Disintegrating Batik problem

[osewme]

Has anyone ever had any problems with the batiks in a quilt disintegrating? I've heard several people say that the batiks in their quilts are showing signs of little hairline tears along the straight of the grain. These people said they used good quality LQS fabrics. They also say that the other fabrics in the same quilt are perfectly fine so they know it's not the detergent or the way they are washing the quilts. This is very disturbing to hear & I may just have to nix all batiks from any future quilts.

[quiltingaway]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

I use lots of batiks and I haven't run into this problem.

[osewme]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

One quilter said her quilt that she noticed it on was about 15 years old. Not sure if the disintegrating started right away or if it came on gradually. Regardless of the age of the quilt, it's not a good thing if batiks are subject to eventually falling apart.

[rebeccas-sewing]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

I rarely use batiks so no worries for me. This is the first time I've heard this complaint. Makes me think twice now about using them after hearing this.

[surfergirl]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

Aloha from Hawaii, I started a thread on this same problem about a year ago, can't find it now. I have had the same exact problem with batiks, all non batik fabrics were fine in the quilt and the batiks were shredding. The quilt wasn't that old maybe 6 six years. I have had more than one quilt do the very same thing.

If you watch the tutorial on how they make batiks (search on internet) you can't help wondering after all the torture that fabric goes through (salt, chemicals, sun, boiling, again and again) no wonder it shreds.

Batiks may be beautiful, but I don't want my quilts falling apart after a few years use. Try using the new tone on tone fabs that look like batik. No more batiks for this girl.

[surfergirl]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

It's surfergirl again. I have a antique quilt that was made between 1820 and 1870, not one fabric in that quilt is shredding, it has a natural cotton batting with the seeds in it, there is very light fading and it is just a beautiful bear paw design, wish I knew it's history. I don't believe in the future 100 years or so, no batik quilt will survive.

[shirleyknot]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

Another reason I never use them in anything that will need much washing, and my quilts get USED!

[jjkaiser]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

Oh dear this is definitely bad news. I was just going to start a quilt with batiks for my GD now I don't know what do!

[Hulamoon]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

Here is your thread Surfergirl.

http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/showthread.php?t=58958

[katier825]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

I've been using batiks for years and never had an issue. Most of my quilts are used and washed frequently too.

[kensington]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

I made my son and my husband each a quilt using all batiks and that was years ago... no problems. My son uses his every day... treats it like a rag... no shredding or unraveling.

[Quentin the quilter]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

There is a difference with batiks, there are those that look like batik but are printed, and then there are those that have they heavy processes. Usually the thread count of true batik is very high, and the fabric feels thinner and more silky. The quilts that I have made with true batik are disentigrating at the binding. I believe the thread count of this fabric was so fine that when it was originally sewn, the needle may have broken the thread fibers causing shredding. The quilt I speak of is washed as often as twice a week because the children drag it around, so it has been put through a tough test.

[surfergirl]

Re: Disintegrating Batik problem

thanks Hulamoon!

[kristiecowans]

I'm having this Batik problem on my favorite quilt-a Cal King sized Hawaiian I made that is not more than 7 years old-multiple patches just disintegrated! Some are Hoffman (they are wearing better-but still have some shred & tear), some are unknown brands-but all have verifying degrees of shred and tears. I'm now going through the agonizing process of trying to both sew patches over the completely shredded patches and using "Heat Bond" for the general tears...also trying not to cry while I do it. Luckily, I also integrated some regular printed cotton into the design so I don't have to repair all 900+ pieces I used to design the quilt. Batik fabric is like "quilters gold" in the beauty of each piece and the cost$$$ of the fabric-but all that shines isn't gold. The only way I'll ever use my Batik fabric again quilting is in a designated wall-hanging piece-or maybe experiment with fusible batting? I wonder if it will still shred if glued onto another fabric? But then that's an added cost and step-plus you’re going to have one stiff quilt at the end. Maybe this is just part of the quilting learning curve to walk away from the temptation to use Batik fabric?

[Momofmonsters5]

Wow, so sorry! I made my mom a memory table runner of my grandmother 10 years ago out of batiks. She has it hanging on the wall and it gets sun..that pains me but it's her's. It looks as perfect as when I made it for her. I'm going to do a sho fly quilt out of batiks. I also made my daughter a quilt out of batiks 8 years ago and it's fine...I'll cross my fingers and sorry your going thru this! I've only had one quilt get a tear and it's a highly used quilt and the tear was in a homespun block. I really like the look of homespun but it is really thin fabric.