I like the Hoffman bali hand dyes, but I look at all brands, I don't discriminate, at least not on purpose. I love the mottled batiks like those from Hoffman bali batiks, and their batik dots. I think the ones I like the best are the large mottled batiks with several colors in one fabric or several colors in the same color family - likes blues to turqoise to purple, or reds swirling in different shades of read, then going to purples and blues. The colors have to be vibrant, but there also needs to be lighter batiks as well. I like some that are over-printed with things like fish or whatever, but I'd like them to be soft, and not the stamping to really stick out. I'm sure I have totally confused myself and you, but it's a tough question to answer. Mostly, I guess it's what strikes my fancy at the time and what I want to make. I saw a gorgeous Boston Commons quilt done in batiks that was made by someone in Heartbeat Quilts. I never found the lighter blue background I wanted, so I went with one slightly darker than I would have liked, but I was getting anxious about finding the right color, and I had a limited amount of time that day. I have searched for years for the right colors, as I want the lighter batiks in the center, then the lighter blue, then slightly darker, blues, turquoise, purples and the last area of batiks to be darker blues, turquoise and purples. I found the perfect border fabric in a printed batik, however, not only havne't I finished the quilt, I haven't even started it. I hope what they say is true "Fabric has to age like fine wine!" It's still on my Rountdoit List,but need to make a wedding quilt for my son and DIL, plus several baby quilts, and quilted items for a craft fair in Nov., so my quilt will wait.