Pro's and Con's
 

Realizing there are no "real" quilting police and "it is my quilt, do as I like",
what are the pro's and con's of mixing the beautiful batiks with regular 100% cotton
in quilts? Thanks in advance for your ideas, suggestions and input.

I did it with no problems.

The batiks are a much closer denser woven fabric than the cottons. Short term, the regular cotton fabric will probably shrink more. I haven't washed any that I mixed the two on enough to know if they will fade or not. If you know the item will be washed often, I wouldn't mix the fabrics. But....your quilt....your choice.

I have been reading where batiks quilts that were made some years ago, the fabric has deteriorated in spots. It seems the harsh way batiks are made causes this. Batiks were for clothing but so beautiful quilters had to use it. I wouldn't make a heirloom quilt from batik but still use it. I mix batiks with regular cotton with good results.

Edyta Sitar mixes the two often with stunning results. Many of her designs uses both.
Here is a video of her talking about her designs and why she incorporates both:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r25NJ5nBYJw

I was fortunate to take two classes with her a few years ago and loved her style of using both. I don't always mix batiks and prints but also do not hesitate to use them together - results so far have been good.

I have a friend who struggled to quilt the batiks in her mixed quilt, she had massive tension issues. She tried several things and found what worked was spritzing fabric silicone spray on the batiks.

I've been mixing them and never gave it any thought. However I prewash everything so maybe that makes a difference. I've not noticed having tension issues moving between them on the LA.

The only problem I've had is that I have experienced more bleeding with batiks than the other fabrics. And that is after prewashing too. At least most of the batiks I've used are multi-color to start with so the bleeding isn't that noticeable to anyone but me.

I've mixed batiks and regular cottons as well as rayon batiks and regular rayons in both garments and quilt for years with no problems quilting or bleeding.

I try not to mix the two just because, no other reason. It is interesting to see the different opinions on this question. Thanks for asking. I've often wondered about that too.

I prewash all fabrics before storing. Mixing them is no problem, l use fine polyester thread and fine sharp needle, and have no tension problems with the mix with my Bailey midarm machine on a frame or my domestic doing fmq.

I choose fabrics for color, so most of my quilts are mixed. I've never had a problem piecing or quilting, but all my fabrics are prewashed. Vintage domestic machine. I do find batiks are a little more difficult to ease in if one side is slightly longer than the other, but it can't be too bad because I've made a Drunkard's Path quilt with all batiks.

I do it all the time. Think of all the combinations you can do.

I love Edyta and her beautiful work. The YouTube video that Costumegirl posted was amuzing, because of Edyta’s accent the “closed caption” kept using different words when she pronounced “batiks.” Sometimes it the closed caption read boutiques, fatigues and even buttocks. LOL

There aren’t any ( cons)
batiks are quilting cottons. Most of the quilts I’ve made over the past 20 years have contained batiks, prints, calicos,

I've done it with no problems. True, batiks are a tighter weave than regular quilting cottons but over all I mixed them all the time. Haven't really found an issue while quilting either. As whether the cottons will fade first before batiks, can't say what happens.

I mix them on a lot of my quilts. I always pre-wash batiks but not the cottons. Batiks do bleed sometimes. I have never had problems sewing them or quilting them. I use cotton prints and I avoid using cotton solids. They just seem to stop any visual movement that the combination of other fabric create. I am sure that is just a very personal opinion. I like the effect of the combined prints and batiks.

I did a square in a square where all the inner squares were batiks and the rest white cotton and never had one problem.
I often mix them and never give it a thought. Maybe because I don't expect a problem, nothing goes wrong?
Watson

I mix batiks and prints. If I like them together, I use them together.

Super interesting. I always assumed it was a no-no because they are different styles. Goes to show what I know.

I mix just about everything and anything that's cotton or mostly cotton, and have never had issues. The quilt police never come to my house, so I haven't worried about it. If I like it, I use it! I watched a youtube video just a few days ago by a gal who uses wool, silk, cottons, any natural fibers of all weights to make her quilts. They were beautiful and she had some tips for working with the different wights of fabrics. I can't seem to find it or I would post a link. If I find it I will try to remember and come back to post it.

I have never had a problem mixing batiks and prints. Heck, sometimes I get wild and even throw in some solids and hand-dyes too! Never had a problem!

Never given it a thought. My current project is Kona Snow, Batiks, Kaffe and a few random jelly roll strips.

To be honest, I don't like to mix them, not because of any problem but when I use batiks I only want batiks. (if this makes any sense!)

I prefer the look of using them separately. There definitely is a sewing difference on my machine.

Make sure you wash the Batiks at least before using. They will bleed and shrink, I'd wash them all but especially the Batiks.

Makes so much sense. They have a special look that can be lost when mixed sometimes.

I wash everything first but have mixed batiks and cottons many times with no problems

I'm a big believer in prewashing everything, especially batiks. But like others here, I mix and match them all the time with regular printed fabrics and solids. My last project was a grandmother's fan and has batiks mixed along with the other fan blades, current project is using up my old Y2K squares and there were a number of batiks in those.

I've seen discussions with people who have had problems with stitch tensions and such, never have myself but then I change my needles all the time and typically use a 10 for piecing.

Edit: Here's a picture of one of my turkey fan blocks -- is funny that there is indeed a batik in it.