Hi The only fabric store near me is JoAnn's. The fabric was $12.00 a yard. It seemed like it was a nice piece of material. I will use what is suggested. I also will wash again in hot and dry in hot. After I make the quilt I will then wash in cold with another color catcher. I really like the fabric it is so pretty. I have had fat quarters of Batik that didn't run. This just surprized me that it bleed so much. Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. BrendaK

I buy Hoffman batiks. Mostly because my favorite LQS carries Hoffman and another brand that I dont' like the feel of.

I wash them the same way as all other fabrics. Warm water and a little perfume free/dye free detergent.

I wash darks, lights, reds in their own load. I've never had a problem with bleeding.

The only problem fabric Ive had was a purchased hand dye. Ended up having to wash it several times to get the excess, nonbonded procion dye out of it.

I buy alot of batiks and given batiks and have never had any of it wash.

I use nothing but wash it with a bit of soap in the clothes washer.

Surprised to hear yours is bleeding that much. Are you sure it's not something else giving the appearance of it bleeding such as the detergent you are using?

No detergent, just plain water.BrendaK

Be sure to test it before using in a quilt. If it continues to bleed even after being washed in hot with Retayne (twice), I would not use it in a quilt. Color catchers can absorb only a limited quantity of excess dye.

I wash every thing in cold water this way theres nothing to worry about And did you know that ALL laundry additives work better -from soap to stain treatments.You clothing will last years longer.When bleaching whites they get whiter in cold water On your label/tag washing instructions should always be included,mine always say''To keep me Bright and Colorful Please wash in cold water''

Sometimes dyes need to be heat set!
Try ironing it slowly with a quite hot iron before you wash it.
Also, wash the fabric by hand in salt water from the sea or make your own salt water. let it dry, wash again in fresh water. Sometimes that sets the dye.
Also try washing soda.
Google vegetable dyes - how to!

Any time I am washing fabric or a quilt I add half a cup of white vinegar to the load. White vinegar will set the dyes that aren't set and keep and color that wants to run from depositing on any of the other items in the washer. This trick I learned from a fabric historian at the Smithsonian Museum. It will also stop the deterioration of an old quilt top. The reason the old fabrics come apart is the fabric was dyed with acid dyes and the acid slowly eats away at the fibers. Fill the bath tub with cold water add a cup of white vinegar and then add the old quilt. Let it sit for an hour then let the tub drain. Then slip off your shoes and start at the back of the tub and walk the excess water out of the old quilt toward the drain. Then spread it out on a shady spot in the grass and let it dry face down. This will stop the acid dyes from eating away the fabric because it neutralizes it.

As I do with all my new fabrics I wash everything in HOT water (because I want to cover all the basis when the new owner has it.... no surprises!). I put each piece, or color group into a plastic bin in my utility sink and soak it there in hot water. Any piece that bleeds goes into cold water with some salt (in the bin) and that seems to take care of the problem. I use batiks a lot and find that sometimes a very strong color will bleed, but not more than the average of non-batiks. I also put every material thru a hot dryer after checking for color fastness in order to shrink it if its going to shrink, before I put it into a quilt. I try to make sure they won't distort in color or shape, but then a lot of my quilts go to childen with busy moms who use the washer/dryers frequently.

I have bought and used hundreds of yards of Batiks and always prewash once in cold water with detergent and have never had one bleed.