About Batik Tambal

Batik Tambal, founded in 2000, offers handmade imported ethnic Indonesian batik paintings (panels), fabrics and other textiles by some of the finest batik artists from Indonesia, hand-selected from a variety of locations throughout the country. Our Batik Tambal products are available in this secure online store (shop 24/7), when we exhibit at quilting shows and creative retreats around the country (see our Events listing and come visit us on the road), and at our brick and mortar shop, located in Alexandria, Virginia.

Batik Tambal is an Indonesian term which translates to “Patches of Batik.” As late as the beginning of the 20th century, certain priests in Indonesia wore patchwork jackets that were believed to have magical qualities. The batik tambal garments of the Sultan of Jogyakarta were said to have been passed down from heaven. In our own time, Tambal Miring is a traditional design mode which imitates the clothing of the priests...some of the magic undoubtedly persists! “I’m excited to be continuing this long tradition of bringing high-quality batiks to the quilting world and beyond,” says Judy Gula of Artistic Artifacts.

Our handcrafted batik panels and exclusive batik fabric, as well as our one of a kind “Combanasi” batik fabric (featuring an extraordinary layering of color and design) are ideally suited to quilting, art quilts, wearable art, fiber arts, gifts, framing, and interior decorating.

Batik Tambal has been importing vintage and traditional collectible copper tjaps for more than 11 years: shop our extensive selection now. These traditional tjaps, having nobly served their life of batik textile production, are prized by collectors as a standalone piece of art, or used for stamping or rubbings on fabric with Shiva Paintstiks (learn how through this tutorial posted on Artistic Artifacts blog). Check our website on a regular basis as we add additional unique tjaps direct from our Indonesian suppliers. We also feature new tjaps, created using the same handcrafted techniques and materials as the antiques.

Batik Tambal is the exclusive North American distributor of “Combanasi” batik fabric, with an extraordinary layering of color and design that results in a very rich and complex texture.

Please note: while virtually all Batik Tambal textiles are handcrafted and individually unique, certain panels and vintage copper tjaps are genuinely one-of-a-kind items and once sold, cannot be reordered. Batik Tambal processes orders on a first-come, first-served basis and whenever possible provides customers with information about and images of similar items that may interest them as a replacement if an item is sold out. See also our Terms & Conditions.