Help - Need advice on solid black
 

I need to make a solid black and white border (piano keys).
I bought some Kona jet black and I treated it with Synthrapol.
It doesn't seem to bleed a lot but there is a lot of loose dye.
Is there anything else I should do with it or should I just toss it
and find something else? Do you know any solid black that
does not have this problem?

I would just continue to wash it in Synthrapol until color catchers no longer pick up any dye. Did you use hot water with the Synthrapol? And lots of water? Synthrapol works best that way. It can take several washings before all loose dye has been released.

I used very hot water and the amount it said on the bottle. I'll give it another shot.

No need to toss your fabric, but from what you have said, it would appear that you are using the wrong product.
Retayne is what you need, to set the dyes .............

My understanding is that Synthrapol will not set dyes, to keep them from bleeding.
What it does is to pull out the dyes, and keep them from staining your fabric.
If there is excess dye, then it will keep coming out .... as that is Synthrapol's job.

Just follow the instructions on the Retayne bottle for use .... and for laundering your quilt afterwards too.

I keep Retayne on hand, and any questionable fabrics, get the Retayne treatment!

Good Luck!!

Thanks QuiltE. I have a list of quilt notes I keep. Had never heard of Retayne before.
Gi

You're Welcome!
Retayne and Synthrapol are usually sold side-by-side in the shops.

I have never used Synthrapol, as I would sooner see the "evidence" on a Colour Catcher! :)
However, I keep well stocked with Retayne ...
I wash the fabric once, sometimes twice along with a Colour Catcher.
If the Colour Catcher is not white, after the fact, then I head right to Retayne.
It has never failed me (and I hope it never does!)

just don't use it until you can get it to stop bleeding! I prewashed a very dark blue batik that was to be a border. The color catchers were still coming out very blue and i used the fabric anyway. Yep, you guessed it...the blue bled to some of the lighter fabrics. I was fortunate as it was for my son and he liked the look. I won't do that again. I will either keep washing till it stops..or find another fabric. JMHO

Does black fabric always need to be prewashed? I am about to use some on a quilt and none of the fabrics have been prewashed so I was not planning to wash the black either. The blocks are from a swap so I have no idea if they have been washed or not. I really don't want to ruin my quilt.

Thanks EasyPeezy for asking this question as I have never heard of Retayne or Synthrapol so I learned something new! I do however always wash w/a color catcher.

Use Retayne by all means. It has saved me more than once.

I use Amish Black from Keepsakes. Never a bleeding problem so far. It may cost more but I don't have to re wash and use products so I save money.

good to know

And why would you keep washing? Sometimes that will NOT stop the bleeding.
Did you read the posts about Retayne? and its effects?

yes, thank you! I have a quilt project on the drawing stage and think the background will be black and wondering about this.

Some should not read this unless sitting down but I recommend black with polyester. It holds the dye and not bleed. I don't like the look of faded black and it will look that way with time and use.

I bought the Retayne and Synthrapol years ago when I was making memory quilts, it worked very well on the printer fabric to set the ink. I love black in my quilts and have only ever used Kona cottons I washed it once and didn't have any loose dye! I am from the school of I wash all my yardage no exception, that's what I was taught to do so why change it now.

This is so true about cotton/poly. I use the blend a lot for solid colors. A black cotton fabric shouldn't be washed often and then in Woolite for dark fabrics. I think Cheer has a dark fabric detergent tool.

Follow up:
I let the fabric soak overnight in hot water fully submerged.
The next day the water was a little blue. I washed it in Retayne
and let it dry. I didn't see any loose dye and did a crocking test on dry.
Looks fine. Thanks for all your advice.

I have used the Michael Miller Jet Black and never really had issues. I just looked on Over the Rainbow and they still carry it: http://www.overrainbow.com/cgi-bin/S...es=0&lastmenu=.

You might want to get some Colour Catchers, to help you keep an eye on whether fabrics bleed or not. Sometimes it is not really evident in the water.