The company I purchase batiks from recommends Retayne in cold water. I do this faithfully. I find they quilt better when pre-washed. I sometimes press with a light startch when cutting pieces.

I use batiks all the time and have never had them run...maybe I have just been lucky? I never pre-wash I did it once and it was a bad experience...I like to use the fabric as it is off the bolt.

I love batiks and have always washed them..... but..... when I purchased the fabric for the quilt I'm working on now the LQS owner told me she doesn't ever wash fabrics first. She says to put a label on the quilt telling the owners to wash in cold water only and include a box of Shout color catcher. That's what I plan to do.... sure hope it isn't a mistake.

Great Advise...I too never prewash my fabrics...

One of my favorite quilting teachers told me she doesn't pre-wash her fabric. She finishes the quilt and then washes it to make it shrink. The quilting makes a texture you can feel.
When I give a quilt I always recommend gentle cold water washing and in the dryer for half the time. And to finish on a line.

I wash mine in warm water on the gentle cycle, shortest cycle. Then I dry them on low. I honestly havent had any of my batiks really bleed, must be lucky, because I buy them all over and all colors. I LOVE batiks!

where do you get Retayne?

Looks like it's on sale at JoAnns
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/p...RODID=prd56691

Most fabric stores have it or something similar.

Interesting, thanks!

I was told that the yellow batiks are the ones that really really bleed a lot.

I did a paper pieced mar. compass quilt where I used an orange batik, a Tonga I think. Top of the line LQS materials. Anyways, I washed it first as I was instructed. I ended up washing it 5 times! And it still bleed color. Interestingly, the fabric itself did not 'lose' color either. To my eye, it looked like the same bright orange.

Prob. each bolt is different, since each fabric is hand dyed.