I love seeing the quillts made with batiks, and had finally taken the plunge this spring and bought some. I loved working with the fabric, and will build my stash of them, so I can do more.

So, my question is, how do you know that a piece of fabric is a batik? I get a lot of fabric pieces at my local thrift shop, and I bought a 5 yard piece just last week, for $5, and after getting it home, I have a strong suspicion that it is a batik. My only clue is that there is no writing on the salvedge. Also, the fabric has that very tight, fine feeling. Are there other clues that I can go by.

Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

The batik I have doesn't fray like "regular" fabric. Sure, there's loose strings, but it's...different...

Some batiks will have a printed selvedge and some do not... people who dye/make theses at home don't print on the selvedges :D If it is a batik like print, and the fabric has a heavier hand, then I would call it a batik :D:D:D

Not all batiks are tightly woven, and do not fray. Some are looser and soft more like regular cottons.

Batiks are made with a wax to create the pattern. A good explanation is on wiki

i've watched batik making in malaysia but i'm still not sure i'd know the difference between what lqs consider fakes and what is real.

With batik fabric the back side looks almost like the right side, wherea with ordinary fabric you clearly see the difference between the printed side and the reverse.

I don't understand why it matters what it is called. If I like a fabric I use it. I don't care whether is called a batik or a quilters cotton. What matters to me is the finished quilt.

If it looks the same on both sides it's more then likely batik. Some can tell the difference between front and back sides. I can't but don't have the inclination to study it that much to tell them apart. I love batiks for this very reason. I can use both sides and not have to worry about it, great for paper piecing!

I agree w/Barb44

batiks are dyed not printed- both sides look alike- or very close---printed fabrics the front has a distinct pattern- the back is faded-if it shows at all- batiks- both sides are vibrant- and people use both sides equally.
batiks also tend to have some excess dye--they need to be pre-washed even if you do not normally pre-wash- unless you do not care if the colors run together.
printed fabrics tend to be much more stable (color-wise)
also, batiks do not tend to shrink quite as much calicos- due to the tighter weave.