How to fix color bleeding on quilts
03-25-2014, 10:20 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Adelanto, CA
Posts: 4,044
I want to make a red/white/black quilt but have a real fear that the colors will bleed into the white when laundering. My MIL made me a quilt while I was getting chemo almost 15 yrs ago, it is a dark blue calico with white blocks that she hand embroidered ... the blue bled into the white and continues to bleed (can see it in the water) even now 15 yrs later. The blocks are NOT white anymore.
so I will be reading this more in depth ... are we supposed to do this before making the quilt or can it be done for the quilt my MIL made for me?
so I will be reading this more in depth ... are we supposed to do this before making the quilt or can it be done for the quilt my MIL made for me?
03-25-2014, 03:26 PM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Central PA
Posts: 1,920
I use red in all of my Quilts of Valor and one quilts had a lot of bleeding. The last thing done to these quilts is to wash and dry same as they are going into a hospital setting and must go to them clean. I purchased the Color Catcher at the local supermarket, put two in the wash then I rewashed. The Color Catchers were red and the red bleed was out of the quilt.
Now, two Catchers go into every wash as a matter of procedure to prevent the bleeding.
I no longer prewash my fabrics for the QOVs as the pieces are sometimes 6 yards and hard to handle, thus the Catcher treatment when the quilt is completed.
Now, two Catchers go into every wash as a matter of procedure to prevent the bleeding.
I no longer prewash my fabrics for the QOVs as the pieces are sometimes 6 yards and hard to handle, thus the Catcher treatment when the quilt is completed.
03-25-2014, 03:40 PM
#14
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 181
You're welcome, everyone. Suz, check the article out, she used color catchers but they didn't do the job. Sue, I wash all my fabrics before sewing, and Vicki did the process on a completed quilt as well as fabric, so the answer is both.
03-31-2014, 03:45 AM
#15
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Maine
Posts: 82
Wow! This is some faith in color catchers. I am encouraged! 
I use red in all of my Quilts of Valor and one quilts had a lot of bleeding. The last thing done to these quilts is to wash and dry same as they are going into a hospital setting and must go to them clean. I purchased the Color Catcher at the local supermarket, put two in the wash then I rewashed. The Color Catchers were red and the red bleed was out of the quilt.
Now, two Catchers go into every wash as a matter of procedure to prevent the bleeding.
I no longer prewash my fabrics for the QOVs as the pieces are sometimes 6 yards and hard to handle, thus the Catcher treatment when the quilt is completed.
Now, two Catchers go into every wash as a matter of procedure to prevent the bleeding.
I no longer prewash my fabrics for the QOVs as the pieces are sometimes 6 yards and hard to handle, thus the Catcher treatment when the quilt is completed.
03-31-2014, 03:58 AM
#16
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Maine
Posts: 82
Thank you for posting this. I was entrusted to quilt my great grandmothers quilt top and began by hand washing first. As it seemed like it wasn't going to bleed to I felt ok to proceed. Soaking since Saturday night in (what was at my local quilt shop), "retro clean". It is now bleeding. 
In Maine and it is snowing/sleet/ice. YUK. I am waiting for weather to get better so I can go to the store. I will leave it in water until I can get (both) color sheets and DAWN PURE dish detergent. I am anxious to get this fixed. I was trusted to quilt it and I want to fix it. Still feeling like... Oh No!!! but thanks to this article I am hopeful. :/ Thank you so much.
In Maine and it is snowing/sleet/ice. YUK. I am waiting for weather to get better so I can go to the store. I will leave it in water until I can get (both) color sheets and DAWN PURE dish detergent. I am anxious to get this fixed. I was trusted to quilt it and I want to fix it. Still feeling like... Oh No!!! but thanks to this article I am hopeful. :/ Thank you so much.
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