Help with Batiks, and tiedye fabric
 

I have some fat quarters of batiks and tiedye fabric and I have never used them before. I just do not know what to make with them. Can they be combine with other quilt fabric in the same quilt? Does anyone have any ideas for me how to make a quilt using them together?

I have mixed them with cottons in quilts. There are a lot of scrappy quilts designed to be used with batiks. You might just try Google and see if there are any patterns that catch your eye.

I like batiks mixed in with regular printed fabrics; just focus on the colors and relative pattern size. Tie-die, haven't used.

I have used a purple and blue jelly roll batik in a lap quilt. It turned out nice. I used a flannel chevron pattern in blue and purple on the back.

Sure. I mix them all the time.

Not sure if you are a pre-washer or not, but batiks and tie dies (especially tie-dies!) can be real bleeders. I usually wash my FQ's in the kitchen sink and agitate slightly with a wooden spoon. Put like colors with like colors, use HOT water (which is why I agitate with the spoon instead of my hands), a small amount of soap, a color catcher and/or synthrapol. Rinse well, and repeat! Some of my batiks and tie-dies will take 2 or 3 washings before I am satisfied the bleeding has stopped.

As for suggestions on how to use them together ... would have to see the pic's of the fabrics. But use them with prints just like you would use other prints or solids.

I'm not sure why batiks confound people. It's cotton, right? Just look at the fabric as a color choice in your design. Tie-dye is a little trickier ;-)

As mentioned earlier .. prewash or rinse them till the water runs clear. Throw them in a sink with warm water let it stand for 10 minutes and swish... if they run/bleed rinse and rinse some more!
As for what to use them in .. any pattern can be used with batiks. Yes you can mix!

I think it depends on the batik and what you're mixing it with. They can really shout if the other fabrics are far different. The ones that have no discernible pattern should theoretically blend as well as a marble or shadowplay, but it's easy to get wildly different colors in similar pieces, depending on where it's cut. This may or may not be what you want.

I used a batik with a strong pattern in a controlled scrap quilt last year, and it was stunning. However, I have little use for murky/muddy ones and can't wait for the "all batiks, all the time" phase to be over. :)

hugs,
Charlotte