Batik Anxiety
 

I am trying to decide what my next project will be and am confused and hesitant. I love batik fabrics and have a small stash but have never used them. Batik fabric is wonderful just to look at and I don't want to waste them. Any suggestions on selecting a pattern using batiks and/or caring for the fabric when using them would be very helpful.

No advice on a pattern, but I encourage you to jump in and use it. Batiks are so pretty, both in fabric form and when incorporated into a project.

IMHO Any pattern looks nice in batiks, from a classic sampler to a modern quilt. Google images of batik quilts or look here, there is loads of batik inspiration. I use batiks a lot and mix and match them with regular print fabrics.

Start here:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t-t221823.html

Now go forth and use those beautiful batiks!

I have loved making several of the "Boxed Squares" pattern. It is very easy and impressive when you use a lot of different colors. This is one that I call "Tropical Nights". It is ALL BATIKS front and back.

Any pattern can be used with Batiks. Batiks are very tightly woven so .. a delight in terms of raveling. They do have a reputation for bleeding and I would not trust any of them not to bleed. Prewash and double rinse prior to cutting ! I have been to Bali... trust me .. you NEED to Prewash! The conditions these are made in... really makes prewashing a very wise choice.
Use the basics of color selection as you would for any quilt... lights, mediums and darks !

As already said, there are such lovely batiks - they would look good in MOST patterns. I used them in my sampler quilt and can tell you there is not one square I am not crazy about. Go for it!!!

Pre-wash like the above posters advised. Probably at least 1/2 of them bleed - some are horrible to get to stop bleeding. I just swished mine very gently in my pure white dishpan with a drop or two of liquid soap in lukewarm water and then rinsed in cool water. If they did not bleed, then I rolled them up in big thirsty towels and line dried - did not bother to iron then. Not much wrinkling that way. Some never did stop bleeding so threw at least two pieces away. The dark blues are the worse ones to bleed.

I got a beautiful black and gold piece of batik from a lady on here and it did not appear to have been washed, so I proceeded to wash it the minute that I got it and the color of the water was tea colored. Not too dark. I then emailed her and told her that the fabric arrived here in the mail and that I had already washed it and that it did not bleed too much - she was surprised, because she had prewashed it.

I love batiks and probably use them more than any other fabric. They work well with most patterns, although if your pattern itself relies on color placement for the pattern to show correctly, you may want a more solid than multi colored batik to showcase the pattern properly. I love some of the traditional patterns done in batiks - it gives a modern twist to them.

As for care - from FQ to yardage I prewash using color catchers. When using precut strips, charms, etc. I do not prewash them. I usually throw a few color catchers in the wash with all of my quilts when they are done.

I was going to mention it but you beat me to it. I think it's perfect for batiks and any fabric you want to SEE in a quilt. Here's a pretty one. http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2795/4...421dcaed_z.jpg