Quiltingboard Forums - Question re: Batiks

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I mix them too although my machine seems louder going through the fabric, but does not present a problem.

This is a very timely thread to me. Prior to coming to the board this morning I was looking at a wall hanging project I am planning to do for a 15 year old girl who is 'horse crazy'. The pattern calls for batiks but I don't have white or off-white for the mane and was considering a non-batik and wondering.... Now, thanks to all these interesting comments, I will consider a mixture of fabrics. In fact, I will look through my 'whites' as soon as I finish today's wealth of information on this board.

I also mix batiks and other cottons without any issues. Sometimes prewash and sometimes not. It's your quilt, do as you please!!

Edyta Sitar, a well known quilter mixes batiks and non batiks in her quilts. She has several videos and books that explains her techniques. Even her applique quilts have them mixed...she has some awesome quilt patterns...

I have never had a problem

I mix them and don't have a problem. It's all fabric.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loni (Post 5969036)

Hi, I am at a standstill with some batiks I bought recently at a craft show. These batiks were packaged and are all dark medium to dark and I am wanting to put lights in the mix, I have tons of light tone on tones, fossil fern and such. Having not ever worked with batiks before I am in a quandary as I spoke with a friend who is also a longarm quilter and she quite strenuously opposed the idea of mixing these non batiks with the batiks saying that mixing these is a bad idea as they do not play well and are a nightmare to quilt...her machine hates them???? I need to know if this is the case ie you should never mix Batiks with non Batiks.
Grateful for any and all input.
Cheers
Lonnie
from Australia

I have done a lot of "mixing" over the years and had only one problem. I had a batik top and was in a big hurry to finish it. I grabbed a black fabric for the binding which by accident turned out to be an unwashed regular black cotton. When the quilt was washed the binding shrank and the top did not. That has been the only oops with batiks over many years.

We dont experience the same issues as others.Something I cant do you can do very well etc. Maybe its just her machine that doesnt like the mix, maybe your machine will have no problems. Give it a try and go from there.

I mix them also and never have a problem. I don't prewash and do my own quilting on my sewing machine.

I also mix them....however, I try to use only higher thread count non-batiks. No problems with quilting or washing.