That's what I do too. I learned about this stuff from doing my own dying.

This is good information. I don't pre-wash but haven't used a lot of batiks and haven't had any problems with the ones I have used. However, after reading the posts, I think I'll be more careful in the future.

The "High Quality" batik fabric is no guarantee that it won't bleed.

I love batiks and use them all the time...almost the only fabric I use to be honest...I wash in cold water and add fabric catcher sheets to collect the bleeding...that has worked so far...I never prewash my fabric

I am just now sewing the Batiks I've collected over the months. I did prewash and used a color sheet, all the batiks were a shade of green for I'm doing green chickens on a white chicken wire block, the wire being lime green. One of them bled.

same here. Good stuff ;-)

I pre-wash everything in warm water and hot water. My biggest problem is I came upon a stash that I never noticed when I purchased it, smells like an old house that has been locked up. This was from an estate sale. After washing with Arm and Hammer and vinegar, A&Hammer and ammonia, (all in hot water) then finally in Dawn dish soap and vinegar most of the odor has left. At first I thought it was moth balls then realized it was cedar (made DH take a whiff), that is when I used Dawn dish soap and ammonia. I know a lot of people with allergies and just don't want to give something that will at worst case scenario throw them into a asthmatic attack or anaphylactic attack. Any other ideas? Oh and I did try the borax, it help to rid the stains in some of the fabric.

I prewash everything now. Have been quilting for two years and garment sewing for forty years. Took wonderful quilting classes at the local quilt shop and learned a lot. But they said not to prewash fabric and I have already, in just two years, had three disasters! PREWASH your fabrics!! I am just now doing a project with Batiks. Prewashed the Batik fabric and the water was BLACK. Oh yah, baby....I am a believer...PREWASH!!!!!!

When I was growing up and learning to garment sew 45-50 years ago everyone always prewashed fabric, not just for color bleeding but also shrinkage. Still prewash everything today as you never know where material has been or come from, and what has been in it. If it is being made into anything that will be washed, why put all that labor into it before washing and then find out you have a mess for one reason or another.

somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember my Mother using vinegar to cut bleeding in fabric.. have any of you heard this and does it work? I would like to have a "home" product to stop the bleedingirather than purchasing a new product...I like spending my money for fabric..can anyone relate to this way of thinking???