I decided it couldn't be any worse and dumped in a half cup of Chlorox, a dye catcher sheet, and put a big glug of Anti-chlor in the fabric softener cup on my washing machine. Magic. All is back the way it was, except the reds are a little softer and sweeter.
I'm a happy girl.
Sunny
I'm so glad it's better, although I can't imagine what caused the problem in the first place. My "remedy" for removing fabric bleed is similar to yours - I run the hottest water I can into the sink, add some bleach and some powdered dishwashing detergent, and let the fabric sit in it - the excess dye is usually gone within a half-hour or so. I've done this with clothes as well as my precious quilting fabric, and it usually gets the offending color out. Yes, the original garment or fabric is a little lighter when you're done, but at least you still have something usable - as opposed to the alternative!
Grandma would say I'm 'borrowing trouble' but I can't help but wonder what's going to happen when the strange fabric is washed without Clorox. I hate to suggest it but maybe you'd better find that out before you put your heart and soul into a quilt that going to have the blues. Polly
YAY!
I'm so pleased it worked. Now rewash the fabric to get the rest of the bleach out and to see if it will 'redo' what it did the first time. you do NOT want it 'exploding color' again after you've worked it into a quilt.
Butterfly
What a relief! So glad your fabric came out OK. I'm never without bleach and dye catchers here!
-Irene
What a relief! We will probably never know what caused that awful blotching, but it's good to know that good fabric can be brought back from the brink of extinction with some smart laundering.
ep
I'm pretty sure I know which piece was the culprit. It had a lovely line type drawing all over it, little purple doodads. Those are mostly gone now, just a hint of faint pinkish color, and that was before the bleach. It's still pretty and feminine and I'm going to cut it up and glue it to the back of my plain paper stationery. It will put a pretty touch on my notes and won't risk any more explosions, even though I think there's no ink or dye or whatever evil element it was left.
Sunny
I'd want to pop in a dye catcher too to stop my knees going too jellified!
Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk
Butterflyw> YAY!
.
Well, thank heavens you found a way to resolve the color bleed. What a shame for expensive fabric to do this. I'd be writing to the manufacturer also. Being a happy girl is important! Donna
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