|
|
Post by tallgirl on Apr 25, 2015 20:38:45 GMT
Ugh. I am 90% done a quilt for my nephew, and it's white with red and navy fabrics. I had set it aside for a while and recently came back to it. It must have gotten wet in the meantime, because there are a few areas where the dye in the blue and red has started to run.
Damn. Damn. Damn. Needless to say, I did not prewash, but these are reputable fabrics (Riley Blake and Kanvas) and I thought I would get away with it...
Anyway, now what do I do? I will definitely need to wash the whole thing before I give it away but now I am terrified of what will happen when I do.
(Tangent: I am convinced that this quilt is cursed. My kitty ate a thread left on the floor while I was sewing it, we spent $2600 on surgery and other vet bills to get her better, and we wound up having to put her down last month. I am beginning to wish I had never started this stupid project.)
|
|
|
|
Post by Basket1lady on Apr 25, 2015 21:50:42 GMT
I've had that happen. For me, it was a bag of breast milk that got the quilt wet. I had to wash it mid-quilting, as I didn't want it to mold. I hand washed it enough to get the milk out, and the bleeding was minimized. When the quilt was done, I washed it again. It all came out. But I pulled it from the washer the SECOND it was done, blocked it, and let it dry. I've never washed it since, but it's a wall hanging, so I just fluff it in the dryer to get the dust out. If you know where to look, you can see a little of the bleed. But it's good now. It's those darn reds!
|
|
DEX
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,355 
|
Post by DEX on Apr 25, 2015 23:10:42 GMT
We have had a quilt at work that is a "Dignity" quilt that is used to cover residents after they have passed. Someone sent it to the laundry after it was used.  We always put a sheet over the body and then the quilt. It bled horrible due to the hot water. I brought it home and put it in the wash with about 5-"Shout" Color Catchers and it turned out beautifully. This was after it had gone through the dryer before too. You can find them at the grocery store. A box is about $5.00. I love those things. They work great. |
|
|
|
Post by rst on Apr 25, 2015 23:38:49 GMT
Don't despair. The excess dye may well rinse out completely in the course of a couple of washes. I've had reds bleed enough to turn whites a hot pink, but eventually rinse out just fine. Don't dry the quilt with heat until you are satisfied that it's not going to rinse out any cleaner.
|
|
|
|
Post by baslp on Apr 27, 2015 16:49:59 GMT
I send a box of color catchers w evey quilt I make.
|
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Apr 27, 2015 16:53:55 GMT
I send a box of color catchers w evey quilt I make. Do you wash the quilt before you send it or no? I have thought about not washing it and leaving it up to the recipient.  But, my sister would have even less of a clue about how to handle the dye running than I do. And since it has already happened, now I have to fix it. (Plus, I have had a hard time keeping my cat off this one while I have been working on it, and would hate to send something covered in cat hair to her pet-free home.) I was out just now on my lunch hour looking for Dawn Ultra Pure dish detergent - I am going to try the pre-soak recommended in the linked article. I am hopeful that that will draw most of the excess dye out of the fabric so that I can then wash it normally with a few color catchers added, and hope that fixes everything. If not... eeek. |
|
|
|
Post by peasful1 on Apr 27, 2015 18:12:44 GMT
I wash it with several shout color catchers. Pop in dryer. Wash again. I just did this with a quilt with white, navy, black and purple. White came out pristine. If you've already put it in the dryer the colour said may have set.
|
|
|
|
Post by deshacrafts on Apr 27, 2015 18:48:04 GMT
This is why I like to pre-wash my fabrics, I know not everyone does it, but it is just a habit with me now. I am always just to afraid the fabric colors will run. I always wash my quilts when they are done with at least one color catcher. So far I have been lucky and haven't had a problem with running dye.
|
|
|
|
Post by deshacrafts on Apr 27, 2015 18:56:35 GMT
This is why I like to pre-wash my fabrics, I know not everyone does it, but it is just a habit with me now. I am always just to afraid the fabric colors will run. I always wash my quilts when they are done with at least one color catcher. So far I have been lucky and haven't had a problem with running dye. I have always pre-washed my fabric if I am going to be making clothes. Learned that after I made a dress, only to have it fade badly after the first wash. However, I have not typically pre-washed my quilt fabrics and have been lucky so far. After reading about the OP's problem and others online, I think I will be pre-washing those fabrics as well. Better safe than sorry! Now, does anyone have any suggestions on how to pre-wash the charm packs, jelly rolls, etc? Charm pack, jelly rolls and precuts I don't wash and it is recommended that you don't. With those you just take a chance, but I have never had those bleed. Maybe I have been lucky. I also haven't used them a ton either. |
|
|
|
Post by uksue on Apr 27, 2015 19:10:21 GMT
My mum used to soak anything like that in strong salty cold water for a few hours before she washed it to 'set' the colour, but as I am not a sewer I have no idea whether/why this works. I have used the shout sheets though.
|
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Apr 27, 2015 20:32:59 GMT
My mum used to soak anything like that in strong salty cold water for a few hours before she washed it to 'set' the colour, but as I am not a sewer I have no idea whether/why this works. I have used the shout sheets though. I have read that salt used to set dyes the way they used to be manufactured... but that it isn't effective anymore. I've also heard the same about vinegar. I have made perhaps ten quilts. Only one other quilt with red in it, and as luck would have it, that one ran on me, too. Though with that one, I used a few 'no name' fabrics from my local Fabricland. I guess when I was putting this one together I thought my luck surely couldn't be so bad twice in a row. Plus, these are quilting fabrics from well known lines, so I assumed the outcome would be better. I think after this I will be giving the red a rest! I got the binding attached to the front of my quilt last night and just need to hand sew it to the back, and then I am going to try the dish soap soak in hot water (as recommended) to see if it takes out what dye has already run, plus whatever other dye is just waiting to run. The suspense is killing me! |
|
|
|
Post by SunnySmile on Apr 27, 2015 21:29:11 GMT
I have had good luck using oxyclean powder in the wash cycle along with my detergent. You see on the commercial that it makes that tub of black water turn white. Anyway, it works on clothing that had reds and navy colors along with white.
|
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on May 4, 2015 1:04:46 GMT
I wanted to post a very big thanks to everyone who replied, and especially to **GypsyGirl** for posting the link to Vicky Welsh's blog. I followed her instructions and soaked my quilt for 12 hours in dish soap. All of the dye that had run came right out and when I washed and tumbled the quilt dry before sending it off to my nephew, it came out completely spotless with no more running! I am converted and I will do this with every quilt I make from now on!Here's the final product. Glad to have my last 'winter project' finished up so now I can get outside more and enjoy the nice weather!
|
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on May 4, 2015 1:05:03 GMT
Um, whoops. Let me try again... AHA, I finally got it!  |
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on May 4, 2015 1:05:37 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by KikiPea on May 4, 2015 1:13:50 GMT
Gorgeous!!!
|
|
akathy
What's For Dinner?
Still peaing from Podunk!
Posts: 4,546
Location: North Dakota
Jun 25, 2014 22:56:55 GMT
|
Post by akathy on May 4, 2015 1:19:20 GMT
Beautiful! I've always wished I had the patience to quilt.
|
|
GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,294
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
|
Post by GiantsFan on May 4, 2015 1:19:46 GMT
I love it!
|
|
|
|
Post by Basket1lady on May 4, 2015 1:25:58 GMT
Beautiful!
I'm so glad that it all "came out" all right!
|
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on May 4, 2015 1:29:25 GMT
I'm particularly happy with this quilt because of the timing. My nephew is a Dr. Who fan and I played off that by making this a British-themed quilt. Not sure if you can see in the photo, but the fabrics have Union Jacks, crowns, phone boxes, Beefeaters etc. Kind of a happy coincidence that with the new royal baby, this is very much in vogue… at least for this week!   |
|
|
|
Post by Skellinton on May 4, 2015 1:42:14 GMT
I love that pattern, and those fabrics are great! Sorry about your kitty.  |
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on May 4, 2015 1:48:00 GMT
Riley Blake fabrics are the Beefeaters, crowns, taxis, flags, and plaid/stripe.
Kanvas is the phone boxes and city buildings.
The navy with red dots is Henry Glass.
White is Kona.
|
|
|
|
Post by anxiousmom on May 4, 2015 2:05:54 GMT
You did a great job! Quilting is on my list of things to learn, and I swear one of these days I am going to do it.  |
|
|
|
Post by mom on May 4, 2015 2:08:37 GMT
That is a beautiful quilt! Quilting is on my 'to learn' bucket list!
|
|
tincin
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,368
Jul 25, 2014 4:55:32 GMT
|
Post by tincin on May 4, 2015 2:12:11 GMT
Awesome job, love the quilt.
|
|
gramma
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,903
Location: Sacramento, Ca
|
Post by gramma on May 4, 2015 2:19:45 GMT
That is just lovely!
|
|
|
|
Post by JoP on May 4, 2015 6:16:19 GMT
Lovely quilt, I'm so pleased the color runs came out |
|
wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,766
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
|
Post by wellway on May 4, 2015 7:09:59 GMT
Beautiful, I'm glad you found a solution.
|
|
|
|
Post by gale w on May 4, 2015 7:34:32 GMT
It's beautiful!! And it's good to know what to do in case of colors bleeding. I have been lucky so far but until I use up all of my precuts I don't think I'll do any prewashing.
|
|
|
|
Post by uksue on May 4, 2015 10:49:01 GMT
That's a gorgeous quilt- it looks like it cost a fortune to make ( let alone the many hours you spend making it!)
|
|
We always put a sheet over the body and then the quilt. It bled horrible due to the hot water. I brought it home and put it in the wash with about 5-"Shout" Color Catchers and it turned out beautifully. This was after it had gone through the dryer before too. You can find them at the grocery store. A box is about $5.00. I love those things. They work great.
But, my sister would have even less of a clue about how to handle the dye running than I do. And since it has already happened, now I have to fix it. (Plus, I have had a hard time keeping my cat off this one while I have been working on it, and would hate to send something covered in cat hair to her pet-free home.)
