I attached my Violet quilt to the quilting frame over the weekend and marked around the flowers with a water soluble marker. After quilting around a few flowers, I thought I would spray a little water to remove the blue marking lines to see my stitches.
Minutes later I discovered to my horror that the dye in the flower fabric had bled onto the border fabric.The photos above and below do not really reveal how dark the colour run is on the border fabric.
So, what do I do now?
I have used this product before on clothes with some success. However, you must soak the item in very hot tap water for two hours. I could unpin this section as it is on the border and near the corner. That section could be soaked. However, I am worried that section will also shrink with the heat in the water.
I do know that these fabrics where purchased about nine years ago when I first started the quilt. I think the dyeing process is much better for fabrics these days. I sprayed other flowers with water that were made with newer fabric and had no problem. I have never prewashed fabric before and have never had a problem.
My thoughts at this stage are to remove these two flowers as they are appliqued onto the quilt and replace them with new flowers made from more colour fast fabric.
But what do I do about the colour bleed onto the border? Is there anything I can do? Or do I just cross my fingers and use a whole box of these when I wash this quilt?
Or do I just leave it?
Alternatively, I could undo all of the quilting I have done so far (I have quilted along one scalloped edge and around half of the flowers on one edge). Take the quilt off the frame and remove anything I think my also run and replace it.
Maybe even wash the quilt top and then start quilting again? If I do that perhaps I should also wash the batting and backing too? This quilt has been so much work, maybe that's the best option.
Or wash the quilt first with colour catchers and replace anything that has colour run in it?
HELP!!!
Oh no! I have no idea what to do as I have never had a good outcome in this situation....good luck!
ReplyDeletebugger bugger..............no good suggestions from me either...............I would finish the quilt and wash it with those colour catches, salt and vinegar...........not sure about the really hot water bit.............
ReplyDeleteoh geezzzzzz what a bugger :(
ReplyDeleteI have had those products work on getting pink out of white clothes but Ive also had it take colours out of coloured fabrics :(
Oh no, so frustrating. I can see where you're coming from with taking the whole top off, but I don't know how you would know which fabrics will run. I'm not too sure about the hot water. I would lean towards Chookys suggestion......finish it and put a lot of colour catchers in the wash. I really feel for you because it's so beautiful, and so much work.
ReplyDeleteoh no.... I agree with above... I have heard that you can put yoghurt on the area and leave it for a while and it soaks up... but I have never tried it...
ReplyDeleteHugz
What a horrible feeling to have a color run. Actually, it is my worst fear ever since it happened to me back in the early 1980s. Since then, I have never failed to prewash my fabric, maybe even several times; and it hasn't happened again. I'm sorry I haven't a solution to your present dilemma. Good luck. I've enjoyed perusing your blog -- so refreshing to see handwork being done. My new quilt is currently in a local show, and it is the only one out of 50+ quilts that is hand quilted. What joy so many quilters are missing by not doing some handwork. Sally
ReplyDeleteBugger!! How disappointing Raelee…I have heard about yogurt before but don't know if it works. have you got a scrap of that fabric to do a test on?… I wouldn't use hot hot water either….good luck!!
ReplyDelete