I'm in the middle of completing a quilt for my sister that I hoped to have completed by Christmas and have run into an issue. I prewashed all fabrics before starting, but when I'm working on the quilt, red color of the quilt backer is rubbing off on my sewing machine, clothing, and anything that comes into prolonged contact with the back of the quilt (which is made completely of the red/strawberry Woodland Chain organic fabric).
I'm not sure how to proceed with the project. If we wash the quilt after completion, will it bleed all over the other circa 50 organic fabrics used for the other squares? Do I wash it in cold water with vinegar (if so, how much) or some other product to further set the color? Do I have it dry cleaned, or will the chemicals they use be too harsh on the organic fibers? This is the first time working with organic fabrics, so I'm not sure if they need special handling. I've never run into this problem before and don't want to ruin the quilt since it was very costly for the fabrics and very time-consuming. :)
Not sure if it matters, but the batting used is a wool batting. Thanks!

I'm not sure I can help, but I would assume that it would bleed if washed. I never recommend dry cleaning, since the chemicals are nasty. Since you're using organic fabric, I ssume you want to avoid that. I'm a huge fan of organic, but at the same time, the reason we use synthetics, including newer dyes, is because, while they can be more harmful to the environment, they sometimes "work" better. I would think about the use of this quilt, and decide if you want to continue, unable to wash it, or if you want to rip out stitches and redo it with a different backing.

Good luck!

I've never used such fabric BUT I would Sure Photo it and send a pic to who/where = Email/ phone. I got it and raise HE** !!! If you got it local take it to them and show it to them!! Sorry Just ME being Polite!! :lol:

If you do wash it be sure to use color catchers. I buy mine at Wal Mart. I think they are made by Shout, but don't remember for sure right now.

That is called "crocking" -- color rubbing off onto other surfaces due to mechanical abrasion. It's not exactly the same as bleeding, which occurs when the dye is wet.

The ideal would have been to treat the fabric with Retayne when you pre-washed it, then test for both bleeding (dropping a small piece in a glass of water for a half hour or so) and crocking (rubbing against a piece of white fabric). Once the fabric is in the quilt it is too late to treat with Retayne because Retayne would set any unwanted bleeds into other fabrics.

At this point I don't think there is anything that will guarantee this problem will stop. You can try washing with Synthrapol several times after the quilt is finished; that might do the trick. Synthrapol is sold in quilts shops and online; even Amazon has it.

"To prevent serious crocking or dye transfer, make sure to wash the fabric in Synthrapol (available from Dharma Trading Co.) thoroughly; Synthrapol suspends the excess dye in the water and keeps it from going back onto the fabric. This may take 2-3 trips through the washer. " from http://www.alleycatscratch.com/lotr/...ricDyeing.htm.

It would be safer to take the quilt sandwich apart, remove the red fabric, and then treat it and test it before incorporating back into the quilt.

If you Google crocking dyes, you will find more info.

suggest you also write the company that printed it.

The color is also distributed in squares across the front of the quilt. Would you still take the quilt apart and treat the back separately from the front of the quilt?

Honestly, I'd be tempted to finish the quilt and then take it to a laundromat, find the biggest front-loading washing machine possible, and wash it several times in Synthrapol.

The biggest risk is from the single large piece of backing fabric. If taking the quilt apart, that is the piece I would work on using Retayne and subsequent testing.

The smaller pieces on the front might still crock, but probably not in significant amounts. It would be enough to make sure that the quilt does not lie on itself while damp. Take it out of the washing machine immediately after it finishes; don't let it lie there for awhile. And again, wash several times with Synthrapol to at least get the worst of the crocking dye out of the fabric.

I would use a different backing, then make a sandwich with white and a scrap of your bleeding red organic fabric and wash separately and see what happens

I agree with you and I would do the same.

So I did some checking with the fabric manufacturer (hasn't seen this before & said it wouldn't hurt to wash with vinegar to help set the color), with a dry cleaner (who didn't think dry cleaning would help), with the company who makes Retayne & Synthropol (said they won't work unless used with very hot water, which I can't use because of my wool batting, but also said that the bleeding issue and rubbing off issue could be separate issues) and did some fabric scrap testing to test the color stability.

Using one red and one white piece of fabric in each bowl, I filled one with cold water, one with cold water & vinegar, one with cold water & Woolight, and one with hot water & Woolight (then I let it sit for 30 min). I also wet a white piece of fabric, placed it on the red and ironed it with a hot iron, then wet it again laying them on top of eachother to dry. Results?! I can't get any of them to bleed!! I was SO SURE it would bleed after it had rubbed off so bad during quilting. I've never seen anything like it.

I'm going to finish quilting, wash it in a super large washing machine at the laundromat and add some vinegar to the water, since I think it can only help with the rubbing issue, and see what happens! I'll let you know how it turns out!

Vinegar works only on the old-fashioned organic dyes (made from organic materials such as onion skins, etc.). Almost all commercial dyes these days are chemical in origin, so vinegar is unlikely to help.

I would still wash the quilt with Synthrapol in a large washer, even if you don't use hot water with it. Do *not* wash a finished quilt in Retayne as it will permanently set any bleeds.

Sounds like this fabric has a crocking issue (dye transfers during mechanical rubbing even when dry) but not a bleeding problem. Another thing you might want to consider doing is pinning an old white sheet to each side of the quilt before putting it into the washing machine. That way if there is any crocking of dye in the wash, it will be onto the sheets rather than the rest of the quilt.

where are you in the completion of this quilt? are you too far to stop and work with the red?
if so... finish the quilt and get it bound. then...
get RETAYNE and COLOR CATCHERS (they are sheets like bounce sheets in the laundry dept.) the retayne you get from
Dharma Trading Comp. or some lqs do carry it. if using the retayne follow the instructions for the amount to add to the water.fill the washer with cold water, just put the quilt in the water and squish it around abit, watch the color...the color catchers will (grab-it) and keep it from getting on other fabrics. change water as needed and refill and keep rinsing until no more red. Unfortunately with organic fabrics sometimes a dye (especially reds) will never stop running until it is faded to nothingness. since they are organic fabrics the vinegar may work in cold water, do it the same way...just using vinegar instead of the retayne. i think it's 1 cup- to each gallon of water.