Flying_V_Goddess

Amazing is right. The bad one just keeps releasing dye. Just went back and washed and rinsed it and soaked it again. Rinsed the other batik, which is on its last leg for bleeding, and looked back at the first one...the water was already blue. Like Listerine blue. Wasn't even five minutes. How can it rinse out clear yet sit in a bowl for five minutes and make the water change color? At least the second one is giving up.

This experiance has kind of made me afraid to wash all my Moda marbles for my stained glass quilting project. Not sure if those actually bleed or not, but its a little disconcerning because Moda marbles look awfully lot like that watercolor batik I got sitting in a bowl of Listerine colored water right now.

amma

You can snip a little bit off of the Modas and color test them :D:D:D

katesnanna

Worst bleeder I've ever had was a Jinny Beyer pink. I have found and have taught my BFF to line dry and iron then wash again. It's amazing what a difference this makes. Don't know if it's the sun or the iron but something sets the color. You can try the salt or the vinegar but I find the drying and ironing works best.

fabric_fancy

you have to buy retayne, order it online.

if you keep rinsing it in hopes of stopping the bleeding all you are going to do is fade the color.

k3n

I have heard that the excess dye that sometimes comes from batiks is just excess dye left over from the dying process - it is not dye actually bleeding out of the fabric so you won't wash it white! :lol: IN other words, repeated soaking and washing until the water runs clear will get all this excess out.

I prewash my batiks in the washing machine with a piece of white calico to test if they run, if the calico comes out stained, I wash again with a new piece of white calico and keep doing this until it stays white. I've never had to do this more than twice. I put a small amount of detergent in but no softener.

I've also read that salt and vinegar doesn't work these days as the components in the modern dyes are chemical rather than vegetable. There are ppl who still swear they do but it is probably the soaking in water that is doing the trick - the salt and/or vinegar is redundant. :-D Retayne works because it is also chemical. But personally, I'd rather wash that excess dye out than try to fix it in there.

mom-6

I'm having a similar issue with some upholstry samples that I was given. They're only about 8 x 10 inches but talk about some yukky water! And in addition some of them shrank in size. Am I ever glad I had to soak off the paper or I might have had a real mess if I'd used them for a project without washing first.

helou

I've been washing and rinsing and drying and washing and rinsing etc many times some of my new purchased fabrics for the last few days. All 100% cotton, some dark green, some are red and it sounds like yours. All were purchased in a QS and expensive too. Vinegar, salt, hot water, cold water, nothing works. I wish I'd live by a river. I would put it in there and let the water runs 24hours a day loll... Isn't it frustrating!
I'll try to iron it. It is the only thing I have not tried. As far as finding Retayne around here I have not. I guess I'll have to order it online.
My SIL has been a quilter for over 20 years and she never had that issue.

Why is this happening to me *snif, snif* loll

quilter1430

I would order some Retane through the internet and wait on your project until it arrives. The stuff really works!

nursie76

Sorry, I was unclear, the dye catchers go in the washer with your fabric. If I have fabric that I feel is going to bleed a lot, I sometimes throw 3 or 4 in. But usually 1 does the trick.

EDA: Sorry, I see that someone already clarified. I was in a hurry so didn't read all the previous posts.

Tartan

The bleeder will need to be treated with Retayne before use. If you can't wait to get it, I would suggest leaving that fabric out of your project. I know you are soooo disappointed but aren't you glad you found the bleeder before putting it in a quilt?