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Instead of washing it multiple times, try soaking it overnight in plenty of hot water, Synthrapol, and your regular detergent. You should not get any more bleeding after that.

I purchased 3 yards of dark blue fabric from a quilt shop while on vacation in Illinois and I washed it about 6 times -- still bled - can not remember, but I think I just tossed it... and I really like it when I purchased it...but did not want to use it in a quilt

Judy in Ph, AZ

I would wash it in Retayne -- twice, if necessary. If it still bleeds after that, I would hesitate to use it in a quilt. Retayne is widely available in quilt shops that cater to dyers, and is also available online (including from Amazon).

I had a problem with reds also (I'm not even sure of the brand name), but I ordered Rit Dye Fixative off the Rit website -- It cost more to ship it than the stuff did, but it sure worked. I had washed this red material many, many times, used so many different remedies that didn't work. I was afraid I was going to trash the quilt I was working on! This stuff saved my neck -- it works. I've used it on very bright blues and greens (which also tend to bleed). I wouldn't hesitate to use it again and again!

Jeanette Frantz

I have a red fabric too. Can I use Retayne and a color catcher in the wash at the same time?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarLeClair (Post 5286795)

I bought 1 2/3 yards of a material while I was on a shop hop last week. I needed a red for borders on the quilt I am trying to finish. I tested it but there was no bleeding but decided I better wash it anyways. Boy did it bleed, the color catcher wasn't even pink, it was red. The manufacturer is STOF Quilters Basics Style #4518A. I can't remember the shop that I bought it at since I hopped through 11 stores. It kills me that I spent money on something that I can't use and now I probably don't have any recourse. I looked on line and I think it might be an oriental manufacturer. Material is sooo expensive now anyways and we have to pay the price if we want to quilt, but what about inferior material? Any suggestions?

Wash the red again with some scraps of the other fabrics in the quilt. If the other fabrics come out of the wash without picking up the red dye then the bleeding is not a problem. It really doesn't matter how much that red fabric bleeds if nothing else picks up the dye in the wash.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatalieMacDonald (Post 5289083)

I have a red fabric too. Can I use Retayne and a color catcher in the wash at the same time?

You wouldn't want to. A color catcher absorbs loose dye particles that bleed from the fabric. Retayne sets loose dye particles in the fabric. There's no point in using both in the same wash cycle.

Thank you all for your responses. The red was only washed once and I don't think I used hot water. I am going to wash it again but the quilt I was going to use it in is all applique. I put too much work into that to even take a small chance it will bleed. If it still continues to bleed I think I will contact Hoffman and see what they have to say and point me in the right direction. I think we complain about the things that disstisfy us, maybe they will do better with their quality control. Again thank you all.

"It makes as much sense to me to have to treat commercially dyed fabrics with Retayne or Synthrapol as it does to have to paint a new car after I buy it." I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. Material is too expensive to be satisfied with substandard quality.