Gemm

…of a COVID quilt and a box of colour catchers

Prologue: Circa 1997

A collection of lovely cozy plaid, checked, and printed flannels is coveted, acquired, and tucked away.

Chapter 1: March 22, 2020

The world is in lockdown. The future seems uncertain. In the midst of a pandemic the collection is unearthed and brought back into the light. Over the next couple of months it becomes a comforting COVID quilt for its maker, resplendent with hearts and backed with a patchwork of plaids, and in this form it spends much of the next three years migrating between and bringing warmth and solace on bed and couch.

Chapter 2: June 29, 2023 (May contain triggers for those with weak stomachs)

Although safely tucked under another cover, the quilt is found to be not impervious to a sudden explosion of puppy vomit that quickly seeps through the protective cover and drips further down onto the side of the quilt.

Chapter 3: Later that same day…

A frantic trip to a local laundromat sees the quilt merrily tumbling around in a washing machine with some mild detergent and a couple of colour catchers. As it is being transferred from the washer to the dryer, however, it becomes evident that all is not well. Two very dark rectangles of some sort of fabric fall to the floor. The colour is reminiscent of the blood that is rapidly draining from the face of the quilter as she realizes the significance of what she sees.

She pulls the quilt partway out of the dryer and unfolds it to see the carnage of claret-red streaks and blotches spreading like a rash across the cream background of the appliqued heart blocks.

Chapter 4: Even later that day…

Over half a box of colour catchers later (and a terrifying premonition of water-bill-induced bankruptcy) and the red streaks have faded to a barely discernible pink tinge evenly distributed across both the quilt and the colour catchers that have been keeping it company through almost a dozen full-tub baths. An end to this process is declared and only time will tell what the lasting effects on the quilt will be.

Epilogue: About the same time as Chapter 4

As for me, I believe I may have just become a convert to the “PREWASH EVERYTHING” camp!!!
The End (I hope!)

Annaquilts

Sorry to hear everything you went through. Could you share what brand the fabric was? I had something similar but it was a RED batik from moda.

Rff1010

I'm so very sorry it happened to you - but you have a way with words! A lovely retelling of the misadventure.

Quiltwoman44

Oh goodness. This is one reason i put most of my red or darkish reds into give away!

Gemm

I'm afraid not, Annaquilts. Most of the pieces were FQs and I don't remember even seeing a selvedge... They were almost all purchased from a LQS, though.

bearisgray

I have started to also soak my fabrics in Hot water before giving them a gentle wash.

This is an excellent article;

https://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com/sav...g-quilt.html#/

I have had a bleeder from every color (except really pale pastels) - yellows are surprisingly difficult to remove.

sewingpup

I had a red batik from a quilt shop do the same thing. It started out a dark maroon. I thankful prewashed it with color sheets, and prewashed it, and prewashed it, and prewashed it, I don't know how many times. I finally did not use it. decided I never would use it and sold it at a yard sale. $3 for 6 yards complete with attached note explaining that it was not color fast. Somebody bought it without asking questions.

Annaquilts

Yes, mine came from the Road to California Quilt Show.

Peckish

I couldn't agree more. I have used this method many times, very successfully.

Gemm

Thank you, Bearisgray! That seems to be a great science-driven article and I think I will be picking up some Dawn next time I see it on sale. However, I have to say that I was really impressed by how the colour catchers I used wicked the stains out of the quilt. Yes, it took a lot of them, but it was a big (about queen-sized) quilt and there is a LOT of red fabric in there. It's been on the line drying today and while there are a few spots where there is still some light staining (mostly in the corners which I think is due to where it was dripping overnight), the marks are absolutely nothing to the bloody streaks that were there when I started the process.

I'm attaching a picture of one of the fabrics where you can just see a bit of the pink on the fabric and in the stitching. I think if I had done a couple more soaks it all might have come out. However, it's faint enough that I'm not bothered by it. :-)

As an aside, a couple of my friends (one quilter, one not) thought the picture of the ombre squares was the fabric I'd used in the quilt. Just to be clear, those were the colour catchers. :-)