Red fabric
 

Washed Kona red three times with color catcher--still bleeding! Suggestions? What brand of red do you use? This is for a Quilt of Valor.

I washed some dark blue batik with 3 color catchers and they turned out navy blue! I used it anyway...and well, it BLED on the white/offwhite in the quilt. Lesson learned: don 't use it if it does not stop bleeding! You can throw more than one color catcher in at a time. Look for Retayne. Its for prewashing fabric, not washing a quilt.

Color Catchers and Synthrapol don't stop dye from bleeding, they just keep it from settling on something else.
Use Retayne to set dye (i.e., to stop it from bleeding) in fabric that has not yet been used in a quilt.

where did you purchase your 'kona red'? it is not all created equal- places like (joannes) tend to label their solids 'kona' when they really are not-
some of them never stop bleeding- until they are just barely pink. you can 'try' retayne- follow the instructions-
a good, (real) kona solid from a quilt shop is not as apt to bleed- bella and moda solids are also good solids. I've used kona solids for years and have never had one bleed, red, black, deep blue, purple...none of them. it's best to keep washing it until it does not bleed any more if you want to use it- or use it in a project where it will not matter.

I am surprised that a kona cotton is bleeding.

I would return it to the store.

I also would not use it.

I have never had any Robert Kaufman Konas bleed! Try the Retayne if you need to use the red that you already have, otherwise if it was me, I would buy a different red.

Synthropol is or hand dyes and Retayne is for commercially dyed fabrics.

It was purchased at Hobby Lobby--

you might try vinegar !!!!

Fill the tub or washer with hot water (140°) and let the water soak overnight. You can add Synthrapol if you want, or just use detergent. Rinse, then check for further bleeding by rubbing or squeezing the fabric onto a white cloth. I've never had a fabric bleed after treating it like this.

Synthropol is for hand dyes and Retayne is for commercially dyed fabrics. Kona would need retayne. I have used Robt. Kaufman Kona many times with no bleeding. Kona is a generic term and there are several mfg. that make kona.

I thought the "real/authentic" Kona cotton was available only through Kaufman?

Unlike "muslin" which comes in many weights and qualities and is available through several lines.

Okay--washed the red again with a piece of white which didn't turn but the color catcher did! Would you use it in a quilt??????

If it keeps bleeding I would get in touch with the manufacturer. Wash in hot water one more time and see if it bleeds again after that. I would still get in touch with the manufacturer. I don't feel with what all of us pay for material that we should have to worry about bleeds and it irritates the crap out of me.

If it were me, I would not use it in a quilt until it had been treated with Retayne.

It annoys me sooooo much when a commercially dyed fabric - is not colorfast.

It annoys me sooooo much when a commercially dyed fabric - is not colorfast.

I think we, as buyers, should always return the offending piece to the store and make a big stink about it.

Of course, that also means keeping the sales receipts and getting the fabric wet within a reasonable time after purchase.

I had a Kaufman Kona med. green bleed like crazy. I contacted their customer service with immediate helpful response. It was the very best customer service I have ever experienced.

I use Retayne.

Thanks for the information.

Where do you purchase Retayne?

You might try soaking your fabric in cold water with a cup of salt dissolved in the water. This is what my mother taught me to do when I was growing up. It works on fabrics for me. I also use it on clothing that has dyes that run.

I have purchased mine from either my LQS or amazon.com. It has worked great for me.

I just bought some beautiful Sheshwe's and I knew they would bleed because the blue rubbed off on my fingers. But it was the first time I have ever worried about fabric doing that so I bought Retayne and used it. What i hadn't thought about was the fact that these fabrics were bright blues AND whites.....so you can guess what happened, my fabrics now have blue tinted whites! Bummer cause not a cheap fabric. What should I have done? washed with color catchers several times and THEN used Retayne? Not sure how this would have worked but I love this fabric so much I am going to go back and buy some more and want to do it right.

I had blue embroidery thread bleed when I did "Walking in a Winter Wonderland". tried various things. Put it aside for a long time. then eureka! I tried Oxy Clean. Did a good job so I will not finish the project.

whoops I will Now finish the project

Question: Are batiks considered hand dyes so you would use Sunthropol? I bought a piece of batik yardage, all they had left. When I washed it, it ran and I was hoping I could fix it somehow but was afraid to wash it again. It was a rust color background with black and white zebras. I love it so much and it broke my heart when it ran. Any suggestions? Thanks!

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Yes. The real authentic Kona comes from Rbt Kaufman. Anything else is an imitation.

Jane

I bought Kona at the LQS for 11.99/yd and it still bled after prewashing. I've learned not to use it with white.

I used retayne twice on some bright red fabric I had then washed it twice with color catchers just to make sure. The retayne really worked well but the 1 color catcher did turn a tad pink. But the second was white. I bought mine at Amazon.

I have found washing with salt sets red fabrics.....

Please see post #32 on the following thread regarding Kona Cotton.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...cs-t33854.html

Thank you for all the useful information.