Batiks are great. I use them in a picture quilt where they are used in trees and mountains and water... I used it for backing just once and my machine quilting looked great on the front side but the back looked real funny (like it had big holes where the stitches went in and like the thread layed on the back) But it was pretty but I won't use it for backing again. I know it is because the cotton fabric is mercantized (which means it is spun several times to make it receptive to dyes so that why it sometimes feels like silk and almost shiny....)I have used this type of fabric when dying my own.. the color comes out very rich and pure.. but it is some times a bear to sew....