Red Fabric that bleeds
 

How is it possible to set the dye in red fabric to prevent color bleeding. I was advised the fabric was totally color fast and of course, it wasn't. My Christmas tree skirt was almost ruined. Regardless, I am sick about it. What can I do to prevent this happening when including red fabric in future projects????

pre wash the red fabric by itself with Retayne. This will set modern dyes.

http://www.amazon.com/Craft-Retayne-...ywords=retayne

Be sure to test after treating with Retayne. Some fabrics need two treatments. If a fabric still bleeds after two treatments with Retayne, don't use it in a quilt.

Regarding your Christmas tree skirt, I recommend always doing a first wash in Synthrapol -- which suspends unset dye particles in the water so they do not settle into other fabrics. You do need a washing machine that uses a lot of water in order to keep the dye sufficiently diluted; domestic front-loaders don't use enough water. Once there is a bleed, Synthrapol will usually remove it (because the dye has not been chemically set), but it can take several washings.

Both Retayne and Synthrapol require *hot* water to work.

pre=wash until no color bleeds, you can try retayne- follow the instructions- then wash using synthropol or color catchers and wash it until no color is on the color catcher on in the water. before using ... any deeply saturated color can bleed- especially reds, deep blues, greens- batiks, hand dyes---best to always at least test- and pre-wash any fabric that has color come off with the test.

Use Retayne... make sure you get the water to a minimum 140 degrees( most hot water tanks are not set that high) . Do note once a fabric has been treated with retayne , you have to use COLD water for every wash there after or you will remove the treatment and it will/can bleed.

I just wrote about this the other day under the "Worst Advice You Ever Got" heading. It's been my experience that if it bleeds now, it will always bleed. The red fabric I wrote about was washed so many times, I lost count and, no matter what I did, or used it bled every time I washed it. The worst part was that it was quilt shop fabric..... not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. Thankfully, I didn't listen to the woman at the LQS who told me all I had to do was use a Color Catcher. I finally threw it out. So my advice is that if the water isn't clear after the fabric has been washed a time or two... don't use it, it's just not worth the risk.

Think about this, wash the other fabrics with the red. If none of the other fabrics pick the dye up it doesn't matter if the red bleeds forever.

I just got out my red/pink/white wall hanging for Valentine's Day. When I ironed it my iron spit rust so I had to wash it. I used a color catcher but it still bleed. It's useable because only some of the white squares turned a very pale pink. I have never had a quilt bleed before.

Wash and treat with retyane also.

Wash it again with Synthropol.