Bleeding fabric: What to do with it! Info.
 

There is a post going on right now about a quilt made with red & white fabric that, you guessed it, the fabrics were not pre-washed and the red bleeds like a stuck pig! Even though it was washed with "8" color catchers!

Here are a couple of interesting articles that address this issue.

this is my fave article.
http://www.textiletraditions.com/res...bric.htm#bleed

this is more for clothing, but store bought fabric falls into the same category really.
http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-t...from-clothing/

Thank you Jackie, these are great!!!!!

You noted in your response to the poster to use Retayne ....This is not the course of action for any item that has been constructed . Retayne should only be used prior to construction/cutting and used to set the dyes. Sythropol is the recommened method once a item has been completed and the option to pretreat and set the dyes is past.
Using Retayne once an item is completed will work to set the running dyes that have migrated to other fabrics.

I just made a Queensize Red and white, Quilt Top: I did not Prewash! Would the most effective way be to soak this quilt in Synthrolpol? or is the "Rit" post better? What would you all suggest?

Thank you, very good article.

Do not wash it in a front loader! They do not have enough water to keep excess dye from settling on other fabrics. If you can get they Synthropol use it the first time you wash the quilt and it'll suspend any excess dye in the water and there shouldn't be any problem at all.

Thank you. Should I wash it before having it quilted or wait and wash it After it is quilted? Kathleenq

Thank you for the post and the responders. You are all wonderful as usual.

had you read ALL of MY posts you have read that my response was changed and link to these articles were posted!

If you wash it before it's quilted you'll probably have to spend hours cutting off all the ravels and maybe even repairing it. Wash after it's quilted and bound.