Batiks
 

Do batiks colors run when washed. I want to make a quilt out of them but was told they run. How big of a problem is this if any.

I try to wash mine before I use them. I've found (and this is a generalization) that the better quality batiks don't run, however the lesser quality ones tend to run a bit. I use synthrapol and wash like colors on a quick wash.

I wash all of my batiks in HOT water. I would agree that the "better" ones may not run, but after I saw a
Needle turn applique that a friend had done and saw the purpleish running into her white, (she washed it 3 times with pre-treatment and color catchers & you have to look, but MOST of the color came out) and wondered about a batik I bought & washed it with the water turning blue, I made the decision that I would wash & re-iron all of them before they ruined one of my quilts.
It is a personal preference, but when you put so much work intot something to have it "ruined" by running, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Good Luck
Susan

Some do, some don't. I've had better luck with the major brands than the cheaper ones. Whenever possible, I prewash using a color catcher sheet or 2 if they are mostly darks. I've made many quilts with batiks and have never had a problem. I just finished a quilt made from a Tonga Treats strip pack that wasn't prewashed. I used a few color catchers in that one and it came out just fine.

As someone who prefers pre-washed fabric to work with, having some of the colour bleed out of batiks is worth the pleasure of using such lovely fabrics. Not all of them run, and if you prefer unwashed fabric, you should do a colour-fast test on a small piece before using it.

batiks and other (hand-dyes) should always be pre-washed and color tested. the deep colors tend to run the most-especially reds. you can use a soft white cloth (like a scrap of muslin) or a paper towel-- wet it and rub on the batik- if color comes off onto the towel/cloth the fabric needs to be pre-washed- toss in a couple color catchers- wash until the color no longer bleeds. some take longer than others- i made my mom a quilt a few years ago with purple batik squares with white squares- that purple has bled every time it's been washed for years- the whole quilt is a lovely shade of lavender (which she loves-and has forgotten it started out white!) i did not test-after pre-washing---if i had i never would have used that purple- but it worked out because she loves it just the way it is. :)

the problem is there are two types of batiks...the super expensive REAL batiks and these must be washed. they still have loose dyes and wax on them...wash or use at your peril. But most of the batiks we get now are really prints taken from those original pcs and made into normal yardage with that great batik look.... These would follow your own personal inclination about 'to wash or not to wash'....

Thanks for posting this - I love the look of batiks but haven't done anything with them. Never would have know that they might run. I go to batik strip backs for Christmas, a Tonga Treat and a Bali-Pop. I've been told that you should pre-wash your strip packs. Has anyone had any problems with the batik jelly rolls running?

I bought a jelly roll of batiks forte quilt mystery and don't feel like I can prewash. I'm very nervous....

I don't pre-wash.

It's pretty easy to test for colorfastness. Drop a small piece of the fabric into a glass of water and let it sit for awhile to see if dye bleeds out. After that, rub the damp fabric against a white fabric to see if any dye transfers. If a fabric passes both of these tests, I use it unwashed in a quilt.

The one precaution I take is with the first wash of a quilt. I use Synthrapol and a washing machine that uses *lots* of water. (A home top-loader is fine. If you have a front-loader, take the quilt to a laundromat and use one of their large front-loaders.) Synthrapol suspends unset dye particles in the water so they can be rinsed away instead of settling into other fabrics. For Synthrapol to work, you need hot water and lots of it.

If a fabric fails the tests above, then it's a good idea to wash the fabric in Retayne. Retayne permanently sets dye. The bleeder fabrics that just don't stop bleeding have probably not been properly set in the factory. A few fabrics require two Retayne treatments before becoming colorfast. Any fabric that still bleeds after two Retayne treatments should not be used in a quilt.

For a jelly roll, I would simply not prewash and then be sure to do the first wash with Synthrapol and lots of water. However, some people prewash their jelly rolls simply by soaking in hot water and then laying out flat to dry.