Please Help - Bleeding on Customer Quilt
03-02-2023, 06:08 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,389
Back when I went to wash a blue, red and white logcabin quilt for my mother, I didn't notice the red had bled on the white and it went into the dryer and got dried. I was devastated but asked here online and someone said to put it back into the washer with a color catcher or two and wash it again. Thankfully, the red came out and it went into the dryer again. Quilt saved.
I don't wash my fabrics before I cut them but I do starch them heavily but dunking them into a tub of home-made starch. If they're going to bleed, they'll do it then. Back when I made the logcabin, I wasn't starching so it bled. Should have known since I had red fabric but wasn't thinking. Also, my house was on the market at that time so I was just trying to keep busy until it sold and most of my sewing room was packed up and in storage. So try washing it with a color catcher or two. I also have one of those washers that can take the larger queen size quilts too.
I don't wash my fabrics before I cut them but I do starch them heavily but dunking them into a tub of home-made starch. If they're going to bleed, they'll do it then. Back when I made the logcabin, I wasn't starching so it bled. Should have known since I had red fabric but wasn't thinking. Also, my house was on the market at that time so I was just trying to keep busy until it sold and most of my sewing room was packed up and in storage. So try washing it with a color catcher or two. I also have one of those washers that can take the larger queen size quilts too.
03-02-2023, 01:25 PM
#13
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Carrollton, GA
Posts: 90
Originally Posted by Peckish
The problem with keeping part of the quilt out of the water is the water is going to wick into the rest of the quilt anyway.
Your best bet is to tell the customer what happened. You HAD to press it because it was unquiltable in the condition it was in when he gave it to you. While pressing, some of the colors bled. Tell him you can either give it back to him, or you can attempt to fix the bleeder yourself. He should understand the risks 100% before giving you any kind of direction. He should also understand what the process is for fixing the bleed and give his okay for that. I also think if he has you do this work, you should charge him for it.
If he DOES give you permission to try and fix the bleeder, come back and let us know, we'll help you. I've done it several times. So far have only had one quilt that didn't rinse completely clear, and it was because I tried to fix the bleed after it was quilted.
Your best bet is to tell the customer what happened. You HAD to press it because it was unquiltable in the condition it was in when he gave it to you. While pressing, some of the colors bled. Tell him you can either give it back to him, or you can attempt to fix the bleeder yourself. He should understand the risks 100% before giving you any kind of direction. He should also understand what the process is for fixing the bleed and give his okay for that. I also think if he has you do this work, you should charge him for it.
If he DOES give you permission to try and fix the bleeder, come back and let us know, we'll help you. I've done it several times. So far have only had one quilt that didn't rinse completely clear, and it was because I tried to fix the bleed after it was quilted.
Thanks,
LaDonna
03-02-2023, 04:13 PM
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,152
I would go ahead and quilt it. Color catchers are great to use on reds. I never trust red! it bleeds, perfect name for it "red".
No peroxide on it though. I picked up Clorox in error once. luckily it was my cats cover for an ottoman she sleeps on and it was a quilt i made fitted so i could change which side was up at times. the "back" was messed up by me so i redid the corners and used the now permanent front for her. She doesn't care.
Good luck. take it slow and easy. The customer knows it is old and in bad shape. Hopefully you both will be satisfied.
No peroxide on it though. I picked up Clorox in error once. luckily it was my cats cover for an ottoman she sleeps on and it was a quilt i made fitted so i could change which side was up at times. the "back" was messed up by me so i redid the corners and used the now permanent front for her. She doesn't care.
Good luck. take it slow and easy. The customer knows it is old and in bad shape. Hopefully you both will be satisfied.
03-02-2023, 08:45 PM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 9,404
I would not quilt it before treating the bleeds. Stay stitch the outside raw edge of the quilt. What kind of washing machine do you have? I've successfully done this with my Speed Queen, which fills the tub all the way to the top with water. You need a LOT of water. You will also need to have the ability to stop your machine from agitating. The way I did it was to turn my water heater up to 140 degrees F. I filled the washing machine with hot water and a teaspoon or so of Dawn. Once it was full and was going into the agitation cycle, I unplugged the machine and let it sit overnight. The next day, I plugged the machine back in, hit cancel on the cycle, let it drain and spin. You do not want to let it agitate, because you'll get all kinds of strings and fraying on the back side of the top. Then I took it out and let it hang dry. You'll likely need to press it again.
03-02-2023, 09:30 PM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 8,058
You mention it is hand stitched not machine. Is the hand stitching uniform and fairly tight? I have never tried to wash a quilt top and just worry if the hand stitching of the seams will hold up on their own.
03-03-2023, 08:02 AM
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Northern KY
Posts: 1,922
I heard this tip from a quilter who has won multiple awards, including Road to California and several AQS shows. If the bleeding is in one spot, not all over the quilt, dampen a color catcher and place it over the bleed. Weigh the color catcher down with something heavy (and perhaps a white paper towel between the color catcher and the heavy object). Leave it several hours or overnight. It should wick the color out. You may have to repeat the process a few times. She said she did this on a quilt that won at RTC.
03-03-2023, 11:25 AM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 934
Originally Posted by Pam S
I heard this tip from a quilter who has won multiple awards, including Road to California and several AQS shows. If the bleeding is in one spot, not all over the quilt, dampen a color catcher and place it over the bleed. Weigh the color catcher down with something heavy (and perhaps a white paper towel between the color catcher and the heavy object). Leave it several hours or overnight. It should wick the color out. You may have to repeat the process a few times. She said she did this on a quilt that won at RTC.
03-03-2023, 11:34 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 357
I had a problem with a color crocking...that's where when two wet fabrics touch or lay on instead of when bleeding gets into the water. So the only the area where the two fabrics touched each other are stained and the rest of the quilt is pristine. I haven't been able to just treat just that one small spot, so I'm living with it.
