to WASH or not to Wash?

That is the question. You told me so. You warned me. I just washed, barely dried and blocked the Puss in Boots crib quilt. The gorgeous backing of peach batik bled to Hell and Back all over the the quilt top. This is the lst time after hundreds of crib quilts for NewBorns in Need that I have ever had a fabric to bleed. I have been warned. I am not likely to reform. The only place it mattered was with the kitty that was intended to be white with black spots. If this had been my Baltimore Album grand production it would have been really really disheartening. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther
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dont toss it out yet. i dont have those great products folks here to fix those mishaps but i'm sure someone will pop in here soon with just the right fix...color catcher? biz? sumpin like that. just wait til someone here tells ya what to use. j.

"Polly Esther" wrote ... That is the question. You told me so. You warned me. I just washed, barely dried and blocked the Puss in Boots crib quilt. The gorgeous backing of peach batik bled to Hell and Back all over the the quilt top. This is the lst time after hundreds of crib quilts for NewBorns in Need that I have ever had a fabric to bleed. I have been warned. I am not likely to reform. The only place it mattered was with the kitty that was intended to be white with black spots. If this had been my Baltimore Album grand production it would have been really really disheartening. Polly

Reply to
J*

Hmmm...I used a peach batik that likewise bled. Wonder if it's the same fabric. Good luck with damage control; I know you can do it.

Sherry

Reply to
Sherry

Wash it again with a colour catcher. That usually soaks up most of the transferred dye.

((((((Polly))))))

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

Reply to
Roberta

Reply to
EstelleUK

By the cold light of day, there's really no harm done. OTOH, it just may be that the peach backing will always bleed which, of course, could cause big fun if the quilt is washed with a load of underwear. Baby is not expected until June so there's time for me to find a dye-catcher and give it a try. I'm surprised that some of the fabric/thread took the excess dye and some ignored it. The whiskers embroidered with white are still bright white. Polly

"EstelleUK" > So sorry Polly.

Reply to
Polly Esther

How long and how badly it will bleed is indeed the question.

There are a hundred and one fixes for any dye that sticks in the top. A dye magnet and another wash is indeed the simplest place to start.

If it is going to give you trouble you are likely to see more dye in places it didn't take the first time, and very possibly more bleeding from elsewhere. The simplest explanation (and thus probably the most correct) as to why it didn't stick here and there in the first place is that that fabric was more heavily sized or, begging your pardon, just dirtier than the rest. So now that it is clean it is much more likely to pick up loose dye if any is to be found.

As for your kitty whiskers, a good deal of embroidery thread is treated to prevent bleeding these days, and what cannot get out also cannot get in. Of course if you used a non-cotton (or non-rayon) thread that would also explain it.

I tend to bold and dark colors, and high contrasts so I am a pre-washing fiend.

NightMist

Reply to
NightMist

Polly, As others have suggested, color catcher may help. I would follow that by placing the quilt in the sunshine. Once I had a similar disaster ... (prewashed!) black dye from front ran on the white backing! After a few days it 'faded/disappeared!'

Before you send the quilt away, add a small label to quilt back that says "Wash separately" so no one will wash it with Great Grandma's heirloom christening dress.

Please note that I have refrained from saying "I ALWAYS pre-wash!" Ain't I sweet?? Pat in Virginia

Reply to
Pat in Virginia

Very sweet, Pat. Does that mean I have to send you chocolate? Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

Anyone who likes to live life on the edge (with gators mind you) should find not washing rather tame sport and finding the cure for bleeds keeps you from tipping off that edge.

Reply to
Phyllis

The first time I ever did laundry for my sweetie, I washed new rust corduroy jeans with his white underwear. He had peach t-shirts and briefs for months. He married me anyway, and that was nearly 40 years ago!

Call Dharma Trading and ask them which stuff to use. They have both Retayne and Synthrapol (as well as their own less expensive versions) and I can never keep straight which one to use when. (Except I do use Synthrapol for washing newly finished quilts, and never pre-wash) Had a bleed only once, when DH was trying to help and put the quilt into cold water in the washer. With Synthrapol, you use HOT. This was the QOV quilt for my brother and I didn't have time to try getting it out.

--Heidi

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Reply to
heidi (was rabbit2b)

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