Fake Batik?

[Hulamoon]

I bought a cute batik jelly roll and finally opened it (it was shrink wrapped). It was printed like a regular fabric (some had gold on it) not made like a true batik. I'm not totally unhappy with it but was wondering it that happens a lot? It had no brand name just named Batik Bonanza.

Lorie

[pcbatiks]

Hi Lorie, I bought a few batik prints last year at a local Hancock's fabric store to go with some batik scraps I got at a garage sale. The scraps were from a serious quilter and were top quality. I washed the one's that I bought at the store and started comparing them to the scraps and the batiks at the local quilt shop and they were not as good of quality as the scraps. Next time I will try to buy quilt shop or well known brand batiks. The one's at the quilt shop are gorgeous but a little pricey. I have a magazine my husband bought for me this past Christmas called IQ International Quilts Premiere Issue. If you can get your hands on a copy, there is a great story on the making of Bali batiks. Very interesting....the whole magazine was good. If you are interested you maybe could find one online. It has an Egyptian looking quilt on the cover. Have a good weekend!

[Sewbee]

Our quilt guild had a presentation last year on the Batik making process and the presenter worked with a company who has all their batiks custom made in Jakarta. He passed around various samples of the fabrics and several handmade "tools of the trade" used in the process. The history of the craft is an amazing story of royal Indonesian families and village craftsmen who spent months creating a single custom cloth for special occasions. The process has become more automated today for large volume commercial production but still involves many days of human labor using skilled craftsmen and centuries old processes. It's no wonder true Batik fabric is as expensive as it is. One detail I remember from the presentation is that with a quality Batik fabric it will be almost impossible to determine the wrong side from the right. The Batik will have beautiful full colored detail on both sides with a satiny smooth finish from the wax/dye process.

[Auntpiggylpn]

I purchased 2 of the Fossil Fern Charm packs from Bernatex for 2 reasons: I love Batiks and there is 100 5" charms in each back. Well, I guess I never actually read that they were Batiks but I'm pretty sure it was alluded to somewhere. Alot of times, these charm packs are under the Batik category on websites and in catalogues. The pictures always look so vibrant and rich. Well, imagine my surprise when I got them and they are not a batik as far as I am concerned! They look to be printed to look like Batiks and the colors are more dull. They have a wonderful, soft silky feel to them (just like quality cottons do!) and they are pretty and the price was right. I am using them to make a Biscuit quilt right now. So, I guess it isn't so bad, just disappointed as I really thought they were Batiks and had a wonderful bright quilt planned for them.

[Bubby]

All fabric has a low end and a high quality end. When it comes to batiks, I have found it's best to stick with the brands I know...Bali is my favorite.

[Hulamoon]

Really interesting! I had a friend come back from Bali and she brought some back but they were more large pictures of animals or flowers etc not small printslike you see in the stores. I bought two Hoffman packs of "jelly rolls" and they are super bright. I found this this morning on a Kaufman website and they have an interesting demo.

I'll be sure to check that out pcbatik!

Lorie

[Hulamoon]

opps.lol
http://www.robertkaufman.com/fabrics/artisan_batiks/

[pcbatiks]

Our quilt guild had a presentation last year on the Batik making process and the presenter worked with a company who has all their batiks custom made in Jakarta. He passed around various samples of the fabrics and several handmade "tools of the trade" used in the process. The history of the craft is an amazing story of royal Indonesian families and village craftsmen who spent months creating a single custom cloth for special occasions. The process has become more automated today for large volume commercial production but still involves many days of human labor using skilled craftsmen and centuries old processes. It's no wonder true Batik fabric is as expensive as it is. One detail I remember from the presentation is that with a quality Batik fabric it will be almost impossible to determine the wrong side from the right. The Batik will have beautiful full colored detail on both sides with a satiny smooth finish from the wax/dye process.

I came to realize that too...about determining the right and wrong side of a true batik. My scraps are true batiks....the ones I store bought early on...not so much :| Now I know what to watch for. The batiks at our LQS will make you drool