I have had a problem with all Joann fabrics any darker than pastels, especially the solid flannels.

I use the Bounce color catchers and always wash in cold water and send instructions to the new owner to never wash in hot or warm water. What they do with it after they get it and the instructions is out of my hands....lol.

I was talking about red flannels in particular. Mine are quilt shop quality but they run badly. I wash flannels and batiks. I have washed others in the past but never had any color in the water. I now use color catchers when I wash the finished quilt. I will say, though, that I don't use navy, black, purple or burgundy.

I'm a committed pre-washer.

Your post reminded me of the time I was 16 and wore a brand new pair of jeans to a 20 mile charity walk. Back then :) you couldn't get them prewashed. Turns out it rained all day but we walked the full 20 miles. My legs were blue for a week.

This would be one of the two reasons why I generally pre-wash everything. Color bleed tends to be less of an issue with lighter colors and when you wash in cool water. I've done a measured test on the shrink factor of Kona cotton and was surprised at the amount of shrinkage. I love the crinkled look, but that can be achieved just by using cotton batting.

All of my quilts go to individuals who will be machine washing and machine drying. I always warn against hot or overly warm water, but I've seen enough colored water come out of my machine to encourage me to always prewash and except for the Kona cotton, I by all my fabric at the LQS.

You have a very clean sink!

I have always pre-wash my material both for the dye effect and shrinkage !
peace

Since the LQS told me not to prewash, I haven't been doing it. My DD washed my GS's quilt with the color catcher and, fortunately, it did not run or bleed. After reading this post, I think I will prewash my mid to dark colors and definitely do the Q-tip test (brilliant!) on all my colors. I do have a couple of questions, though: how do you keep the fabric from fraying and tangling in the washer and, after washing, do you starch your fabric before cutting, since there is no sizing left in it. Also, if you starch, what kind of starch is recommended? Thanks, I'm still learning!

I find the cheaper fabrics I buy do not bleed or very little. I wash all my fabrics as soon as I get them home. Dry and fold them, wash finished quilt with color catchers, 2 if quilt is large. I try to remember to tell the recipient it is clean, I know most people wash them like they would a sheet.

To keep from fraying, trim cut ends with pinking shears. I hope someone else can solve the tangling problem! As far a starching goes, I use StaFlo liquid, 1 part starch to 2 parts water in a spray bottle and starch as I iron the fabric. I've also used Magic Sizing, but StaFlo is a lot cheaper.

Every red, blank, navy, dark color i chrck for coloc bleeding. This os why! Perfect idea to share!