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-   -   How to fix color bleeding on quilts (https://www.quiltingboard.com/links-resources-f4/how-fix-color-bleeding-quilts-t243782.html)

wraez 03-25-2014 10:20 AM

I want to make a red/white/black quilt but have a real fear that the colors will bleed into the white when laundering. My MIL made me a quilt while I was getting chemo almost 15 yrs ago, it is a dark blue calico with white blocks that she hand embroidered ... the blue bled into the white and continues to bleed (can see it in the water) even now 15 yrs later. The blocks are NOT white anymore.

so I will be reading this more in depth ... are we supposed to do this before making the quilt or can it be done for the quilt my MIL made for me?

KathyKat 03-25-2014 11:37 AM

Thanks for sharing this link. I've often been afraid to heavily dyed fabrics such as red but now I now how to presoak them.:)

Suz 03-25-2014 03:26 PM

I use red in all of my Quilts of Valor and one quilts had a lot of bleeding. The last thing done to these quilts is to wash and dry same as they are going into a hospital setting and must go to them clean. I purchased the Color Catcher at the local supermarket, put two in the wash then I rewashed. The Color Catchers were red and the red bleed was out of the quilt.

Now, two Catchers go into every wash as a matter of procedure to prevent the bleeding.

I no longer prewash my fabrics for the QOVs as the pieces are sometimes 6 yards and hard to handle, thus the Catcher treatment when the quilt is completed.

Craftnut 03-25-2014 03:40 PM

You're welcome, everyone. Suz, check the article out, she used color catchers but they didn't do the job. Sue, I wash all my fabrics before sewing, and Vicki did the process on a completed quilt as well as fabric, so the answer is both.

McDarla 03-31-2014 03:45 AM

Wow! This is some faith in color catchers. I am encouraged! :)


Originally Posted by Suz (Post 6644710)
I use red in all of my Quilts of Valor and one quilts had a lot of bleeding. The last thing done to these quilts is to wash and dry same as they are going into a hospital setting and must go to them clean. I purchased the Color Catcher at the local supermarket, put two in the wash then I rewashed. The Color Catchers were red and the red bleed was out of the quilt.

Now, two Catchers go into every wash as a matter of procedure to prevent the bleeding.

I no longer prewash my fabrics for the QOVs as the pieces are sometimes 6 yards and hard to handle, thus the Catcher treatment when the quilt is completed.


McDarla 03-31-2014 03:58 AM

Thank you for posting this. I was entrusted to quilt my great grandmothers quilt top and began by hand washing first. As it seemed like it wasn't going to bleed to I felt ok to proceed. Soaking since Saturday night in (what was at my local quilt shop), "retro clean". It is now bleeding. :( In Maine and it is snowing/sleet/ice. YUK. I am waiting for weather to get better so I can go to the store. I will leave it in water until I can get (both) color sheets and DAWN PURE dish detergent. I am anxious to get this fixed. I was trusted to quilt it and I want to fix it. Still feeling like... Oh No!!! but thanks to this article I am hopeful. :/ Thank you so much.

JJean 04-01-2014 08:01 PM

Great find! Thank you so much for sharing this link. Vicki Welsh is great.


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