Prism99

Sometimes the color is not properly set at the factory. When this is the case, you have a "bleeder" that will never stop bleeding. For fabric, you can try up to two treatments with Retayne. Any fabric that still bleeds after that should be tossed.

Buckeye Rose

I find solid colors to be bleeders more than any other and reds the worst.....I prewash everything and anything suspicious get Retayne.....then no more problems!

MadQuilter

I check my fabrics - particularly the intense values so I can avoid those surprises. If they run, it all gets washed. That has been the extent of my worry. I've done red with white and it didn't bleed. I did have one blue that bled like crazy. It was older fabric - not the newer die method and I didn't notice it until my fingers turned blue from sewing the binding.

SouthPStitches

Before I even opened the thread, I knew what was coming. Reds are so notorious for bleeding, but are so gorgeous to incorporate into a quilt top.

Peckish

Simply washing will not remove all the dyes. The best way to remove dye for good is to let the fabric soak overnight in hot water and Synthrapol. Do not use Retayne - it will set the dyes. Synthrapol keeps the dye suspended in the water.

This blogger dyes her own fabrics and simply soaks them in hot water and detergent:

Part 1:
http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_...d-fabrics.html

Part 2:
http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_...ness-post.html

QuiltnNan

sorry to hear you are having the issue.

Nammie to 7

I pre-wash with Syntropol and have not had an issue. One LQS said they never pre-wash fabric - when they make a quilt and gift it they send along color catchers for the person to use when the quilt is washed.

hopetoquilt

I had one fabric that bled a lot. I used the fabric to make crayon roll-ups. I refused to use it in something that would be washed. I also did not want to throw out the fabric. It is so annoying.

Jan in VA

In my former shop we once got a maroon fabric that bleed hugely....thankfully we seemed to catch it before a customer brought it to our attention. I pulled the bolt from the floor, went home with a couple of yards of it and washed it twice. It was still bleeding like a severed artery.

Then I washed it with some nice prewashed white fabric, on purpose, which came out the most adorable baby pink color! We decided to use the rest of the bolt to do that, dye a bunch of fabric for all the staff and a few 'special' customers who we knew wouldn't come back to bite us. It was some of the prettiest fabric I've ever had, especially knowing that it came from the evil maroon that had cheated us all!

Jan in VA

onaemtnest

Jan ~ Now that is truly making lemonade out of a lemon!

I have a quilt at the long arm quilter all fabric was pre-washed however...when spraying with Best Press prior to ironing that pesky but beautiful (Moda) red fabric with white stars bled onto the white fabric with blue stars.... I didn't iron I fingered pressed as best I could and showed the LA she said it would quilt up fine. Now I'm hoping that Retayne ~ color catchers will perform a miracle.

It's a patriotic quilt to honor our son's military service in Desert Shield/Storm...and 24 years in the Colorado Air National Guard..... It's not a horrible bleed, more like waves of shadows ....but still disappointing, should it not come out it will be so aggravating to me, but I will still give it to him and call that character and then sulk the rest of my life! (smiling weakly here)

So the comments that it's the quality of the fabric she purchased, doesn't always hold true even well respected fabric 'names' can disappoint.