Batik pros and cons
08-07-2010, 06:26 AM
#41
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: MA
Posts: 1,507
I love batiks and have used them since the mid 70's when they were very different in looks. I'll have to post a picture of the vest I made from them back then when they were a whopping $4 a yard. Outrageous! I have hand appliqued with them and use them for bindings almost exclusively. I used size 8, 10, or 12 platinum needles the smaller and thinner the better they slide through the fabric. When taking stitches out it helps to soak in fabric softener to plump up the fibers then brush with a stiff brush to help close them. I wash finished quilts with color catchers and my long arm person has no trouble quilting through multiple layers of fused and satin stitched tops, thank goodness! I also mix them with hand painted fabrics when dictated by color needs or over-paint them when necessary to make them blend better. Too much fun ;c)
08-07-2010, 06:49 AM
#42
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cypress, Texas by the way of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Posts: 155
I was making a batik quilt and all my quilting friends had me so spooked about sewing the batik that I changed my plan to hand piece. After making one block i was thinking...I am going to have to hand sew the binding. So I experimented, and it was fine to hand piece. My fabric was prewashed. Maybe that is what made hand sewing okay. The quilt I made was king size. So, my advice is try and then decide what works best for you.
Donna
Donna
08-07-2010, 06:53 AM
#43
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: currently in Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 697
I think everyone on the board knows what I think of them! I work with batiks 99% of the time now - my other fabrics just sit in the cabinets. I really want to use some of my Kaffe Fassett fabric as well as my Australian Aboriginal fabric from M & S, but I am always drawn to my batiks. I still have 700-1000 yards left for sale before I import more. (PM me if interested) I really want to take a vintage pattern that would normally use 30's fabrics and create it in batiks to see how it looks.
08-07-2010, 07:58 AM
#44
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,148
I completely agree with you about not mixing batiks and other fabrics but I know others are going to disagree. To me it's like dressing in "Sunday-go-to-meeting" clothes and wearing sneakers!
Originally Posted by pieces
I love the batiks. Great quality fabric, wide variety of colors.
The only negative I have come across is when making a quilt you need all batiks. I have tried incorporating batiks and other cotton fabrics and they just don't seem to work together.
The lapquilt I made with batiks I machine quilted, using a walking foot on my Bernina 180 doing outline
quilting and had no problem.
The only negative I have come across is when making a quilt you need all batiks. I have tried incorporating batiks and other cotton fabrics and they just don't seem to work together.
The lapquilt I made with batiks I machine quilted, using a walking foot on my Bernina 180 doing outline
quilting and had no problem.
08-07-2010, 08:10 AM
#45
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Brewerton, NY
Posts: 2,489
I love Batiks, you can do so much with them, and colors you didn't think might go together look great. Both these quilts were done with the varigated thread. I did notice that when I hand sewed on the binding it is a bit harder to get thru the material than cotton. But well worth it.
This was a kit, and I didn't think I'd like the little peach colored squares. But did.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]93170[/ATTACH]
This one I sat for hours on the internet looking at Batiks.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]93171[/ATTACH]
08-07-2010, 08:11 AM
#46
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Longwood, Florida
Posts: 2,910
I love Batiks and have never had a con. I always wash my fabrics before they come in the house and fusing has never been a problem nor the long arm quilting. I use a size 16 or 18 if the thread breaks on any quilt I am quilting. Sometimes you just have to change to a bigger size.
08-07-2010, 08:33 AM
#47
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 22
Originally Posted by Lori S
I love to work on Batiks but... Just a few notes:
1. Do pretreat/wash fabrics with Retayne, batiks RUN/Bleed. it so worth the time to get to the problem prior to constuction. Prewashing will reduce some of the running/bleeding but unless pretreated they will continue to keep running ( smaller amounts at each washing) .
2. It can be tough to buy Batiks over the internet . Not all the colors will show in the small swatch, or the evenness of the color placement. Batiks like the Hoffman watercolor collection are really one color tone/tone so it is not so much of an issue with that collection.
I once purchased a batik on line , the swatch showed very good colors that I wanted but when arrived there was another color ( purple) that in the yardage.
3. Do not use Heat and Bond light or heavy , it leaves a residue stain.
4. Because they are so thightly woven , removing stitches can leave a permanent needle hole.
5. hand applique is painful .... really its hard to get the needle through.
6. If you run out of a specific batik it is next to impossible to get more . There is no identifier in the selvage , the fabric is completley dyed. So tracking one down ... is really hard. If purchasing from the internet do keep a note as to the manufacture and site used. There are a few batik lines ( Hoffman has one that is tonal , and produced for years , but there are lots and lots of shades in the collection and tough to see on a computer exactly which blue you have) .
7. Repeat number 1 .... can not stress the pretreat enough.
All that said .. I LOVE batiks and can not get enough of them. They can create some of the most dramatic quilts.
1. Do pretreat/wash fabrics with Retayne, batiks RUN/Bleed. it so worth the time to get to the problem prior to constuction. Prewashing will reduce some of the running/bleeding but unless pretreated they will continue to keep running ( smaller amounts at each washing) .
2. It can be tough to buy Batiks over the internet . Not all the colors will show in the small swatch, or the evenness of the color placement. Batiks like the Hoffman watercolor collection are really one color tone/tone so it is not so much of an issue with that collection.
I once purchased a batik on line , the swatch showed very good colors that I wanted but when arrived there was another color ( purple) that in the yardage.
3. Do not use Heat and Bond light or heavy , it leaves a residue stain.
4. Because they are so thightly woven , removing stitches can leave a permanent needle hole.
5. hand applique is painful .... really its hard to get the needle through.
6. If you run out of a specific batik it is next to impossible to get more . There is no identifier in the selvage , the fabric is completley dyed. So tracking one down ... is really hard. If purchasing from the internet do keep a note as to the manufacture and site used. There are a few batik lines ( Hoffman has one that is tonal , and produced for years , but there are lots and lots of shades in the collection and tough to see on a computer exactly which blue you have) .
7. Repeat number 1 .... can not stress the pretreat enough.
All that said .. I LOVE batiks and can not get enough of them. They can create some of the most dramatic quilts.
08-07-2010, 08:44 AM
#48
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Newberg, OR
Posts: 1,911
Just be sure to wash them using Retayne or some other color-fast product. I use a color catcher too and continue washing them until the color catcher comes out clean. Other than that . . . they work just like any fabric. I love batiks. They are my favorites.
08-07-2010, 09:29 AM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Round Rock,Texas
Posts: 6,135
[quote=Jamiestitcher62]I am doing a BOM with Tonga Batiks, the Wing & A Prayer pattern Nature. Anyway, I've had a lot of problems getting needles to go through when machine piecing. I dropped my needle size down to a 60/8 and still have problems.
I use a microtex 70/10 needle when I'm piecing with batiks and it really helps, no more skipped stitches.
Sharon W.
I use a microtex 70/10 needle when I'm piecing with batiks and it really helps, no more skipped stitches.
Sharon W.
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