Help with RED Fabric
 

So I am making a red quilt with white snowflake blocks.I washed and dried the fabric seperately before I started. Over the course of putting it together. I noticed that the red dye from the quilt is rubbing off on my hands and such. (I have a disability and I use the walls to keep my balence while walking it my house. The walls of my sewing room now have red finger marks on them; and I knelt o to last night while laying it out to take a picture and my knees came away pink.) It has not bled at all during pressing, but I am pretty sure that washing it will be a disaster. Help! What do I do?

I had a green like that once. Seemed fine after prewashing but I had green fingers any time I worked with that quilt. Washed with color catchers countless times and there was still dye coming from that fabric. Finally gifted it with a box of color catchers and instructions to ALWAYS use them.

Since then, on here, I've learned of Synthropol (sp). I've not used it but I would suggest doing a search here on the board for more info. If I'm correct, it suspends the loose dye so it does not migrate to the other fabrics.

Good luck.

That notorious Red. I had one that constantly bled, unfortunately I couldn't use mine. It was before I had heard of Synthropol. I just used Blue Dawn. I had to take mine out totally. Hopefully, synthropol will work for you.

Is the word for that crocking...where even after washing the color rubs off....someone has talked about that....test is to
rub dry fabric against another to see if any comes off...seems that is what is happening to this red....how discouraging....can't remember if there is a solution...sure someone here will know

You might try washing the quilt a few times with COLOR CATCHERS in the wash. You can find them in the laundry section. Hopefully these will help. Yes, the term for dye that rubs off is CROCKING. No idea where that term came from. I am an avid prewasher and I use EPSOM SALTS in the wash. This really helps with difficult fabrics. If I have a fabric that I question to be difficult, I wash the fabric with EPSOM SALTS in the wash. BEFORE putting the fabric in the dryer I cut a small piece of the fabric and let it soak in a glass of hot water with DAWN liquid for about 30 minutes. If I still have dye in the water I wash again with some DAWN and EPSOM SALTS. Then I repeat my test. After the second test I decide if I want to continue with that fabric or not.
If the name of the manufacturer is on the selvedge I contact them about the fabric. Some manufacturers will replace the fabric or send you a certificate to purchase more fabric. If I am a good customer of the quilt shop where I bought the fabric I will contact them with the problem. The quilt shop is appreciative of feedback about fabrics and are usually more than willing to help with some kind of replacement.

Also, wash the quilt in as much water as possible. I would go to a Laundromat for this one. You want lots of water to carry the excess dye away.

This is always a good courtesy to let the shop where you bought the fabric know about the situation with the fabric. One shop I go to periodically took a few bolts of fabric off their shelves because the dye was rubbing onto fabric next to it. I don't remember the line but that shop gave customers their choice of money back or store credit. Many went with store credit. The shop doesn't carry that line anymore. There are some Batiks it won't carry either because of a heavy "crocking problem.

What about trying Retayne? I've haven't tried it yet, but I've seen it mentioned in quilting forums lots. http://www.joann.com/retayne-color-f...e/2181311.html

My mom had a red and white that bled - she did wash it and when the fabric came out it was red and pink. She washed and dried it about 4 times with color catchers and then it was red & white again.

You don't have to go out and purchase special products to fix this, although you are certainly welcome to do so if you choose.

I have found the easiest way to handle bleeding fabric is to fill my bathtub with very hot water (140°), add a dab of laundry detergent, and let the fabric sit for 12 hours (usually overnight). I've never had a fabric bleed after treatment. It doesn't need multiple washings, it needs time.

Not sure how this would work if you already have white fabric sewn into the quilt, though. I usually test my fabric for bleeding before I use it in a quilt. To do this, take a piece of white scrap fabric, dampen it, and rub it gently on the questionable fabric. If any dye rubs onto the scrap, you have a bleeder.

Retayne works great, but it SETS the color, so you would use it before you cut the fabric. If it's already pieced, you use Synthrapol, which keeps the dye in the water so it doesn't redeposit it on your quilt.

Thanks everyone. The quilt is already completely peiced unfortunately. I thought the finger prints on the wall were from before I washed it not after. I didn't realize it was still rubbing off until I knelt on it came away with a pink knee. I bought the fabric at fabric. com should I contact them, the manufactorer or both? This is such a bummer. I have a few left over red and whit peices. I guess I will wash those, see what happens and go from there. Thanks again

http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_...read-this.html

i just came across this blog the other day. Have a read, it may help you and others.

try soaking in white vinegar in cold water for chemical dye. salt with vegetable dye. both as strong as you can afford. try on leftover scraps if you have any. a weaver told this in a blog i read. i don't remember which one but she dyes her own cotton and wool to weave into her fabric on the loom. hopr something works for you!