I was soaking some fabrics in hot water to shrink them and remove excess dye from -

There seems to be no "rule" for which colors or manufacturers/lines that seemed to color the water.

A Moda red put lots of color in the water - and dyed the selvage strip pink. That was the only red of five that colored the water.

Just because a fabric is supposedly a "good" one - that is no guarantee that it is completely color-fast.

I would use Retayne on that Moda red. It may have more bleed left in it!

I completely agree. You can not predict how much a fabric will or will not bleed based on the price you paid or who the manufacture is.
I am baffled we can send men and women into space , but we still can not consitantly manufacture fabrics that do not bleed.... particularly batiks.

After a bad experience I am always leery of Hoffman reds. Glad I had prewashed, then and will always prewash!

i never do that hope i dont have any surprises

You are so right. I only buy quality fabric, and I always prewash. Most do not bleed, but some do, and because I can't predict which ones will, I play it safe. I also like to remove the sizing by prewashing. :wink:

Reds always make me nervous and I love that color!! :(

I don't ALWAYS prewash my fabrics except for red. I've had too many mishaps with that color not to.

I've had "surprises" with almost every color.

I consider a fabric reasonably "safe" if it only leaves a very pale tinge to the water. (Unless I'm going to use it with white)

Red's my favorite color, and I use it a lot. And I'm very wary of it.

RST