Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Question

Clear back in March I washed all the Batiks. I wanted the worst of the stray dye to be washed out. I know that they will continue to bleed so I am prepared for that. 

I now have the chore of pressing all of them. I know the feel of the fabric is stiffer than regular cotton fabric. Should I press with spray starch or sizing or just spray with a water mist and iron until dry? 

This is one fabric I don't have much experience with. I have used smaller pieces in scrap quilts, but I have found an idea that will use up a lot of the fat quarters. 

I guess they just aren't something I am wild about. I will use them because it is nice fabric and sure they cost more than my thrift store finds, but I stumbled over them the other day and thought I need to get this taken care of. They were in my Mother's stash. She bought them not knowing what she was going to do with them. 

Suppose to storm today and boy can I feel it. Woke up at 3:20 am and on my second cup of coffee. 

I have laundry going and needed to pay a couple bills so that is done. 
i think a nap is on order today. Chris

2 comments:

suzanne, dutchess county NY said...

Yes they are much stiffer than regular fabric. If it were me I wouldn't bother with starch. Just mist with water or use steam. I'd definitely put a pressing cloth on your board though in case more bleeds out and there that weird waxy gritty finish on them sometimes from the dye process they use. Nice your making things with your moms stash.

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

In my opinion, batiks aren't necessarily stiffer, they are firmer because there is a higher thread count. I get very little if any bleeding from washing batiks and I have over a 1000 batiks that I have washed. I use pure soap (Orvis), not detergent, and color catchers that come out with a little pale color on them. I never starch any fabric. I want it soft and flexible not stiff.