Bali Batiks
If you haven’t already heard of beautiful batik fabrics you’re in for a treat. They are the most gorgeous fabrics available to quilters at this writing.
There are a plethora of gorgeous fabrics available under the heading of “batik,” from metallic rinse to patterns to semi-solids. The most beautiful of them all are Bali batiks. Unfortunately, they’re also the most expensive.
So maybe the question is “how do I use these beautiful batik fabrics without taking out a second mortgage?”
That answer is a bit longer and more involved, so to answer it we’ve written a long and involved description of the most beautiful fabrics available to quilters, and the best ways to buy them.
Modern History of the Evolution of Quilting Fabrics
When I first started quilting – way back in the good old days – the only fabrics available were cottons, some patterned and some solid, and I got them mostly at Walmart. I really didn’t see the point of spending so much more money on fabric, especially as it was “just” cotton as well.
However, I lived and I learned.
I first noticed batiks about 20 years ago, and once I’d tried them, I gave up the old cottons. I think droves of other quilters did the same, as it wasn’t very long before Walmart drastically started reducing their fabric selections.
Artistic Value
The differences between the regular, old school fabrics and beautiful batiks is huge, and once you’ve tried batiks you’ll see this for yourself.
Difference #1: Colors
Batiks are gorgeous. (I will be repeating this, as it is absolutely true.)
Batiks come with deep, rich colors, and they are always patterned, usually in swirls and sweeps. It looks as though the colors have been washed over the fabric with water, and this is essentially how it’s done, using salt as a permanent fixer for the vibrant dyes.
This is oversimplified, of course, but you get the idea. You can go to this incredible video to see how batiks are made in more detail.
Many batiks are “only one color,” but that single color will vary from dark to light, with spots, streaks and swirls all through it. Most batiks, however, have more than one color, and this really ups the possibilities for you in coordinating your fabric choices.
The combinations are truly endless!
Difference #2: No Right or Wrong Sides
The dyeing process leaves both sides of a batik fabric with the same saturation of color. In essence, a batik does not have a right or a wrong side – which makes it very handy when you’re cutting out directional pieces.
As a person who makes frequent mistakes, I cheer this feature times ten! If you cut one wrong you only have to flip it over.
Difference #3: No Pre-Wash is Necessary
I don’t have to wash batiks first before I use them.
The old cottons would lose a lot of color and had significant shrinkage value, leaving fabric artists literally no option. A fabric that had not been prewashed could easily destroy a quilt.
Batiks benefit from the permanence of their dyeing process which makes them:
- Nearly fade proof
- Shrinkage is virtually nil
- Small chance of bleeding (except in some of the darkest red and orange colors)
When I’m using mostly batiks and other high-grade quilting cottons there isn’t enough risk for me to go to all the work of washing, drying, ironing and starching every piece I buy.
Barb still does this, bless her heart, but she’s older than I am and more set in her ways. She’s also more patient, so maybe we should all take a page from her book. She snips off a corner of every piece that she washes, and then she can tell instantly what has been laundered and what hasn’t, which I think is extremely clever.
The Major Drawback
Beautiful batiks do have the drawback of being more expensive than regular cottons but there are ways of blunting the pain of this.
First of all:
I try to buy only what I need with maybe an extra ½ yard as a buffer if I make a mistake. If I don’t make a mistake – or only make small mistakes – the extra goes into my stash. The other benefit to this is that soon your stash will be big enough that you’ll seldom have to buy anything for smaller projects like wall hangings and table runners.
Always check your stash first, before you head for the quilt store.
Secondly:
Check the sale shelves first. Most quilt stores have fabrics that aren’t selling well, or that have been discontinued by the seller, and if they meet your needs, you can save a bundle on fabric.
This is where I almost always get my backing fabrics. I also don’t use batiks on the backs of my projects, it’s just too expensive, but on the sale shelves I often find very good quality fabric for half price of less.
Many fabric companies sell extra-wide material, up to 60” wide specifically for backing material, and while the dollar figure is higher $16-$20 a yard, you also need less and will need to do less cutting and piecing.
This beautiful batik is a prime example of a “single color” batik fabric. Several different shades of orange swirl and star through it, fading from almost white through to a darker color in the low-tone highlights.
This is an example of how beautiful batiks can work together to make something great. Only one fabric – the dark red swirl – is not a batik in this picture, yet it works beautiful with the others.
The same project used multiple batiks and regular quilting fabric. Here the pattern is coming together, with edging down in embroidery thread which has the effect of pulling the dark colors of the different batiks through to the front.
Batiks look especially amazing when used in landscapes, or like this example, with true black fabrics. The quality of the fabrics is approximate, but the solid black figures serve to make the beautiful batik sunset glow.
Batiks can be used with other beautiful batiks to create incredible layers within a project. The turquoise, aqua, and purple batiks above were used in a large landscape quilt to add an “ocean” layer.
Thirdly:
Check your quilt stores’ website regularly for sales. Mine often has 10% – 30% discount sales on featured batiks.
Barb always tells me about these, as I always forget to check.
Lastly:
Search on the Internet for fabric websites with good deals. My favorite is Fabric.com. They have a great selection and typically sell fabric for anywhere from $1-$4 cheaper per yard than the quilt stores.
Amazon.com also carries a lot of fabric, as does JoAnn’s Fabrics. So shop around. Even a few dollars less per yard can make a big difference if you’re shopping for a queen size quilt, etc. Most of these sites will also offer free shipping coupons periodically, and sometimes if you purchase enough dollar value in product you will also get free shipping. J
Bonus Tip:
I forgot to mention that Nancy’s Notions has fabric on sale in its catalogue a number of times per year, and these are a really good deal as well.
Also if you subscribe to Nancy’s Notions magazine you will get a flyer a couple of times a year with their leftover stock on sale, sometimes for as much as $5 a yard. This is the long-distance version of a sales rack, and they are not to be missed.
One last thing, (for real this time):
The difference between Bali batiks and all other batiks.
Bali batiks come from the island of Bali and are hand-dyed by women, which as you would expect, make them more expensive. They are also even more gorgeous than “regular” batiks.
They are the crème de la crème of the fabric world.
And I don’t usually buy these unless I can’t find anything else that comes close to what I need – mostly because I’m cheap. But if money is no object for you then go for it.
Your projects will have the most gorgeous fabrics available and will absolutely glow.