Is there anything I need to know when it comes to working with batiks?
 

I am now, for the first time, making a quilt using batiks. I cut all the pieces out, but wanted to find out if there is anything I need to know before I start sewing and ironing it. Is it just the same as cotton? It feels different, so I feel I need to be cautious and ask questions.

Batiks are notorious for bleeding, so wash before cutting AND be sure to set the dyes with Retayne.

Oh ... looks like you've already cut!

I've worked with batiks and have done nothing different with them. I don't prewash them, but I do test suspicious fabrics by dropping a piece in a glass of water to see if it bleeds. If you are using a background fabric, it's a good idea to drop that in after awhile to make sure that it doesn't get stained (different fabrics pick up bleeds differently).

Batiks use a slightly different weave than other fabrics. This sometimes creates a problem for long-armers when batik is used for the backing fabric, although that may also be related to the specific machine and batting. You can still mix batik fabrics with other cotton fabrics in a quilt top.

I always do the first washing of a finished quilt in Synthrapol to make sure that any minor bleeds are rinsed away in water. This is true of quilts with and without batiks in them!

Other than the Bleeding issue, I use a smaller needle for piecing. Batiks are a tighter weave , and a large needle will make a hole rather than slide between the fibers. I use a 70/10 needle or occasionally a 75/10.

Yes, do prewash. Use a sharp needle (Microtex 70/10 is what was recommended to me).

And then enjoy working with what I believe are the most luxurious and wonderful fabrics ever!!

I just finished a batik quilt for my oldest daughter. I did blue blocks and sand blocks with blue appliques. I never prewash because I think they cut more precise but that's just me. I washed it the day before yesterday with a color catcher and dried it. The color catcher was blue and I sent her two of them but no bleeding issues on the quilt. Hope that helps, your going to get divided advise. The biggest difference I've noticed between cotton and batiks are that batiks have no give. When piecing you have to be alert and there very little room for error lol I'm not perfect so I don't do star projects with batiks.

I think the main thing you need to know is that you'll be hooked from now on and will be putting batiks into every project!!!

(Or, maybe that's just me...)

It's more difficult to hand stitch on them if you have arthritic fingers or thumbs. I wouldn't want to hand quilt one

This is not true at all. Because they have a tighter weave (higher thread count), they may have very slightly less stretch than regular cottons, but it's certainly not missing by a long shot. I use batiks extensively, adapting my needle, tension, thread and stitch length for the tighter weave and thnner weight, but otherwise treat them just like any other cotton.

Batiks do not ravel, so there is more leeway in seam allowance width. They press sharply with no starch or other aids. If you unstitch, the needle holes are apt to remain visible, but they will close up with washing/spritzing. Since they are new to you, try a sample block before you go into full gear on your project. Work out the tension and stitch length issues, how it handles, etc, all on that one block instead of on many.

Don't drool on it. ;~) I love the texture/depth batiks give to quilts. They can bleed a bit so I hope you prewashed or rinsed. Enjoy!

piney

I don't have batiks that bleed!..mainly Hoffman and Princess Mirah...

yes, they are an addiction all their own!

No helpful advise here but would love to see a picture of the quilt when finished. I love Batiks

Batiks have a tighter weave because of the process it goes through. After the dying and the wax resist it is boiled to get the wax out. That tends to shrink the fabric. And that makes the weave tighter. Batiks are wonderful for applique. For applique you use a very fine straw needle, or a very fine (sharps I think)needle to sew the fabric. When sewing on the sewing machine, needles tend to put holes in the fabric, so use a fine sharp machine needle. If you use pellon, or some sort of adhesive to join the fabric, you will have small holes that will stay that way. See if you can live with that, or choose a looser weave. I think you will find there are different weights of batiks. Some are very light and others seem thick. I am sure it is because of the original fabric that they started with.

I think you are going to enjoy using batiks. They give a richness and texture to everything I have used them in.

Oh, and when you finish your quilt, since you didn't prewash, wash it with Retayne, or I have heard throw in 5 or 6 of those color catcher sheets, in the wash. It will have the loose dye attach to it instead of your quilt. The Retayne should make it so it doesn't bleed again.

Retayne should never be used once fabrics have been sewn together or it will set loose dyes wherever they happen to land. It's for use before fabric is used, not after. Synthrapol is the one to use after the quilt has been made. It suspends loose dyes so they flow out with the wash water and don't settle on the quilt, similar to Color Catchers.

They are very addicting!

Hoffman 1895 ( the water color "batiks" ) are notorious bleeders as well as other Hoffman batiks. I have had Princess Mirah batiks that have bleed as well. Having sewn on literally easlliy a thousand yards of Hoffman batiks ... I would NEVER trust them not to bleed/or run. I have yet to find a manufacture that their batiks are absolutely not going to run/bleed.

If you hand piece and hand quilt, batiks are very difficult to needle--not user friendly!

I love them have never had a problem sewing or long arming them -getting ready to make one myself in the next couple of days.....

GMTA! What you need to know is that they're like fabric crack... highly addictive!

Hoffman Bali Pops will bleed! I pre washed my Strawberry Fields strips and i'm glad I went to all the work because the water was very dark and I was working with a cream between designs. It's going to be a king size quilt.

In my opinion the only thing you need to know about batiks is you will fall in love with them. They sew nice, iron nice and have gorgeous colors. I use batiks almost exclusively because i love them. I don't prewash and throw a couple of color catchers in and don't have trouble with colors bleeding. Enjoy them.

They're just a little more 'tough' to sew through than ordinary cotton fabric. You might find them a bit hard on your fingers if you are hand sewing.

[QUOTE=QuiltE;5353661]Batiks are notorious for bleeding, so wash before cutting AND be sure to set the dyes with Retayne.


That's why I won't buy batiks. Beautiful but bleeders.

Batiks
 

Is it true there is no wrong side or right side to Batiks. :)

I don't have a ton of batiks, very few in fact, but have just started with a small group to get into art quilts. Now I am hooked. But I have noticed. Ripping out will leave holes, they press beautifully, tension may have to be adjusted. I used a 90/14 needle titanium by Superior Threads which made a difference for tension and look. But have fun with your new found batiks passion. I don't prewash and never had trouble, but I always use Retayne.

Thanks for posting the question. I've never used batiks and all this info has been very helpful

Make sure you have a new needle on. Batiks are hard on needles!!!

Remember the are almost identical on both sides of the fabric, so just be careful when piecing that you get the right pieces together. It's very easy to reverse them.

Batiks are just hand-dyed cottons. Batik is only a coloration technique, nothing more. Sometimes they are over heavily dyed, which can cause color to run. I highly recommend using color catchers in at least the first few washes after the quilt is finished. The only other thing I recommend is pre-washing any other fabrics you will use with the batiks as your batiks have been pre-shrunk but the other cotton fabrics are not.

I've only bought one fat quarter bundle of batiks, and used some for applique. I do like em doe!

I just had a problem with a batik in a collection of several others when doing a fusible applique wallhanging. One of the greens would not fuse down. I called a friend who is an expert on all things quilting. She said that it was because the wax did not wash out completely on that piece in the manufacture process. She suggested pouring boiling water over a scrap to see if would take out the wax. It did but it was too late for what I was doing. In the future I plan to test fusible web on a little scrap before cutting. Donna

I agree with Lori S. use a smaller needle. AND only from experience, wash and wash again before cutting. I "always prewash when I get the fabric home, doesn't matter whether batik's or not".
but I will always wash till the water is clear with batiks from about 2 years ago till for forever. I had a really bad experience with high quality batiks that bleed into the the rest of a KING size quilt. I will NEVER-EVER NOT WASH AT LEAST 3 TIMES WITH BATIKS NOW!!!!!

LOL...thanks for that.

My second ever quilt was all in batiks, this past winter. Other than the tighter weave of the fabric, I had no real issues, and didn't prewash it, either. No bleeding problems encountered. And yes, I now LOVE batiks!! They add such vibrance to any quilt, and now I hate to quilt without them. Just finished an all flannel quilt, and anxious to get back to batiks! =D

I love working with batiks. Some feel smooth as silk. Some have a little more body. I haven't had the need for any special handling....but I pre-wash everything in all fabrics anyway.

I LOVE batiks but I've had a real problem with bleeding.

I love batiks. I do not prewash. I have never had a problem with bleeding. I throw a color saver strip in when I wash it and no problems. I use Bali Pops a lot and have not had them bleed on me. The most compliments I get are on the batik quilts I make. They are addictive and are my preference for quilting. My long armer has no problem with them even when the back is batik also. Different strokes for different folks. It's your quilt, do it how you want to do it!!