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Saturday, March 5, 2011

Just how many shades

of red are there?

Remember when I had the bleeding red fabric? I normally pre-wash my larger pieces of fabric, but that time I was in a hurry. In the past I always would pre-wash my red fabrics, as they do tend to bleed.

Case in point. I am gathering up fabric for the red and white quilt I'd like to make for my new sofa.

So this time I threw a color catcher into the wash load with these red fabrics.

WOW! What a deep shade of pink.

So feeling that this was a lot of dye that was released from the fabric, I decided I would run the reds through another load.

Yep, color catcher gave me another lovely sheet of pinks.

So next time you will be using reds in your quilt, do you think you would pre-wash the fabric, or take the chance??
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21 comments:

  1. BarbMarch 5, 2011 at 5:19 AM

    Yep....I think you made your point...that is alot of die on those sheets.

    Thanks for the tip.

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  2. HelenMarch 5, 2011 at 5:27 AM

    I'm diligent about washing prior to storing. When I buy fabric, I wash it before folding and storing...just takes one variable from the mix.

    Thanks for sharing your "experiment".

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  3. Rhonda the RamblerMarch 5, 2011 at 5:29 AM

    I am curious...can we save those Color Catcher sheets?...they are awfully pretty! Oh wait...am I being distracting by fabric again?

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  4. CrispyMarch 5, 2011 at 5:45 AM

    I'm a prewasher but not a good tester after they have been washed. This got me in trouble with my Baltimore. Thank goodness those sheets saved the day!

    Crispy

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  5. JuliaMarch 5, 2011 at 5:56 AM

    It's a good thing you washed these first! I can't believe there was still that much the second time. Where do you buy the color catcher sheets?

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  6. CathyMarch 5, 2011 at 5:59 AM

    I always prewash all my fabric. Don't you just love the color catcher sheets. You find them in the laundry soap section at the grocery store. Hugs

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  7. RitaMarch 5, 2011 at 6:23 AM

    I don't always prewash but I sure do love those color catchers. You can bet I'll prewash my reds from now on.

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  8. MarveLes Art StudiosMarch 5, 2011 at 6:23 AM

    Hi Jocelyn; thanks for that tip! I am going to try those sheets... didn't even THINK of that!

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  9. CarrieMarch 5, 2011 at 7:11 AM

    No matter what the color or how many times fabrics or a quilt have been washed, I still throw in a Color Catcher sheet... just in case.

    Thank you for showing this little experiment! It shows how much excess color/dye is in fabric, even fabric that has already been washed. Good job!

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  10. nonoMarch 5, 2011 at 7:45 AM

    After seeing this, I will be sure and pre-wash with a color catcher. Thanks for sharing!

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  11. CyndiMarch 5, 2011 at 11:54 AM

    Well, I certainly learned something from your post, Jocelyn. I always pre-wash my fabrics - usually wash them as soon as I get them home. But I had never even heard about color catcher sheets! Guess I'll have to give those a try! Thanks so much for the tip!

    XOXO,

    Cyndi

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  12. ytsmomMarch 5, 2011 at 1:36 PM

    I definitely prewash reds,and dark blues as well. I just did the fabrics for a patriotic quilt. Did not have much bleeding, but better safe than sorry!!

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  13. The Quilt LadiesMarch 5, 2011 at 2:13 PM

    Don't you just love color catchers ! I've started using them with all my quilt fabric, there are more than reds that run !

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  14. DeannaMarch 5, 2011 at 3:02 PM

    I am building a scrap quilt with a lot of red in it right now. You have made me a little nervous with your red revelations. I believe this one will definitely be washed with color catchers at least the first time.

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  15. Linda March 5, 2011 at 5:33 PM

    I used to prewash but then stopped. Now I just prewash select fabrics. I love those color catchers. Boy do they work!!

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  16. UnknownMarch 5, 2011 at 6:17 PM

    lovely

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  17. AnonymousMarch 5, 2011 at 6:47 PM

    Thanks for the great tip - but where do I find color catchers? I have never heard of them, much less seen them in stores. They sure seem to work great!
    Jacque in SC
    quiltnsrep(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  18. UnknownMarch 5, 2011 at 10:08 PM

    After seeing those two color catcher sheets...I'm too chicken to take the chance. :)

    Have a great rest of the weekend!

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  19. WendyMarch 6, 2011 at 9:34 AM

    I always pre-wash reds after doing a swap block quilt with reds and it ran. And I love those colour catchers.

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  20. RuthMarch 6, 2011 at 6:09 PM

    "Jane" has a post called STOP THE BLEED that talks about what to add to the wash to stop the fabrics from bleeding. One of them was Dawn ULTRA dish liquid! (Only a little bit of that, she said.) Google it and see!

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  21. KelseyMarch 11, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    I depends for me. If it's a brand I know won't bleed, like Kona solid reds, I don't bother. Or if it's a print with white on it that would get ruined if it bled, I tend to assume it won't bleed. But otherwise i pre-wash, and if one item in the project gets prewashed, then they all need to be for even shrinkage. Fun stuff. :P

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