I soak a fabric that is coloring the water several times. Sometimes it is excess dye - and when the water runs clear (or clear enough) - I will use it.
Sometimes it is a bleeder - and there are folks that will swear that they can stop the bleeding using various techniques - Retayne, salt, vinegar, Dawn - whatever -
I won't use the fabric - because there are people like me that think it is okay to just put a quilt in the wash (assuming the washer is adequately sized), add some mild detergent, and walk away while it is washing - and expect to have ALL the fabrics in the quilt be the same color after they were sewn as they were before - and that none of the fabrics spilled color onto the other pieces.
Not that there is anything wrong with using color catchers, etc. etc. etc. - I just don't want to be bothered with the NEED to use them or the WORRY that one of the dyes may color another of the fabrics I used.
PS - I used to "just wash" fabrics - now I soak them in hot water before washing them (gently).
PPS - I have found that babies and toddlers tend to emit fluids that begin with P - and sometimes one does not notice the "bonus" until it has been around for a while. Any of these are great dye releasers.
Last edited by bearisgray; 09-10-2017 at 12:09 PM.