sea pattern. I wanted a scrappy look, so I picked several batiks in each color in mediums, darks and lights.

I am getting ready to start (in the new year) a batik quilt for a wedding gift for my son. I am doing the Tonga Back to Nature quilt. I have the same problem picking out batiks and was told to get the border and pull from it (we aren't using the same color scheme as in the pattern).

It is easier to pull fabrics from a focal fabric, than the other way around.
Even if you just pick one you like and don't use the focal, you will be assured that all of the colors go together :D:D:D

Go to www.sewbatik.com. Their batiks are coordinated which makes it easy. You'll discover after using batiks for awhile, that it's pretty hard to go wrong . . . they are very 'cameleon' and can take on different looks/colors depending on what other pieces you put them with! Good luck!

Thanks for the information about this website. Looks very cool. I love batiks...and they have flannel too! Made my day! :-)