Oooh, pretty colors!!! A white cotton wash cloth is also a good color catcher. I found this out completely by accident. I think I would hand wash, otherwise you may not have anything left to sew. A friend of mine told me that her Mother adds a capful of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to set the colors in, therefore reducing any further bleeding of colors. Good luck and please share your work in progress. Looks like it's going to be pretty.