LindaM

So glad I prewashed the batiks for my next quilt - one of the blues is a bleeder.

Machine washed the dark fabrics with colour catchers - which came out very dark blue. Tested all the fabrics, only one was bleeding.

Hand washed the bleeder 3 x with Synthrapol & hot water. Rinsed and rinsed, still bleeding. Hand washed with vinegar. Rinsed, rinsed, rinsed. Still bleeding but just a little now. Machine Washed with Synthrapol again. And colour catchers. Still bleeding. Getting set aside for a project where it won't matter if it bleeds. Sigh.

I have let the LQS know about the fabric, hopefully can spare someone else grief with this fabric.

It's a beautiful fabric with a gradient - blues, aquas, turquoises.

Leslie333

Bummer about the fabric, but at least you found out in advance of including it in a quilt.

Jeanette Frantz

I won't start cutting quilt pieces without treating the fabric to prevent bleeding. I use a dye-setter product on anything with really vibrant colors or deep colors --they're the ones most likely to bleed. If there's a white and a red or other bright color, I treat it. I can give you the name of the product, if you want -- just send me a pm!

Jeanette

QuiltE

To stabilize the dye, you need to use Retayne.
You can usually buy it at the same place as Synthropol.

FYI the Synthropol is doing its intended job ... taking out the dyes.
Normally it is the product to use when a colour bleeds into another to help take out the transferred dye.

If used properly, Retayne will set the dyes in your fabric.

pennycandy

I had the same problem with a dark teal solid I purchased for backing. Washed it too many times to remember and it still bleed. Wish I had known about Retayne when I bought the fabric.

annie123

I also just recently had a turquoise batik that wouldn't stop bleeding,even though I washed it with Synthropol. I washed it again with Retayne and a color catcher and the color catcher came out white so it seems to have worked.

Geri B

That's a shame....it looks like a good amount of that fab too. I guess my question/concern is.......do the mfgrs use a retayne type product process to their products before sale.......I'm guessing not......seems a shame that at the retail price of fab it has to laundered before using.....should say that on the label.........just as pillows say DO Not Remove This Tag!!!!!!!!

GingerK

I have found that soaking the fabric in a water/vinegar/salt mixture also works. But definitely try the Retayne. It should solve your problems.

Lori S

This is the perfect candidate for Retayne. Follow the directions carefully and then use cold water to wash any finished project as using hot water on fabric treated with Retayne only removes it ( the Retayne) and bleeding will most likely start again.

Prism99

The only problem with Retayne is that the fabric should not be washed in hot water afterwards. I believe it takes away the dye-setting properties and allows the fabric to bleed again.

The type of problem described in the original post occurs when the manufacturer fails to set the dye properly.