Test Fabric For Fading
 

I am in the process of making a quilt and have decided to add a red fabric. I do not want to wash it as I did not was the other fabrics. How can I test the red fabric to make sure it does not fade?

Harriet Hargrave taught me to put a piece of fabric in a container with hot water and detergent shake it during a 15 minute period then rinse the fabric and put it on a white paper towel. I now always use a few color catchers. Best thing since sliced bread!

Fade or bleed? If you are talking about bleeding, take a small piece (5 x 5 is what I used). Fold up in a small bowl and pour 1/4-1/3 cup of hot water over it. Let sit a couple of minutes, the remove the fabric. You'll see if it's bled into the water. Another method I read about is to fold a small piece of red and white together. Wet with hot water and see if the white turns pink.
For fading, the only way I can think of is to put a piece in strong sunlight for a time. But it might take several weeks to tell if it will fade.

I certainly would test a piece of the fabric before using it. Put a drop or two of liquid soap (Dawn dish soap or Tide for clothes) in some very hot water and swish around the piece of red fabric - do this in a white bowl/container and you should be able to tell if it bleeds.

Many years ago, I made a black, white and red quilt for a friend - whose bedroom was those colors. Nobody knew to test the fabric first. Imagine my shock when she showed me the quilt a few months later and the white had turned pink due to the red fabric bleeding.