Help: Did solid reds of bella-moda or kona bleeds?
 

In my to-do list there is a quilt in red and white (Ohio stars, I think) , and I need advice about solids of brand of fabrics with no problems of bleeding.

After reading a lot of threads about the bledeing, I'm really scared to try one!

Thank you in advance!

The only way to really find out is to test the fabric. Wet a Qtip and lay it on the fabric. If the Qtip shows any discolouration, yep, it'll bleed. I always wet reds (not necessarily washing with soap) and if it is more than my sink can handle, I'll pop it into the washer with a couple of colour catchers. Love those things!

I think I would really prewash the red (until I had no pink water). I would prewash the white also, to even out shrinkage issues. Somewhere in my future is a red & white, I've had the same bleeding thoughts as you!

I usually wash all my reds in hot water with Retayne in my front load washer. The other day I just had a small piece so I put it in a bucket with Retayne. I was so surprised at the amount of color in the water. It got me to thinking that by doing it in my machine I never really got to see how much the color bled. I am also a true believer in color catchers.

I agree with both these statements.

I test by pressing or rubbing a damp paper towel on the fabric. If the paper towel is pink, you have a bleeder.

The easiest way I've found to deal with a bleeder is to fill a container with very hot water and let the fabric soak overnight. This has always worked for me. I don't bother with special soaps or color catchers, and I don't like running my fabric through the washer with color catchers multiple times. It's wasteful and since I have teenaged boys in my house, I can't hold up the laundry process that long.

no matter what the quality, or who the manufacturer is there is always a risk of colors bleeding- especially deep, saturated colors. the best thing to do is purchase the red you want- then pre=wash it. if there is color in the wash water- re-wash it until there is no more sign of bleeding.

I agree with pre-washing!

Having said that...I've never had a red Kona bleed. I'll see some pink come off on a color catcher but never seen it lay any dye on other fabrics. I made a red, black and white quilt with Kona - it's been washed at least 3 times that I know of and the whites are still crisp and bright. :)

No idea about Moda, though.

I'm going to do a red and white quilt and have washed the red 4 times in hot water with sythropol and color catchers. When the quilt is finished it will be washed with retayne and color catchers.

That is exactly the opposite of what you want to do. If there are any bleeds in the final wash, Retayne will permanently set them into the other fabrics.

I am afraid you have that backwards. ?....wash the fabric first with retayne to set the dye....then always wash in warm/cold water ....the use of either color catchers or synthrapol is unnecessary if fabric is treated with retayne....I always pretreat solids (the ones most likely to bleed) with retayne and then never worry about bleeding problems