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Are they dirty looking on the inside too?

I used Machingers before I got a longarm - loved them! Mine turned a light green from a batik that I used as backing. I had washed it, but that was before I realized fabrics sometimes need more than one washing to stop the bleeding.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunster (Post 6830138)

I finally learned to keep washing/rinsing until the rinse water was CLEAR! (Or to trash the fabric if it never quit releasing dye)

(Yes, I have heard or Retayne, Synthrapol, and color catchers! When and/or if I choose to start dying my own fabrics, I will look into purchasing those items.)

I've noticed that too about Machingers, but I love them anyway. It is soooo much easier to quilt with them.

I used my first pair on a quilt with lots of black fabric that I did not preWash--they were grey when that quilt was done and I figured it was dye rub-off. Never did get that pair white again! Since then I preWash most all dark fabrics and have not had that much discoloration on my gloves since.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwiltr (Post 6830064)

I use machingers too and they also get grubby looking. I pre-wash all my fabric. However, like blue jeans for one, I don't think pre-washing gets all the loose dye out of all of the fabrics so gets transferred to the gloves while working with them. Additionally, depending on the size of the project, you could be several months from start to finish and as a result the quilt is going to pick up dust. Then there are the marking tools you use, pens, chalk etc. Again, I'm sure a certain amount of that gets picked up by the gloves. They are rubberized, so there is friction when you handle the fabric. If there is anything to rub off, they are going to get it. I don't worry about it. The only thing I touch with my gloves are quilts, so I'm pretty confident they aren't transferring anything to the quilts I work on. I wash my quilt when it's done. Check this out.... http://rhondabracey.com/?s=Machingers

You are correct on the blue jeans keeping on bleeding. I know for a fact that most blue jeans are pre-washed at the factory (we had a HD Lee Factory in our town until it went to Mexico). My sister inherited a living room set that was white on white - and her DH always sat in the same spot on the couch and he only wore dark blue jeans and she showed me the blue that was left on her couch where he sat.

Sizing? Starch can look grayish if it piles up, so maybe the sizing in the fabric can as well.

Once I went to KQ, and a woman, well-intentioned but reeking of the McD's up the road, grabbed the fabric squares I was using to match and started commenting on them. I retrieved them Very Quickly. Once at home, I ran my iron over the samples out of curiosity, and sure enough, there was grease on them. :(

Hugs,
Charlotte

mine are navy so they don't show dirt much. this weekend is making me a prewasher!! good thing it was a test block. a light fabric i had cut (luckily oversize) shrank before my eyes. I had just wacked some pieces to starch heavy since it would be bias and as soon as I touched that one with the iron it shrank 3/4 of an inch. I went ahead and used it since I was working on technique but doggone. 3/4 of an inch.

At this point in time.....mine are really grungy looking....I am quilting prewashed dark blues. I always wash quilts before gifting. I think the spray basting that I use allows my gloves to get really dirty. I throw the gloves in the washer once in awhile...gets them clean again!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlottequilts (Post 6830211)

Once I went to KQ, and a woman, well-intentioned but reeking of the McD's up the road, grabbed the fabric squares I was using to match and started commenting on them. I retrieved them Very Quickly. Once at home, I ran my iron over the samples out of curiosity, and sure enough, there was grease on them. :(

Ugh, I saw similar this past weekend. Ate at a local grill then wandered over to the LQS a couple doors down. Noticed a lady that had been eating garlic fries at the table next to me petting fabrics and I'm about 90% sure she hadn't washed her hands. That would drive me so crazy if I worked in a fabric shop!! I keep handi-wipes in my car so if I haven't had a chance to wash up recently I can at least wipe my hands down before going to pet fabrics. I use those things after every thrift shop trip, too. The world is a dirty place!