RedGarnet222

LOL It looks like there is another convert for batiks! I love them and have begun to collect some here and there for projects. I got some in the mail today from hancok's of paducah from a sale they had. Man ... How wonderful yours are. So artsy.

LAB55

Beautiful colors !!

Lilrain

those are wonderful, have not seen them locally, will watch for them

Jan T

Wow, you are fearless when it comes to color. I think it will be stunning. If you just bought small pieces, I'd put them in the kitchen sink, one at a time in a little warm water and small amount of detergent. Swish them a bit and see if any color runs out. Keep swishing and changing water until you get no more color. I'd do two of the darker fabrics. If they don't lose any color, I'd trust the lot of them. Rinse and hang to dry. Don't use the dryer, it will fray all of the edges. There is a product called "color catcher" or something like that sold in the laundry aisle at the grocery store. It is supposed to absorb any extra color in a wash load, but if you have a really light background, it would be a shame to ruin it. Fabrics that are hung to dry, are usually pretty stiff and may not require starch as you iron them. Part of the batik process is that they boil the fabric to remove the wax resist. It shouldn't shrink much, at least. Please post results.

BizzieLizzie

Gorgeous fabrics and colours! Beautiful and will make lovely dresden plates!

I prewash all my fabrics as this was what I was taught to do when I first started with patchwork and quilting. I have had 'bleeds' in the past and come to regret not prewashing my fabrics. Come to think of it, the 'bleeds' were not from batiks either!.As a precaution I wash all my fabrics as I cannot bear to find a 'blotch' after all my hard work!

It's a pain but well worth it at the end! I have never used starch so cannot offer any constructive advice. Best wishes and enjoy!

ckcowl

beautiful selection!
now your questions.,...YES-WASH, DRY PRESS! batiks do tend to bleed...some more than others, any with red in them...just better to be safe than sorry it only takes one to ruin the white in a quilt. as for the starch...i have found it un-necessary with batiks, they seem to be pretty (CRISP) with just a spritz of water. also i found most fusables do not work so well with batik's...something about the wax.
will love to see your dresden plates coming to life with these, be sure to share pics when you get started, but definitly start with pre-washing. batiks/hand-dyes are the only fabrics i really worry about for color-fastness, and i have made a couple quilts i considered ruined because colors bled after it was complete.
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