Flying_V_Goddess

I have a bunch of green fat quarter and quarter yards for my boyfriend's quilt. My Winding Ways templates came in so I figure now would be the time to wash all these quarter fabrics.

I'm washing the fabrics by hand to get rid of any excess dye and then maybe putting them all into one load in the washing machine for good measure. So I start off with two batiks I know are going to bleed (I've never washed batiks before). Sure enough when I soaked them they leeched excess dye. Put in a tiny bit of laundry soap and started washing by hand.

But no matter how much I scrub and rinse there is STILL dye leeching out! One fabric isn't doing so bad and only turns the water just a slight tinge of green, but the other is still making the water turn a light blue. Seriously, how much extra dye can ONE fat quarter hold?!

nursie76

Can you get retayne? I think that is supposed to set the dye...but then, I could be wrong.

Flying_V_Goddess

I think so too. But its not available anywhere in this town. I couldn't even find those color catchers at the store so no luck there.

NikkiLu

I have been hand washing my batiks the past week and hanging them up to dry and some - not all of them - but some bleed just like yours. I actually threw one away - it was ugly anyway. I told my DH that it looked like an octopus squirting out his dye everytime that I squeezed it - I was using a white dishpan and boy, could you really see the dye. I rinsed and rinsed, until it ran clear - sometimes it took 10 rinses. Some reds bled, some did not. Some purples bled, some did not, etc. etc. Did not seem to matter where I bought them either. I have been collecting them (fat quarters) for about a year for a very special quilt.

nursie76

I thing I read somewhere if you add salt to the final rinse and then dry it helps set the dye. And didn't someone on the board mention a vinegar rinse????

I have found the dye catchers near the softner sheets at WM. But Joanne's has a similar thing, only reuseable for about 30 washes. Do you have a JA's near you? Hope you can get this solved, it must be really frustrating!

NikkiLu

I tried salt, epsom salt and vinegar and nothing stopped the bleeding. I rolled mine in old bath towels and then hung them on the line - so did not use the dryer so was not able to use the dye catchers.

Flying_V_Goddess

The one that's not bleeding quite as much is finally giving up. But that other one...I'll rinse it until it looks like the water is running clear and then I'll soak it in water a little more just to make sure. Its still turning the water turquoise. For such a pretty fabric its an awful pain in the butt.

amma

The color catchers go in the washing machine :D:D:D

earthwalker

What a pest! If you can't get Retayne or whatever the dye setting product is called, maybe between test washings dry it a bit and go over thoroughly with a hot steam iron. Maybe a burst of heat might seal it in or something. Hope you find something that works....

Lori S

I am always amazed at the amount of dye that can come out of Batiks... it is amazing that it just keeps coming out .. and sometimes its colors that you really did not think were in the fabric.
The only way to really stop the bleed is Retayne. Vinegar and salt is not effective on batiks or any other cotton fabric. You can mail order Retayne friom several sources I think even Amazon.
Color catchers only absorb what is released. If you want to stop it ... Retayne. Ironically I just finished treating a bunch myself .. to bad you were not closer I run over with some.

http://www.amazon.com/Retayne-Color-.../dp/B000YZ5HL8