I have not worked with batiks before but have a Kiwiberry jelly roll I've had for a couple years. Didn't know what I would ever do with it. I saw Eddie's tut on cathedral windows and want to do one with the jelly roll and white cotton for the background. My question is if I rinse these strips out enough to where they don't seem to bleed anymore can I trust that? I would hate to make this and then have them bleed more into the white background. I would really appreciate hearing from all you who know your batiks!

If you decide to rinse them out, I would do it by hand. They will tangle and fray if you dont. I prewash everything unless its a precut fabric. Then I just take my chances but wash it with Retayne the first time after it's made.

I've worked with Batiks for a long time and never had them bleed. If you're really worried about them, I would sew the pattern of choice and then use the color catchers to wash them after.

Just my experience with them.

ditto this comment

This has been my experience also, and I have never used a color catcher with them, I just wash and they have never bled.

It's not so much whether the batiks will bleed, it's whether the white fabric will pick up the dye out of the wash water.

???

Yes Baiks bleed , I have sewn hundreds of yards of batiks. i would never trust any of them not to bleed. I have had a few that do not but would not take a chance on maybe having the ones that do not. I use the top manufactures and none of them is immune to the bleeding issue. Pre- treat with Retayne prior to cutting. Syntropol best used on completed quilts.
I always wonder ... why can't the manufactures cure this problem... why leave it for the end user to deal with. Certainly they must be aware of it ..... just my inquiring mind ...

I've never had batiks bleed until one of my customers who had purchsed some beautiful red batik came back in and said that she had it bleed.

Lanny

Thank you all so much. I rinsed, rinsed, and rinsed till there way no more dye coming out. Then I found some retayne and did treat them with that. I feel pretty confident now. The batiks are beautiful but I don't want to go through this every time I start a project. I agree the manufacturer should include this step before selling this fabric.