Red Fabric running into white
 

I was given a quilt top that is green and red appliques on white background. One of the red fabrics was not pre-washed, and ran into the white when I washed it. (there were spots so I had to wash before I put it together) If I wash it again, will it get worse or eventually wash out? Not sure what to do at this point.
Thank you for your help.

Hopefully you haven't dried it in a dryer.....try washing it again and adding Synthrapol....it is designed to keep excess dye particles from settling onto fabrics....you could also wash with color catchers.

I know...this sounds scary and it probably is, but I've used a bleach pen on fabrics that have run on to white fabrics. You have to be extremely careful and touch it up in tiny amounts at a time...perhaps try it on an area where it won't show much. I cleaned up a "hopeless quilt" this way and it came out great. It took me a few hours though.

Good luck!

~ Cindy

I didn't put it in the dryer--where do you buy Synthrapol?

Just wondering how you washed the quilt top? Usually you do not want to wash at all until after the top is quilted and bound. This is to prevent uneven shrinkage of the fabrics and frayed seams. Ideally the first wash of the finished quilt is with Synthrapol in a washing machine that uses *lots* of water. Synthrapol suspends free-floating dyes in water so they do not settle into fabric. You want to use lots of water to keep any bleeding dyes very diluted.

Synthrapol will also take out a bleed such as you have. However, it usually takes several washings in Synthrapol and hot water. You really do not want to do that until after the top is quilted and bound. Use either a domestic top-loading washing machine or a laundromat front loader. Both of these use enough water to keep dye bleeds diluted. Domestic front-loader washing machines do *not* use enough water.

Synthrapol is often available in quilt shops, especially those that cater to dyers. Otherwise you can order it online. Places like Amazon, Dharma Trading, and ProChem all carry it. Here is a link to Synthrapol on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Craft-Synthrap...dp/B000YZ3UHQ/

Color Catchers will help. I prewashed all my red and white fabric - ended up with pink and red fabric. Used color catchers and it took out all the unwanted color.

Thank you for all that info......I will go ahead and finish the quilt, then use the Synthrapol!