virginialbrown

The one thing I noticed about batiks is that they will take over but, I just love them for leaves and flowers in a project.

squeakie

i love all the advice i am starting a quilt for my granddaughter and it is all batiks and will be appliqued elephants...yes..batik elephants!!

virginialbrown

Its a clear chemical put out by G & K Craft Industries Ltd. Its a colro fixative for Commercialy dyed cotton fabrics. It recommends 1 teaspoon per yd. and if your doing a quilt use hot water 140 degrees and add dry cotton and set for a 20 minute wash. Rinse with cool water and dry right away. Personally I check all fabrics as I wash them. I also cut the corners to tell me that I did just that. You can purchase this product in good quilt shops. I don't recall seeing it in JoAnns. Its in the area of $10. for 4 ounces and its goes a long ways.

JJat2

This has been a great conversation. I love the colors of batiks. Since I very new at this I was having question that were coming up in my mind. I didn't know if the material was treated different than other cottens. Prewash, mixing and all the thing that you great people have answered here for me.
Thanks I have just bought some batik material off the internet, but haven't started anything I now know what things I should do to start and what to expect when sewing.

IBQUILTIN

I even love to applique with batiks. I am doing one now and all I have left to do are the borders. The center is finished and it has a WOW factor that is off the charts. I will post pics when it is all done. (Only have 14 flowers, stems and leaves with small dots to finish up) Probably another 40 or 50 hours is all. lol

cimarron

Will you be 'seeing' PINK elephants? LOL! Your quilt will be soooo cute. I LOVE elephants...those and cuttle fish are my FAV critters!
OK, back to the subject. I LOVE batiks too. They make the most beautiful flowers, leaves, and everything else 'painterly.' There is just nothing else like them. SO pretty. I used them on nautical star pattern...bright pattern "exploding" on background like space (dark blue with lights). Kinda like, "Let there be light" or at least was what I was trying to capture...best as could.

cimarron

I got an email of the MOST batiks I've ever seen from "Seawatch." One thing I do NOT need is more fabric...but since everyone here is discussing batiks seemed like I should tell you what I got in 'the mail.' I've know nothing whatsoever about the company, never ordered from them in my life. I don't even know how they knew my email address...but they certainly have a load of batiks, all I know.

anicra

I have become a batik-o-holic. I love batiks. I do find they run if not treated properly before using. i use a very sharp, very thin needle. I've machine quilted a king size quilt on my Janome 6600 and have not had a problem with the thread breaking. I've got three batik projects I can't wait to start.

quiltmom04

The only 'con' I've run into with batiks is that they are so similar on each side, I sometimes sew or cut a piece backwards. If it makes a difference in the pattern, be sure to mark them somehow to keep them straight.

Nona

I have just started using batiks. I like the way they work, but like all fabrics, I wash (rinse) all my fabrics before I start. I do like using them for backing on my baby quilts, but you really have to look around to find them in my local. Many stores will have a few bolts, but I am getting ready to start a quilt using 10 different fabrics and I thought I was going to poop out before I found all the colors I needed. I guess I'll start figureing the price of a tank of gas in the quilt cost!!!