QuiltingByCourtney

I just added 1/2 cup of white vinegar and it is now soaking for a little while...I hope this helps...

quiltjoey

I wash it in hot water in the washing machine. If it is 3-4 yards, etc., I adjust the load size as needed. I wash the fabric by itself and run it through the whole cycle. If I have to do it more than once, that's what I do. If I just have a fat quarter or charms, layer cake sizes, I wash them individually til clear. Still use very hot water. Since the fabrics are cotton, they do shrink. I don't wash everything as I bring it home, just as I use it. I hate when I have worked hard on something, then just have a fabric bleed on the others. It can be a lot of trouble but, to me, well worth it. I don't use anything but hot water and detergent... Works for me...

cathyvv

Just warn him that the white T-shirts could be pink after a washing. If that doesn't scare him, than give him what he wants.

QuiltingByCourtney

After wash #8 and 2 treatments of retayne, and one treatment of 1/2 cup vinegar(I got desparate and soaked it for 30min then ran it through the whole cycle) and 8 color catchers later I believe I am making progress, the scrap white t-shirt I put it with it on the last wash didn't turn light pink and the color catcher was such a tiny shade that I will need to look at it again tomorrow with fresh eyes to make sure that it was ok...I may just run it through one more wash tomorrow before I iron it and put it on my frame for quilting...

Retired Quilter

I bought a similar red backing fabric from Joann's a couple of years ago to use on a red and white quilt. I washed it several times with retyne and color catchers and it still had color coming from it. I just got rid of it. I had to much time and work in the top to ruin it.

Lori S

Retayne is usually very effective... are you using the 140 degree water?.. most hot water tanks are not set to that high of a temperature!

QuiltingByCourtney

Lori S - I'm not sure if it is 140 degree water, maybe I should soak it in my utility sink with 140 degree water? Is that what most people do? My washer is really old school and when its full of hot water its not enough I can not put my hands in it so I wonder how hot it gets? I will check that out tonight, thanks for pointing that out, maybe that's my problem!!

QuiltingByCourtney

I give up, its now on wash #12 and still leaves a tiny pink tint on my white scrap t-shirt fabric....I'm taking it back and if they wont take it back I am contacting the manufacture...I will never buy this again...

-that being said does anyone know a nice extra wide(108") fabric that is red and doesnt bleed after 4000 washes?

bdiver403

As I was growing up we never knew of Retyne; so the old fashion way was to set red with vinegar and salt in water then wash afterwards to get the vinegar smell out. Of course we washed reds with reds and whites with whites and darks with darks afterward. I hope this is of some help.

Barbara

QuiltingByCourtney

Well, after I have thought about it overnight and let my color catchers on wash #12 dry out.. I with fresh eyes have seen that they are basically white....so now...what to do, use the fabric and trust it with cold washes and put it on my quilt? or just take it back...or try to anyway?? It sucks because I have put so much work and stress into it and time and water $(i have to pay for my water)...I am now torn on whether it is safe to use this fabric or not...here is what I have put this fabric through...

*2 hot washes with Retayne treatments in both
*10 cold washes with shout color catchers, 2 salt treatments, 2 vinegar treatments
*2 dries
The color catchers appear to be white and the scrap t-shirts that were white that I threw in there with the fabric appear to be still white as well....

Would you still use this fabric?? Yes? No?
Thanks