What’s in Your Batik Stash?Most quilters have a sizable supply of beautiful batiks, those luscious fabrics and designs we cannot resist buying. Usually I don’t getaroundtoit. I mean making up the idea I had in mind when I made those purchase decisions. Well, I have sorted the fabrics by color. I fold them nicely too. Now I have a spring thing in mind, a new campaign to make a dent in that container marked Batiks. Pictured below are 10 free patterns from the Robert Kaufman website that can be adapted very easily to showcase batik fabric and possibly some of your hand dyed fabrics. I’ve chosen patterns that appear fairly quick to make up and that would also be an enjoyable challenge to interpret in a personal way. I’ve provided the web link to each pattern as well as some comments on design and color possibilities. Do you have a stash of batiks? Why not make up a quilt or two. Good for the conscience, pleasing to work on, makes a wonderful gift for a family member of friend. Using batik for the backing doubles the size of the dent you can make in your stash. |
 |
| The batiks the designer chose for Silent Journey are sombre.The choice is wide open for any look you want. Notice the lattice strips are interwoven, creating depth and illusion. This pattern would sew up quickly. |
 |
| Secrets of the Reef is an opportunity to use a panel or hand dyed fabric as the focal point. You have unlimited choices for the rest of the quilt to build a theme or mood. |
 |
| Simply Basics has such a definite focal point that you could work it any way you please – off center, in a corner, etc. Make the value gradation as shown or come up with something original. This is a good pattern for using up scraps. |
 |
| You can do anything with this Sampler in Solids – combining batiks, hand dyed and commercial prints. Crazy piecing is a lot of fun. Develop visual uniformity by including one or two fabric in all areas. Create a secondary pattern within the main body of work. Another good scrap pattern. |
 |
| Simpatico Kaleidoscope is an opportunity to combine batiks in the stack and whack method of block construction. Not all commercial batiks are regular enough to create exact replica blocks if you try stacking and whacking. But the effect would be very similar – more free form and exciting in my opinion. |
 |
| The designer of Marbleous! has kept the color palette and construction arrangement under tight control. Here’s an opportunity to use graded values in each block A freer placement using less saturated colored batiks might tone it down if you want a calmer look. |
 |
| The Robert Kaufman website shows Permission to Play in two other brighter colorways. This is a very clever pattern. Notice how darker elements seem to float over the paler ones. Four point stars appear to hover over squares, yet most of the quilt is made from one shape, a triangle with 2 equal sides. Another thing I like about this pattern is the opportunity to do some string piecing using narrow strips of fabric. |
 |
| Colors of San Antiono is a deceptively simple pattern that allows unlimited options to adapt the basic shape any which way you desire. This pattern would sew up quickly and really chew into your stash. |
 |
| You don’t have to make Watercolor Meadows in the watercolor method of blending the value of the fabrics. This block pattern is actually the traditional Storm at Sea block set on point. Organized, disorganized – Watercolor Meadows is a very appealing application of batiks. Color selection and value are important here. |
 |
| Native Arts is a bold contemporary pattern calling for bold treatment. It’s time to use those batiks from the secondary palettes of the color wheel, the limes, purples and oranges. Black adds zip to quilts, and with this pattern you can use black liberally. |
Quilts – Traditional, Kids & Art
Spiral Patterns, Used Books & Cards
