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rosajoe_gw

Red bleed stopped!

rosajoe_gw
10 years ago

This quilt was such a disappointment! I had purchased the red fabric from a quilt shop on a trip. I am now very leary of fabric that is deeply discounted!

I prewashed, used color catchers, treated with Retayne twice and the fabric dye finally appeared to set.

I made the quilt and washed it, the water was so red it was amazing there was any color left in the fabric. More washings and the color never would come out.

The quilt looked tie dyed and I never was sure if I wanted to bind it or not so I put it away. I finally decide to wash it in Rit Color Remover. It did remove the dye and the quilt no longer looks tie dyed. I may never find a red fabric to match for the binding, but at least now the quilt is usuable lol!
Rosa

Comments (13)

  • nannykins
    10 years ago

    Oh that is a beauty!
    Can you just bind it in white?
    I guess I have been lucky with bleeding fabrics, except for one green flannel backing which just wouldn't quit, and since the top was mostly green, it didn't affect the look totally.
    Good luck with the binding
    Theresa

  • msmeow
    10 years ago

    Rosa, it looks gorgeous from here! I'm so glad the color remover worked for you. Sometimes you get funny results with it, like a completely different color than you started with.

    I'd also say bind it in white, or a completely different red.

    Donna

  • calliope
    10 years ago

    I can't imagine putting that much work into a quilt (and you must have with all those tiny squares) and have it bleed out. That would be enough to stop a novice quilter in her tracks, never to do another one. What a relief!

  • littlehelen_gw
    10 years ago

    Your results are great...just love this quilt! You could frame /bind in white or how about a dark frame...Black or Navy...even Grey would work?
    Very nice Rosa!

    V.

  • jennifer_in_va
    10 years ago

    Oh, how frustrating!!

    I think the result looks well-loved & well-washed, even though you know it's brand new!

    I think a dark burgundy binding would look nice, frame it well, and won't look like you're trying to match anything. If you'd rather stay away from another red, then navy, grey or white would be my choices.

    Well done! Good for sticking with it and getting it completed!

  • loisflan
    10 years ago

    Oh, Rosa, I'm so happy you finally found a solution. It's a wonderful quilt, and I would have been devastated if that had happened to me. I think a white binding would be great provided the white matches, which it might not after all the treatments. If it doesn't, I'd go with another strong color as the others suggested.

  • babushka_cat
    10 years ago

    i love the way it looks! as others have said, it looks like a warm and cozy family heirloom, i love it that the red has been worn a bit. sometimes accidents are a good thing!

  • lola99
    10 years ago

    I'm so glad the red came out. I am impressed with all of the precise pieces in your quilt. It reminds me of a cross-stitch. Very impressive!

  • quiltnhen
    10 years ago

    Beautiful quilt and really good to know what works. When you use the color remover does it fade everything, or just the bleed?
    LindaB/CA

  • magothyrivergirl
    10 years ago

    I think you posted your progress piecing this quilt top and I marveled at the precision of your sewing and how striking the simplicity of the red and white looks! I am so happy you got it back. Aren't you afraid to wash it again?
    I wouldn't use white as a binding unless you add another solid white narrow border, because I think the red would shadow thru. The solid white border would act as the frame for the white binding. This would keep the quilt all red and white.
    I want to know how you were able to wash this top (and so many times!) without the back /seams becoming a raveled, tangled mess! I had a sick dog who peed on 2 quilt tops in progress -- I had to wash them -- and what a mess I had on the back! I spent alot of time trimming and pressing. I also quilted them densely to go over more seams. They turned out fine and I know one is used everyday and has been washed often. (I think the other one is safe in a closet :)

  • rosajoe_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Marsha it was already quilted and only the binding was left to do, that made it ever more heart breaking when the thing kept turning water red lol! During the many treatments, all in hot water, the Retayne on the stove top in very hot water (I actually took the temp with my candy temp thingie, (can't spell and too lazy to look it up lol!!!!) the quilt did shrink a good 3 inches.

    Linda, since it was only red and white it was hard to tell about the fading. With the tie dyed look there was still a lot of white and the Rit took all of the excess dye out, the white backing shows no sign of red or even a slight pink. I'm guessing the Rit would fade all of the colors, it's effect is similar to bleach.

    Thank you ladies! I do like the pattern and it was a gift for one of my sisters. She still wants it, but after all the pain in the buttocks work I have put into the demon quilt, IT'S MINE lol!!!!!
    Rosa

  • magothyrivergirl
    10 years ago

    Okay Rosa -- now I have to ask--why did you wash the quilt BEFORE You sewed the binding??? What am I missing???

    I have always been afraid of Red and Purple fabrics bleeding.

  • rosajoe_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Marsha, only because I was not going to finish the binding for months and I had used the blue wash away marker on the top and I was afraid it would be permanent if I didn't wash it out immediately. I prefer to mark my tops for quilting with pencil, but it didn't show up on the red. I use tons of starch and the pencil washes out easily - I am afraid to leave any markings in over a week without washing them out.

    I have a gorgeous red with small white dots I bought at WalMart and it washed well. All fabrics I have purchased from Connecting Threads wash well. This one was just a bad dye batch - I have learned a lesson - any fabric that has that much excess dye on the first wash I will not use.

    I want to make a Christmas sampler with red and white so I'm not giving up on red yet!

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