Lillian sent me this question:
I do a lot of mini quilt swaps. I usually try to include a piece of fabric for my swap friends. I find that quilters are open to a lot of different fabrics except one. Time and time again I read, "No batiks". or "I hate batiks". Why do so many quilters hate batiks?
Hi Lillian. I'm not exactly sure when batiks started being treated like an unwanted step-child in some parts of the quilting community. I have experienced the same reaction in some mini quilt swaps that I have been in. But do not think batiks are hated by all. There is actually a huge market for batiks and new batik designs are being introduced every year.
I do a lot of mini quilt swaps. I usually try to include a piece of fabric for my swap friends. I find that quilters are open to a lot of different fabrics except one. Time and time again I read, "No batiks". or "I hate batiks". Why do so many quilters hate batiks?
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| Batiks Come In a Full Range of Colors and Patterns (photo credit: klshopper.com) |
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| Modern Quilt Made With Batiks (photo credit: greensandjeans.com) |
So why have batiks gotten such a bad rap? A lot of it comes down to the way some batiks feel. They can be a bit stiff to work with depending on how much dye was used in the process of making it. A way to make the fabric softer is to wash it first. (Yes, I hear some of you 'anti pre-washing' quilters moaning out there. I usually don't pre-wash either. But with five years of experience being a costume designer, I've learned that some fabrics behave better after a good wash.)
Then comes the issue of how to use batiks. Quilters may know batiks as having such dramatic color changes that if you cut a yard of batik into twenty different pieces, you would find yourself with twenty different colors. These color variations can feel like a fabric nightmare to some quilters. But what many quilters may not realize is that there are many batiks that have gradual or very light color changes that almost read, 'solid', when viewed from a distance.
There is also this idea that you can't use batiks in modern quilting. Well I did my research and found that there is no ten commandments, no supreme court ruling and no statements from the United Nations saying that you can't use batiks in a modern quilt. A lot of modern quilters enjoy the sharp contrast of solid colors, so the painterly, blend-able feel of batiks may not work with the aesthetics of some quilters. But just because you are a modern quilter, that doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to the type of fabrics you use.
Batiks are wonderful fabrics to play with. They have such a wide range of patterns and color variations. I would tell any quilter to do a Google search and find the style of batiks that they feel drawn to. Once you find a style or line of batiks that you love, you'll be a batik convert.
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| Hand Dying Batik Fabrics (photo credit: sassyscrubs.com) |
Then comes the issue of how to use batiks. Quilters may know batiks as having such dramatic color changes that if you cut a yard of batik into twenty different pieces, you would find yourself with twenty different colors. These color variations can feel like a fabric nightmare to some quilters. But what many quilters may not realize is that there are many batiks that have gradual or very light color changes that almost read, 'solid', when viewed from a distance.
 |
| Batiks Can Sometimes Read As a 'Solid' (photo credit: sew-ciety.com) |
There is also this idea that you can't use batiks in modern quilting. Well I did my research and found that there is no ten commandments, no supreme court ruling and no statements from the United Nations saying that you can't use batiks in a modern quilt. A lot of modern quilters enjoy the sharp contrast of solid colors, so the painterly, blend-able feel of batiks may not work with the aesthetics of some quilters. But just because you are a modern quilter, that doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to the type of fabrics you use.
 |
| A Quilt That Speaks For Itself (photo credit: 13woodhouseroad.com) |
Batiks are wonderful fabrics to play with. They have such a wide range of patterns and color variations. I would tell any quilter to do a Google search and find the style of batiks that they feel drawn to. Once you find a style or line of batiks that you love, you'll be a batik convert.
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