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Just an FYI - I have found the watercolor "batiks" to be some of the absolute worst bleeders of all time.... and it does not matter if they are Hoffman or Kaufman ( both companies have similar line). I don't even bother to test anymore .. just treat as I purchase them. I found out the hard way some may not bleed until the second wash .. depending on how much wax resist was left in the fabric. So now All of them get a hot water bath and Retayne. Some people have told me their batiks they purchased do not run ... well maybe not yet!
While we are on the subject .. not sure if you have ever purchased a Cherrywood fabric( 100 percent cotton dyed to look like suede.. really beautiful ) ... OMG !!! They need a whole new word for running and bleeding it just beyond anything I had ever seen.

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Originally Posted by Flying_V_Goddess

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Originally Posted by Lori S

I am always amazed at the amount of dye that can come out of Batiks... it is amazing that it just keeps coming out .. and sometimes its colors that you really did not think were in the fabric.
The only way to really stop the bleed is Retayne. Vinegar and salt is not effective on batiks or any other cotton fabric. You can mail order Retayne friom several sources I think even Amazon.
Color catchers only absorb what is released. If you want to stop it ... Retayne. Ironically I just finished treating a bunch myself .. to bad you were not closer I run over with some.

http://www.amazon.com/Retayne-Color-.../dp/B000YZ5HL8

Amazing is right. The bad one just keeps releasing dye. Just went back and washed and rinsed it and soaked it again. Rinsed the other batik, which is on its last leg for bleeding, and looked back at the first one...the water was already blue. Like Listerine blue. Wasn't even five minutes. How can it rinse out clear yet sit in a bowl for five minutes and make the water change color? At least the second one is giving up.

This experiance has kind of made me afraid to wash all my Moda marbles for my stained glass quilting project. Not sure if those actually bleed or not, but its a little disconcerning because Moda marbles look awfully lot like that watercolor batik I got sitting in a bowl of Listerine colored water right now.

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Originally Posted by Lori S

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Originally Posted by Flying_V_Goddess

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Originally Posted by Lori S

Crap. I do believe I do have a couple Hoffman watercolors. No Cherrywood though.

I might as well get the Retayne. I have 25 different greens for this quilt and my other project requires around 70 watercolor/marble fabrics (yes 7-0).

Now how do you use the stuff?

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Originally Posted by Tartan

The bleeder will need to be treated with Retayne before use. If you can't wait to get it, I would suggest leaving that fabric out of your project. I know you are soooo disappointed but aren't you glad you found the bleeder before putting it in a quilt?

I almost would because its a P.I.T.A. except its a pretty fabric and if all the other batiks I have bleed that much I'd be wasting a lot of fabric if I got rid of them all.

Directions on bottle. If you have a lot of fabric, may want to get a couple bottles. You use so many tablespoons of retayne per so many yards of fabric, wash/rinse in the hottest water your fabric can take. Now, I haven't done it for a while, so may not have it exactly right, but you get the idea.

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Originally Posted by Flying_V_Goddess

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Originally Posted by nursie76

Can you get retayne? I think that is supposed to set the dye...but then, I could be wrong.

I think so too. But its not available anywhere in this town. I couldn't even find those color catchers at the store so no luck there.

want me to send you a couple or a box of color catchers? i think even our CVS sells them. i can mail them out to you tomorrow if i had your address.
i just prewashed some batik FQ's and the greens bleed the worse.

after i hand washed them a few times, i tossed them in the washing machine..full load of water and 2 color catchers..and the color catcher with totally green when they came out.