Advice needed please
 

Hi all,

I am sooooooooo dissapointed!! I have been working on collecting and saving fabric for a particular quilt for some time. I had found the pattern on the Andover free patterns page, and fell in love with it for a very good friend. Fit her perfectly. I wanted to do the pattern exactly as it was shown with the same fabrics. The majority of the fabric I had to buy from the actual designer as I couldnt find it in stores. I had emailed them to inquire about it and they did have it for sale. So I bought it in a few broken up purchases.

Ive started cutting the fabric and am quite a ways through when I started noticing that most of the fabric reeks of cigarette smoke!!!!!! I am totally flabberghasted!!! Not only that, but one of the pieces has a lot of mildew on it.

I just dont know what to do. I have sent an email about it, but Im not sure what the resolution is. I have a lot of cutting done. Im just so dissapointed.

What stinks of smoke - the fabric from the designer or the fabric from fabric shops?
Same question for mildew?

Are you certain that someone hasn't smoked near the fabric in your house?

The smoke can be dealt with - put the fabric in a plastic bag with either baking soda or vinegar (not both - they'll react)

You might be able to get the mildew out with oxygen bleach (like oxyclean). I would try one or a few pieces first. You'll need water for this. I would handwash, rinse, and then dry on a towel.

Oh it most definitely was not from my home. My father died of lung cancer and we are big no smokers. And on the off chance someone tried to sneak it, Im a stay at home mom.... Wouldn't get past me. Lol. I bought the fabric directly from the designer.

I can't wet the fabric as some of its cut and some not and I don't want uneven shrinkage. This just isn't something I should even have to be dealing with! Arugh! As for the mildew, I just cut around it. @@

one of those (reasons) many of us bring packages into the house- open them in the laundry room & put the fabrics right into the wash- before it goes anywhere near the sewing room we wash & dry it- then take our new, freshly laundered soft wonderful new fabric into our sewing space to iron it & either use it or fold it to put away. you never know what you will bring into your home that comes from a stranger's home. since you've already cut the fabric & don't want to wash it now- you will need to struggle through the smell & wash the finished quilt. i'm surprised you did not notice it when you opened the packages- i can usually tell as soon as i open the packages- even if the fabric is in plastic bags.

That's horrible that anyone would sell you something in that shape. Let us know what they say when you get a reply. I'm curious.

Try putting the cut pieces of fabric in a plastic bag with an opened bar of Irish Spring soap. I have used this method to rid textiles of funky smells. You can also try it with the uncut fabrics, just make sure you open them up in the bags, don't keep them folded so air can circulate around it.

Can you put it in a bag with one of those baking soda discs for the fridge

Okay, I'll try some of these.... I've got enough fabric that I can try them ALL! lol! Now I'm wondering, what should I expect from the seller? I mean, it was from an Andover designer, and from her 'store'....... I don't know what the protocol is here. Am I just out of luck? I kind of feel like.... if I'd have gotten this off eBay then I'm taking a risk, but from a professional? I just kind of think I deserve better than this!

I can tell you from experience, the smoke will come out when you finish the quilt and bind it. I had purchased some jelly rolls from ebay. It smelled so bad when we picked it up from post office we had to put it in the back of the truck!

Oh and I'd like to mention that this is a very well known designer. I don't want to say who because I don't want to..... well.. you know, I don't want to 'trash talk'.... I just want guidance in this. Thanks.

here is a previous thread about smoke in the fabric: http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...c-t214344.html perhaps you can wait until you are finished with the quilt, or you could put the cut pieces into little bags made for delicate washables. i'm not sure how to treat mildew.

This may seem a silly comment .
Is it possible the smoke came from the manufacturers as they put the fabric on the bolt?
This is a good reason for always washing fabric as soon as it comes home.

Good luck and I love the suggestions for removing mildew .

I would think it warrants an email to the seller/designer. Give him/her a chance to explain. Receiving fabric that smells and has mildew is certainly not the norm...

If the designer is a smoker they might not realize the extent of the problem. Definitely alert them. I do a few alterations and had some that reeked of smoke. I just hung them in the back room for awhile and that helped a lot. I would suggest airing the fabric outdoors, if possible. Then finishing the quilt and washing it.

For the cigarette smell I would put the pieces in a plastic bag with one of those coffee bags that you just put in the coffee maker , like the ones used in hotel rooms. It works wonders. We once wanted to buy a used car and it smelled horrible of tobacco smoke, put those bags under the sears and it took the smell out completely. Not sure what to do with the mildue . Good luck!

Definitely try some of these ideas here...they are great! But I'd think it would come out with the first washing after you finished it, if you can stand working with smoky fabrics.

It's too bad that you would have this kind of eperience from a designer. I certainly hope that you hear back and that they make it right. Good luck on a resolution!!

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I believe I would do some complaining!!

I have had this happen also.I use X-O odor neutralizer it's a concentrate you mix with water and you can also wash your clothes with it. I will mist (not saturate) my fabric and let it air dry this has helped me with the smoke smell very well. I use a lot of layer cakes or charm pack so you can't wash till quilt is done. I purchased mine from QVC.but I've seem it at Wal-mart and Lowes here in Louisiana.

I would make a very large noise using every tool in my possession; Facebook, this forum, the manufacturer and I'd make darn sure Andover knows big time. This is totally unacceptable. Fabric is expensive and you shouldn't accept this treatment any way on any score.

You might try putting the fabrics in a large plastic bag with a cotton ball soaked in vanilla. Works for most odors

I wish I had some advice for you but I don't. Just a lot of sympathy. Best of luck to you with this situation.

I agree with BettyGee! You might get replacement fabric or just save others from the same experience. I think they should replace the fabric, especially the mildewed fabric.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease! Be the squeaky wheel!!!! I would raise a ruckus like they've never seen. Fabric costs too much to be an issue when it comes!

I can relate - although the fabric I have in mind was from my own stash. I used to smoke, then was finally able to quilt, however, every piece of fabric that was in my bedroom, especially, as that is where I sewed, had to be washed before I could deal with it. Then when downsizing from a house to an apt. I gave away almost half my stash, which I hated to do, but had no choice. A few months later I was working on our family reunion quilt and I remembered a very large piece of fabric that would be perfect for the back of the quilt. My friend graciously gave it back to me, however, I didn't realize it until I went to iron the fabric and spritzed it with water and the fabric reeked of tobacco smoke. Picture this - I'm on a very tight timeline to finish the quilt, so I measured pieces long enough for the back, then cut; then I put the fabric in the sink, washed it and then hung it in the bathtub, using the safety bars as a clothes line. It was too late at night to use the washers in our apt. bldg., plus would be an added expense. It came out all right, but I've learned to check. However, I have never received fabric from any on-line source that smelled of tobacco. It's not logical in this day and age to have people smoking around fabric. I hope you get some compensation from the source of your fabric.

I have not had your problem but I wonder if you might get rid of the smoke oder with a spritz of Fabreeze? It doesn't leave any residue on fabrics-draperies, furniture,etc.. You might try it on one of the parts you had to cut off.

So sorry this happened to you. I agree with the others to make a ruckus about it---not acceptable.

I would definitely contact the designer to let her know. Something along the lines of "you may not be aware, but the fabric that you sent to me smelled strongly of smoke and mildew and I hope that you can give me some guidance as to how to save it"

This will let her know that there is a problem without being rude, and offer her the chance to make it right.

Not to mention BED BUGS hitchhiking their way into your home! :thumbdown:

I don't know about the mold but for the cig smell i ued fabreeze with great results. just spray real good and let it air outside if possible over night.

That is one of the main reasons that I wash all new fabrics. Bed bugs are VERY hard to get rid of even for exterminators.

Well, Ive emailed them, and they seem to be ignoring it (after always replying immediately). I think Ill be writing to Andover.

I am just astonished at this sudden infestation of bed bugs! As a child I remember being told "goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite!" But never had any experience with those buggers! I thought we were civilized enough to be quite thorough in hygiene, both personal and general, but I guess not......
Also, I read recently in a quilting mag about how collectors really prefer antique quilts that have never been washed. Smiling now, in the future will that be true, what with this onslaught of bedbugs! Wonder how long they can be dormant yet active......

You wrote to them and they didn't respond? Well that really is unacceptable and them know that. It make take more than one letter. I think let Andover know as well. I really feel your frustration. This is really poor service.

one word---febreeze!

Get an empty spray bottle and fill it with 2/3 water and 1/3 cheap vodka. Spritz, then iron your pieces. Works, works, works!

It's horrible you've had this experience, but I love that the community has give you so many ideas on how to handle the problems. I'm definitely writing them down for the 'just in case' scenario I would leave feedback, if possible, on the site where you bought the fabric to warn others from having this sad situation happen to them as well.

The Designers likely purchase the fabric from the manufacturer....esp if the Designer is selling fabric via their online website. The problem lies with the source...the Designer. He/She most likely works from their house as lot of onlines do. My quilts come back from my long arm smelling of musty air as she has her long arm in her garage. The smell dissipates once I get it home.

The mildew concerns me. That issue , to me, is more troubling than smoke. Are there lots of black spots on it??? Would a light spray and water and vinegar work? I should google it.

Sandy