New to sewing Batiks
#1
New to sewing Batiks
I'm getting ready to make a quilt with a lot of Batiks in it. I've never used Batiks before. Mostly I do reproduction fabrics, but this is one to be given to DSIL and my daughter picked the fabrics.
Is there anything special I need to know?
Do I need to pre-wash them first?
Do they ravel more than regular cottons?
If the picture attached these are the fabrics and the pattern is Summer Porch from Eleanor Burns.
Any hints you can give will be appreciated.
Thanks,
kathyd
Is there anything special I need to know?
Do I need to pre-wash them first?
Do they ravel more than regular cottons?
If the picture attached these are the fabrics and the pattern is Summer Porch from Eleanor Burns.
Any hints you can give will be appreciated.
Thanks,
kathyd
#2
I find they ravel less than other cottons. I would definitely pre-wash them until the water is clear. They sometimes have a wax residue on them and they do tend to have more dye than other cottons. And as always, better safe than sorry! Have fun with them!
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,572
Batiks bleed a lot so definately prewash them. I wash in hot water and if the batiks are dark colored I wash them twice. I use a size 11 or 12 sharp microtex needle because the batik fabrics are woven very tight, much tighter than regular cotton. My opinion is that ravel less than regular cotton fabric. I usually serge the edges before I wash and dry the fabric.
#5
Do prewash with a color catcher. They ravel far less than regular quilting fabrics which makes them so much nicer to work with IMHO. On the other hand, there is less give then with regular fabrics. So where you might be able to ease in a little excess fabric with regular fabrics, not so much with batiks so piecing discrepancies are more obvious.
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