Onebyone

. I have a washer and dryer and not about to hand wash fabric in a tub. I use the quick wash cycle and extra low fill for small amounts of fabric.

Peckish

Actually, washing the fabric by itself is probably the best and easiest way of fixing any bleeding. Depending on what kind of washing machine you have, of course, the front-loaders don't work well. Vicki Welsh is a quilter and hand-dyer, and she tested many different methods and products out on her dyed fabrics to see what worked best to fix the dyes. She found that using LOTS of hot hot hot water (at least 140° F) and maybe a teaspoon or two of Dawn worked the best. Let it sit 12 hrs or overnight. I've done this several times in my top-loading Speed Queen, which fills all the way to the top of the wash tub with water. I've done it with fabric and I've done it with finished quilt tops. Works beautifully every time, and I only have to do it once. And honestly, it's more efficient to do a single load, one-and-done, than the multiple washings I see so many quilters do with color catchers.

MaryKa

I normally do not use detergent since I am only trying to shrink and prevent the finished quilt from bleeding. I do add at least 1 color catcher.

KalamaQuilts

I've always done prewash by hand. hot water, kitchen sink, soak a bit, swish about, wring hard, shake, throw in the dryer.
but then I don't buy yardage which is a bit of a job to wring by hand.

SusieQOH

I like to hand wash if it isn't too large a piece so I can see what it's doing.
Since a meter is just over a yard (I think) I don't think you would have a problem. Good luck!

Karamarie

I wash new fabric just in a large sink. If it a real big piece I will wash it in the washing machine and wash like colors with it, then I put a color catcher or two in with it. I think it works good.

Peckish

The detergent will displace the dye and prevent it from setting back into the fabric. The good news is you don't need much. This is one of the things Vicki Welsh tested - she used Synthrapol, Retayne, I believe some Rit Dye Fixative, and Dawn. The Dawn worked best out of all the products. She does NOT use a lot - maybe a teaspoon for a full washer load.

KarenHD

Don't you find they bleed into one another if you mix colours in one load?

KarenHD

Thanks for confirming I can get just as good a result without needing the washing machine

frannella

I always prewash everything--precuts, yardage, scraps--in a sink, tub, or large (24+" diameter) stainless steel bowl in the hottest water my water heater generates, but I never wring. I set up a drying rack in my bath tub or shower stall and let everything drip dry. Most fabrics dry relatively smoothly, and are more manageable than anything dried by wringing and/or placed in a dryer.

I have never heard of using Dawn as a dye fixative and am anxious to try it. Thanks for mentioning it, Peckish, and thanks for the post, Karen.