I always pre-wash and mostly don't have a problem. However, I once washed a yellow fabric in the same washer as a red piece of fabric. I didn't take the fabric out of the washer right away and the red bled out on the yellow fabric and I never got it out - had to cut around it for quilting. However, the red never ran again, although it might not be fair to call it bleeding, but it sure stuck to the other fabric. When I have the time, I like to wash the fabric, toss it in the dryer for about half the time, then iron it, makes ironing go so much faster.

I always prewash...not just because of bleeding, but remove all the chemicals that are on it, before I go to iron it and they are released into my air...
I wonder if the Asian producers are using poor quality dies now..or if the chemicals they put on the fabric are causing the dyes to leach out!!!

Either way..I hate that our fabric ALL comes from abroad....we have no control over how it is made and what it will do to OUR environment that is for sure!

I cringe when I think of all the FLEECE that is ending up in OUR landfills...being made from polyurethane it is a chemical bomb that will NEVER break down in our landfills...

For testing fabrics in the store...go to WM or your local drugstore and buy a box of alcohol wipes...usually in the diabetic supply area....keep a few in your purse..and if you are unsure...rub some of that alcohol on the fabric selvage...it will pick up dye quick and you will know!

I made a rag quilt w/flannel fabric and didn't pre-wash like the pattern said to do and I had some red and was afraid and got the Shout cloths and the cloths were all red and also some of the red ran onto the other fabric and some fabrics faded. I'm thinking it would be best to take the time to pre-wash I think after reading here I will pre-wash I didn't use that Retayne maybe it's better. I think I'll still use the cloths even if I pre-wash. I don't want to ruin something it's a lot of time & work not to mention money to have ruined. Thanks girls. Sue

Unfortunately, probably not. Color catchers don't stop the bleeding; they catch the dyes that bleed into the water, but some may also bleed into neighbor fabric in your quilt.

Cold water helps. Luck helps more! LOL

Someone else may have answered - but I will just in case - I find them in the laundry area of the grocery store. You have to look carefully, because they're so small! A little box, about 6 inches wide.It's never at eye level, either!

Reading all the different colors that bleed makes me think. We live in an area that has alot of minerals in the water. We don't have a water softner except on our drinking water usage. Every part of the country has some problems even though the water you have is not tainted with mineral and such. Could that be part of the problem of one person having one color bleed and not another? Just a thought.

where do you buy the color catchers? Do you get them at the grocery store or at the fabric store?
thanks
Janet

I always pre-wash all my fabric first in hot water with Retayne then in cold water with either regular Woolite or Woolite Dark. It fixes the colors and keeps them bright. I learned the hard way when I didn't use retayne. The backing for an otherwise gorgeous
Oriental quilt was ruined - the red color in my backing fabric all faded and washed out.

We have used cold water only for laundry for several years now and I still have fabrics bleed. I love those color catchers!