belquilt Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Okay Ladies, I know this topic has been discussed before, but I really want to hear your "recipe" for quilting Batiks - i.e. the thread type(s) you use like Cotton vs. Poly and the needle size you use with those thread types on Batiks. I am getting ready to quilt my own batik quilt, a Judy Niemeyer paper pieced -Crown of Thorns - and I am using Dream Poly (I think) for the batting. Could use Dream Cotton if you think that will quilt better. I am finally caught up on customer quilts so its time to do one of mine! :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitzi Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 I don't have much experience, but I will be anxious to hear what the experts have to say as I need to get my nephew's wedding quilt on the frame and quilted. It will be batik top and backing with probably Hobbs 80/20 or Airtex 80/20. I am planning on using Rainbow thread on top and bottom line in the bobbin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belquilt Posted August 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Mitzi - I have used that combination on a Batik top many times with two different needle sizes. But I always love to hear what others use as I learn so much from the great ladies and gentlemen on this forum!!! I will say this, if the backing is batik, I find that most of the time if the batik backing has been quick washed, I think it stitches better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Hi Beth. I have quilted several Judy Niemeyer quilts for a customer of mine. I love to use Isacord on these quilts as it just pops along with all the batiks. I generally have so fine in the bobbin. If I am ditching or don't want the thread to be so obvious, I use so fine on top too. 3.5 needle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 I thankfully have not had any issues with Batiks. I normally always use SoFine. For the bobbin sometimes I use the same and sometimes I use bottom line. I have one on right now and I'm using SoFine top and BL in the bobbin. I have in a 4.0 but I really like working with a 3.5, not sure why I didn't change the needle but it isn't posing a problem so why change. Unlike many of the quilters on this forum I tend to keep my sandwich tighter. It isn't so tight that you could bounce a quarter off of it but it certainly isn't like having mole run under it either. I haven't found that I have to treat Batik's any different than any other fabric, except to maybe loosen my tension a bit more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbz98236 Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 The $5 quilt that we are signed up to do next year is a batik, one is a light color and one is a dark. When they quilted them, they hung them up in front of a window. You can see the needle holes really bad. I didn't notice that before on other quilts. Is that from needles being too big, is it a batik thing or batting thing? I haven't worked with batiks, so I'm not sure how it suppose to quilt up. I have just heard they are hard to work with. Thanks Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Debbie, Batiks are a much more tightly woven fabric and have a longer memory than other cottons. The holes should close-up after a washing or you can try steaming it and see if that helps. I usually use the smallest needle I can without having thread breakage problems so that the holes are smaller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belquilt Posted August 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Hi Patty, Isacord!!! I have a ton of that for Embroidery! I must consider this!! I generally used prewound bobbins as I haven't wound my own bobbins in two years. Time to get the bobbin winder out and give it a shot again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belquilt Posted August 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Debbie, I do the same thing! I usually use a quick shot of steam, except on red... too afraid it will run! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Beth, when I use the Isacord, I still use So Fine in the bobbin in a matching color. I just like a finer thread on the back. You can use the Isacord in both, but be careful with your stops and starts, it is harder to get 2 slippery threads to knot. Unless you knot and bury which I do, then it should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 I was worried about quilting a batik quilt awhile back. I wanted to use a small needle, like 3.5, because the weave of the fabric is so tight, but the perfect thread for the quilt was a King Tut. I ended up using a larger needle and it turned out fine. I used King Tut on the top and Bottom Line in the bobbin. Like Heidi, I usually keep my quilt sandwich pretty tight but I did loosen it up a bit for this as the bobbin was coming up in the curves of the pattern. Here's a link to the thread with pictures. http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=17262&page=1#pid196057 I'm currently working on a Judy Niemeyer quilt (Drunkards Wave). I've done a lot of SID and I used monopoly in the top and Bottom Line in the bottom for that. I switched to Bottom Line in the top for the rest of the quilting. I'm using a 3.5 needle this time. One thing I've noticed is that what look like pokies on the top are just because of the hole made by the needle. As the quilt relaxes the pokies go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 I'm doing a customer batik (top and bottom) at the moment with Isacord top and bottom. I quilt quite densely so slipperiness is not an issue. I should probably use a 3.5 needle and go slower but I only have #4.0 needles. I'm using a Poly bat - Quilters Dream Puff because I wondered whether the needle would struggle with cotton and the high thread count of the batiks however the needle holes are quuite large so maybe if I used a cotton bat they would seal up better after being washed...? The customer has not prewashed the batiks so my new needle is squeaking and popping along. Tension has been fine except for one bit where I didn't notice that the bobbin thread had got in a ruck but I'm hoping it will settle in if I wet it. I hate batiks on the back and wouldn't use it on my own quilts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Linzi's post reminded me that I didn't say what batting and backing I used. In both quilts I used Warm & Natural batting and muslin on the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLM Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 I think that it is a good idea to make a sample from your leftovers to test before you start on an important project. I like to use the smallest needle possible, but it increases the chance of needle deflection and skipped stitches, so I try to quilt slowly on batiks. Making a sample also lets you try out quilting designs before you commit. Holes do not close up after washing, I have a sample with a batik backing that has been washed 10 times, the holes are still visible when it is held up to the light. :-( Janet Mohler Colorado Springs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belquilt Posted August 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Linzi, I know what you mean about the batik backing, but keep trying, it looks so nice! Janet, I always make a sample before doing any quilt, its so helpful! It is also nice to hear who else has issues or successes! Holly, You must post the Drunkards Wave when you get done. As I have told you before, I have done a few of those and they are so much fun! As for making my own bobbin....I think I will do another post on that after doing some searches. Its a struggle. I will try the Isacord!!! SOunds like Poly type threads is what we are all using, not a cotton, like King TUT or a cotton look like Lava. I hope more people chime in. This is so interesting to hear from all!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 My favorite thread combination for batiks is Sew Fine in the bobbin and Rainbows on the top. I try to match the thread shades as closely as possible, rather than use a very contrasting color. I love QD Puff or QD Wool, but just finished a quilt using QD Dream Green. It turned out great. I used a 4.0 needle. I had to frog a small section due to railroad tracks on the back. The tension was great, then the rr tracks, then great tension again. The only thing I can think of is that a little bit of stuff got caught up somewhere and then worked its way out again. I sprayed on a squirt of water to the area I frogged, and rubbed it with my fingernails. The holes seemed to close up. When dry, I restitched and it looked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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