Ok I wasn't thinking and didn't prewash my red fabric :shock: I had a glass of water on my desk and the cat knocked it over on my quilt squares and the red ran onto the white. I've seen post about color catchers. Should I dry my blocks and finishing sewing them or wash the blocks with color catcher?

Thanks
Ginger

I use a paste of Oxy-clean and scrub it and rinse and repeat if necessaRY

best wishes on the bleeding being corrected

Please let us know what works !!!!!!! I'll be watching this topic !

if you wait and finish piecing before dealing with the runs---you risk setting the dyes (by pressing--heat setting) so unless you are sure you will not do that you could wait- but if youi are pressing as you go you really need to (fix it) before continuing on- sorry-
reds, purples, and deep blues are the biggest culprits when it comes to this---and really should always at least be tested before cutting--just in case- even if you do not tend to ever pre-wash-

What brand of fabric were you using. I haven't had one bleed in years. :)

It worked! I used the oxy clean gel, left it on for about 15 minutes the washed the blocks on a quick cycle with 1 color catcher. Now to mend a couple

Hooray!

awesome...since you had not dried them I sure this would work...glad it did...

With any kind of stain, the sooner you get it out, the easier and more effective the treatment will be.

I'd suggest putting the affected squares into a lingerie bag, then washing on delicate with a couple dye catchers.

And then run the red squares through the same procedure separately from the white ones (so that both sets do all the shrinking they are going to do).

Red has always been an issue to correct with fabric and hair color...not sure why....but my sympathy is with you...I've done it as well....but rule of thumb..with red fabric to wash it first...I know there are home methods for keeping it from bleeding and not sure what those are

good lesson learned..... for me! thanks for the tips!

My black ran into my whites. It looked purple.
I used Synthrapol straight on the bled pieces and it came out!!! I don't wash it with hot water like it recommends, that makes me nervous.

Here is the site I ordered it from. http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/2127-AA.shtml

Now I use it when I wash my quilts for the first time to set the dye and keep it from running.

I'm glad you were able to get the bleed out. When the quilt is finished, the first time you wash it you may want to use Synthrapol (can get it at your local quilt shop). It helps keep any errant dye from being re-deposited onto the fabric. Color Catchers work in a similar way.

To prevent bleeding in the first place, wash the fabric in Retayne. This helps set the color, but you DON'T want to use it on a finished quilt, as it will set the errant red dye into the lighter colored fabrics. Only use it on the yardage before piecing it into a quilt.

If you have trouble remembering which chemical to use when, I have a post on my blog that might be helpful:
http://andicrafts.wordpress.com/2010...hich-is-which/