Thread: Ack! The Red Fabric Bled on The White Background
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Old 12-11-2019, 07:30 AM
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JENNR8R
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Manassas, VA
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Default Ack! The Red Fabric Bled on The White Background
I always prewash all of my fabrics with color catchers and have never had a bleeder... until now!

I spent months quilting a quilt with lots of red and white fabrics. I had basted it with Elmer's Washable School Glue so I needed to soak it in cold water to get the glue out. When I took it out of the washing machine, I started the blocking process and...

Oh, Calamity! There were red blotches all over the white fabric!

I was in so much of a panic that I didn't take a picture, but take my word for it. It was bad!!!

I did an internet search for a solution and found this from Margaret Solomon Gunn:

https://quiltsoflove.blogspot.com/2016/07/what-to-do-when-your-finished-quilt.html

My bathtub leaks water out quickly so I put my quilt in the washing machine instead. I filled it with hot water and 1/3 cup Dawn Dishwashing Detergent. I let it soak and periodically rearranged the quilt. I was surprised that the water stayed hot the whole time. The water was very pink. After six hours I rinsed it twice and checked to see if there were still red blotches on the white. I would have repeated the process if there were, but there was absolutely no more red on the white fabric.

I feel like I've witnessed a miracle that I should share with you... [insert the Hallelujah Chorus]
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