Are these salvageable?
 

Just found these quilt blocks while cleaning out my closet today. Was elated until I unfolded them to find the brown batik (which I didn't prewash) had run on the blocks. These are part of a sampler I started some time ago and I can remake if needed but, if these are salvageble with some elbow grease I am game. They've already been trimmed to size so I don' have any room for fraying if the integrity of the blocks are to be maintained so............. HELP! Any and all suggestions welcome. If you think they should be scrapped and not worth the time, that's ok. I'm prepared to hear it. I paid full retail for this fabric at a LQS and this is the first time I've been burned with a run. I always use die catchers for other things batik and am stunned why this would run since it has been stored in a dry place. However, they were under another quilt so it's possible the humidity of the south is the culprit. Nonetheless, this is what I have. Thanks in advance.

If I were doing this for myself, not as a gift or for sale, I'd complete the quilt as is, wash with retayne or synthropol (I can't EVER remember which is right for afterwards!!) or Color Catchers, and love the quilt no matter what. I just don't believe any quilt is so ugly that it can't serve the purpose for which it was intended, and no quilting fabric is worth throwing out.

Best of luck. :)

Jan in VA

My first thought was the same as Jan's but Tartan's idea intrigues me. I vaguely remember seeing a quilting show about overdying a variety of fabrics and how the whole look of the project changed. Hmmmm something else to add to my bucket list--dang!!

They are salvageable. The dye that has moved into other fabrics has not been permanently set, so it can be removed.

What you need to do is create your quilt with these blocks. Do *not* prewash the blocks, as you can have a real mess on your hands if you try to do this (aside from fraying, the different fabrics in the blocks can shrink differently if they are not already quilted to a batting).

Once the quilt is quilted and bound, wash it in a machine that uses *lots* of water and throw in some Synthrapol. Synthrapol is widely available online at places such as Amazon, and carried by quilt shops that cater to dyers. You will need to wash in hot water to make sure that the Synthrapol is activated. Synthrapol acts to lift and suspend loose dye particles in water, so the loose dye is rinsed away. Occasionally you may need to wash two or three times to get all of the loose dye particles out. Examine the quilt before drying to see if you need to wash again. I would take a close look at the light fabrics, as they will be the most obvious.

Here is a link to Synthrapol on Amazon (it takes only a small amount for each wash):
http://www.amazon.com/Jacquard-Synth...dp/B0009IJZPY/

You can add color catchers also, but Synthrapol is the primary requirement.

I agree with Prism99's suggestion, and in the off chance that doesn't work, google 'tea dying'!
Make sure you use a washer that uses lots of water, not a front loader.

I think prism is probably right. If you have a block or two that you won't be using anyway, why not quickly quilt it into a pot holder, wash in hot water and synthrapol, and assure yourself that there's no problem? Then you won't be worried the whole time you're making the quilt.

I agree with Jan in VA. I'd continue on, try to wash it and enjoy it either way. Cool blocks!

Try the cheap blue Dawn. You can read about it here on the QB, it has always worked for me. Its almost unbelievable how well it works! My GD told me that they were taught to use the blue Dawn in beauty school, to take the color out of hair that had been over dyed or came out the wrong color.

I would read everybody's advice which seems to be to finish making it into a quilt. Then start the experimenting. I would start with the least expensive using Dawn. Heck, it gets grease or oil off of the birds.

I now remember Sythropol and Suspend (dye in the water) both begin with S

Retayne -> Retain -> to keep (dye in/on the product)

I would make up the quilt and wash it (I wash all my quilts upon completion) and even if it doesn't wash out someone will appreciate and love your quilt. There are many places to donate to.

I would soak them in dawn dish soap and cold water over night . I use a table spoon of dawn to a gallon of water. It worked for me when I spilled blueberry pie all over a favorite blouse and the stain came out. Good luck. JoAn

I can't see clearly the amount of the stain, but batiks are a little different from others. I think I would wash one block and see if it comes out ? If you are truly unhappy with the stain, then I would take the offending fabric out or ditch the blocks. I do like the idea of overdying, I have seen that done and it does look good.

Vicki Welsh at Field Trips in Fiber did an experiment on bleeding fabrics. She tried all sorts of stuff and blogged what she found out. Its worth a look. I Have it bookmarked for just in case.

http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_...eding-fabrics/

I was at a quilting gathering and was told that tea dyeing should never be done as the tannic acid in tea will eat the fabric. :shock:

I agree with dunster about washing a one block sample as an experiment before any permanent decision is made.

I've seen this with a friend's blocks. She had a few. She pre-washes everything but some of the darker still ran. She took a cooling rack for baking and placed it across her sink. Then placed the blocks upside down on the rack. She mixed some Dawn and water and painted the mixture all over the block. She did pre-wet the block first. Then she let it set for (the Dawn mixture) about 20 minutes. Her reason for placing the block upside down on the rack was so she could rinse the block with her sprayer and the water would run down through the rack and not spread all over the block. She does the same thing when cleaning her quilts outside. She has a rack set up on her patio with a sheet on a metal screen. Looks like quilting bee table. Sheet protects the quilt from any metal imprints or rust that may be on the rack. She also does this with her knitted/crocheted afghans.

I've done that with small pieces.

The idea makes perfect sense to me.

I was just thinking the very same thing. Since you have batiks in it, and they have different variations of color, it would not look out of place. So, take a gamble and see what happens. Overdying seems to me just another process and if you are disappointed then you are disappointed twice. Good luck!

I embroidered "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" the blue thread did bleed. I tried many things. I finally soaked it in Oxy Clean. Worked very well.

I think it just looks a little old and worn out. I dont think it looks bad at all. I would finish it.

I agree with Jan. I think the run makes the quilt look like an antique. Thus, if the chemicals don't work after you launder it, you will have an instant antique. You can call it "limited edition." froggyintexas

I LIKE the effect of the bleeding....especially if it's dispersed throughout your blocks. It provides some additional interest and makes the blocks look VERY "vintage". Once the blocks are made into the quilt, I personally would hope that there would be MORE bleeding because it looks like the lighter fabrics were over-dyed or hand-dyed and it softens the overall effect. Embrace the "funkiness"!

When life sends you lemons, make lemonade.......

Never knew that about Dawn!

HAVE YOU TRIED THE STRIPS YOU CAN BUY AT THE GROCERY STORE? i HAD RED ON WHITE AND WHEN I USED THAT IT TOOK IT RIGHT OUT.

I love this post!! I often just kind of "roll with it" when something goes wrong, particularly if it's something just for me.

BUT, to remove it...I know RIT makes a color remover now as well; might be easier to find locally than Synthropol (I've seen it at Joann's.) I haven't used it myself but one of my coworkers (who makes her own clothes) swears by it.

You might be able to just hand wash these blocks to get the bleed out; maybe put a little fray check along the edges if the fabric seems prone to raveling. If just a little humidity made it bleed, a sink full of water and a little soap might be enough to pull it back out.

This is what I would do also. Finish it. Wash with synthropol ( Keeps excess dye suspended in water). Love it and use it!
peace