YIKES!!! I just bought a piece of deep purple batik from Walmart and hadn't decided what to do with it. I usually am not a pre-washer but glad I read this, so will definetely do so before I forget. If I wash in the sink and there is that much dye bleed I wonder if I could dye some cotton to a light shade? Also have some Rit dye fixative I might try. I bought a emerald green piece also, better work on that also. Thanks for the info.