I told you all yesterday that the red and green applique had some red bleeding on it. I couldn’t zoom in on the bleed very well so you could see it. I could see it – it wasn’t a lot but I thought what the heck lets see if I could get it out. Before I do another red and green block I will pre-treat all of the fabric first, just plain washing it doesn’t always work with red and green I have found!!
Ok so here is what I did – first I basted Shout Color Catchers all over the colored pieces of the block.
the catchers basted on the block
Then I put it in the wash in a lingerie bag with some laundry soap – cold water wash. This is what it looked like when it got done.
I don't know if you can see on this photo that there is red dye caught in the catcher - but when I looked on the other side I could still see dye in the fabric.
Remember this was an experiment – if I had to re-do this block I would. I had a fourth of a bottle (4 oz) of Retayne (I have not used the company at this link but I am showing what the product looks like for those of you who have not used it) left so I put the machine on a small load once again and I dumped the rest of the bottle in it!
When the wash load stopped I took it out and took the stitches out holding the color catchers to the block. Can you see the red dye in places? I'm happy to report that all of the bleeding came out. What did happen though is that the background block is actually just a tad lighter now - weird! There had been a brownish type of marking by the top rose bud on the left side at the top. If you look at yesterday's picture you will see it. It is not there now. But all the bleeding is out.
the finished block - it shrunk just a tad. It is supposed to be a 16 1/2 inch block and it is a 16 1/4 inch block instead. I will deal with that later by having a skinny seam allowance when it is sewed together.
the rose bud where there had been a brownish type of marking that was in the fabric is on the top left side.
before using the color catchers and the Retayne - see the brownish mark? I don't know if you can see the bleeding -it is just a light pink
It is possible that the red and green colors have lost just a little bit of color but as all of the blocks will be in various red and green fabrics it doesn’t matter for the overall quilt. I am ordering more of the Retayne (the company I use is Connecting Threads as their books are 40% off right now and there is one I want (of course I will find a few other things I need as well) – if your order comes to $50 it is free shipping) and I will follow the directions on the bottle and pre-treat all of the red and green fabrics I will be using! I learned my lesson. 
{ 10 comments }
I love the color catchers and really swear by them. When I pre wash my fabric a color catcher always goes in the wash with the fabric. Great results when I do this. So glad you were able to get the bleed out. It looks great!
.-= Jackie´s last blog ..What Do All These Fabrics Have In Common? =-.
Thank you for documenting your experiments getting the bleed out. It doesn’t look like the green transfered to the color catcher. I will be picking up a bottle of the Retayne when I’m finished with my Baltimore.
Crispy
Great lesson for all of us. Your pictures were great.
Karen, Beautiful appliqued block!!! Thanks for all the great information about getting the “bleed” out. It’s funny but in the original photo of the block, I noticed that brown spot and wondered if it was a smudge or the actual color of the fabric. So maybe this process that you put the block through demonstrated that there was an accumulation of dye in that one spot that did not wash out when they were originally dying the fabric. I wonder? Anyway, I think I will be purchasing both products you have mentioned especially since I just bought some batiks and they always seems to bleed. Can’t wait to see the next block in this series.
Crispy I had such a little bit of bleed from one of the greens that it did not show up on the color catcher. It was a little halo effect if you know what I mean. It did come out.
Yes the brown mark had been in the fabric – the fabric back is a moda marble and I think the brown was just a marking in the fabric from their process.
Man, am I learning some good techniques! I, too, will be using the above techniques – I may have to order the Retayne as I did not see that particular product at our quilt shop.
Thanks for the tips! As always, your tips helps us to become better quilters!
Teri
HI Karen, this happened to me too. The color remover works great but on one of my quilt it worked a little TOO well, bleaching some of the colors slightly. I feel bad about it. I hate prewashing fabric. It is a problem with red from time to time though.
.-= nanette´s last blog ..Hello February =-.
the only colours that have ever run for me were red, which is not a colour I use often. I don’t like to prewash either. The pressing afterwards bugs me. Your tuts was great as always and it is a good lesson for all of us to learn.
By the way, I am an “expert” at making 6 1/4″ become 6 1/2″ lol.
I think it’s really the darker colours that bleed and those are the ones I wash. But for some reason my blacks don’t bleed at all.
Lovely block of course.
Karen, I have read this post several times now. You are very clever to come up with this solution. I have used the color catchers many times but never this way. Great idea. I also bought more Retayne this week to treat all of my reds that are going into my BOM.
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..More Kaleidoscope Fun =-.
That is so scary. I’m so glad you were able to repair the damage.
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