prewashing batiks
 

Help! I prewash everything before it gets incorporated into my fabric
stash. I usually run fabric under the faucet and stick it in a bowl of
warm water for anywhere from 5-20 minutes to make sure the water is
clear, then toss it in the washing machine on delicate. If a fabric
bleeds, I change water and do it all over again. This works really
well for me, and I don't think I've ever had a fabric that wouldn't
stop bleeding if I changed the water enough times. BUT, I've started
using batiks, and the bleeding on some of them is just terrible. I can
get the water to run clear over a fabric, but if I leave the fabric in
the bowl for a few hours or overnight, by morning the water is bright
green all over again. If I drain it and refill, it's bright green
again by nightfall. Anyway, I'm willing to slave over one batik for
days to get peace of mind that it won't bleed, but my question is
whether this is doing any damage (removing too much color) from the
fabric, by soaking it for days at a time.
thank you oh wise ones.

-Lynn

prewashing batiks
 

To clarify, if a fabric is still bleeding, I don't toss it in the
washer yet...I keep changing the water in the bowl until it stops.
Also, when I then run the washer load, I use a shout color catcher if
the fabrics in the load had been 'behaving badly.'

Lynn

quilter wrote:
Help! I prewash everything before it gets incorporated into my fabric
stash. I usually run fabric under the faucet and stick it in a bowl of
warm water for anywhere from 5-20 minutes to make sure the water is
clear, then toss it in the washing machine on delicate. If a fabric
bleeds, I change water and do it all over again. This works really
well for me, and I don't think I've ever had a fabric that wouldn't
stop bleeding if I changed the water enough times. BUT, I've started
using batiks, and the bleeding on some of them is just terrible. I can
get the water to run clear over a fabric, but if I leave the fabric in
the bowl for a few hours or overnight, by morning the water is bright
green all over again. If I drain it and refill, it's bright green
again by nightfall. Anyway, I'm willing to slave over one batik for
days to get peace of mind that it won't bleed, but my question is
whether this is doing any damage (removing too much color) from the
fabric, by soaking it for days at a time.
thank you oh wise ones.

-Lynn

prewashing batiks
 

I'd soak it wíth something white and see if the color is picked up.
Roberta in D

"quilter" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
oups.com...
Help! I prewash everything before it gets incorporated into my fabric
stash. I usually run fabric under the faucet and stick it in a bowl of
warm water for anywhere from 5-20 minutes to make sure the water is
clear, then toss it in the washing machine on delicate. If a fabric
bleeds, I change water and do it all over again. This works really
well for me, and I don't think I've ever had a fabric that wouldn't
stop bleeding if I changed the water enough times. BUT, I've started
using batiks, and the bleeding on some of them is just terrible. I can
get the water to run clear over a fabric, but if I leave the fabric in
the bowl for a few hours or overnight, by morning the water is bright
green all over again. If I drain it and refill, it's bright green
again by nightfall. Anyway, I'm willing to slave over one batik for
days to get peace of mind that it won't bleed, but my question is
whether this is doing any damage (removing too much color) from the
fabric, by soaking it for days at a time.
thank you oh wise ones.

-Lynn

prewashing batiks
 

It's an excess dye problem, right? I'd try using retayne or synthrapol
on it to speed up the process; I forget which would be better for this.

susan k
see my quilts: members.cox.net/kratersge

prewashing batiks
 

Don't get turned off batiks.....I've washed lots and haven't had the problem.
Maybe try soaking them in salt water.....I think that's supposed to stop
bleeding.

Lorraine

"quilter" wrote in message
oups.com...
Help! I prewash everything before it gets incorporated into my fabric
stash. I usually run fabric under the faucet and stick it in a bowl of
warm water for anywhere from 5-20 minutes to make sure the water is
clear, then toss it in the washing machine on delicate. If a fabric
bleeds, I change water and do it all over again. This works really
well for me, and I don't think I've ever had a fabric that wouldn't
stop bleeding if I changed the water enough times. BUT, I've started
using batiks, and the bleeding on some of them is just terrible. I can
get the water to run clear over a fabric, but if I leave the fabric in
the bowl for a few hours or overnight, by morning the water is bright
green all over again. If I drain it and refill, it's bright green
again by nightfall. Anyway, I'm willing to slave over one batik for
days to get peace of mind that it won't bleed, but my question is
whether this is doing any damage (removing too much color) from the
fabric, by soaking it for days at a time.
thank you oh wise ones.

-Lynn

prewashing batiks
 

IMO, this is beyond normal. I would return to shop for full
reund,or at least merchandise exchange.
PAT

quilter wrote:

Help! I prewash everything before it gets incorporated into my fabric
stash. I usually run fabric under the faucet and stick it in a bowl of
warm water for anywhere from 5-20 minutes to make sure the water is
clear, then toss it in the washing machine on delicate. If a fabric
bleeds, I change water and do it all over again. This works really
well for me, and I don't think I've ever had a fabric that wouldn't
stop bleeding if I changed the water enough times. BUT, I've started
using batiks, and the bleeding on some of them is just terrible. I can
get the water to run clear over a fabric, but if I leave the fabric in
the bowl for a few hours or overnight, by morning the water is bright
green all over again. If I drain it and refill, it's bright green
again by nightfall. Anyway, I'm willing to slave over one batik for
days to get peace of mind that it won't bleed, but my question is
whether this is doing any damage (removing too much color) from the
fabric, by soaking it for days at a time.
thank you oh wise ones.

-Lynn

prewashing batiks
 

Have some vague recollection about vinegar for this sort of thing - I will
look it up and let you know.

--

Cheryl
http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
cawaites@netconnectDOTcomDOTau


"quilter" wrote in message
oups.com...
Help! I prewash everything before it gets incorporated into my fabric
stash. I usually run fabric under the faucet and stick it in a bowl of
warm water for anywhere from 5-20 minutes to make sure the water is
clear, then toss it in the washing machine on delicate. If a fabric
bleeds, I change water and do it all over again. This works really
well for me, and I don't think I've ever had a fabric that wouldn't
stop bleeding if I changed the water enough times. BUT, I've started
using batiks, and the bleeding on some of them is just terrible. I can
get the water to run clear over a fabric, but if I leave the fabric in
the bowl for a few hours or overnight, by morning the water is bright
green all over again. If I drain it and refill, it's bright green
again by nightfall. Anyway, I'm willing to slave over one batik for
days to get peace of mind that it won't bleed, but my question is
whether this is doing any damage (removing too much color) from the
fabric, by soaking it for days at a time.
thank you oh wise ones.

-Lynn

prewashing batiks
 

WoW! That is a lot of excess dye.

I don't even prewash my high quality batiks! They put them through
enough heat when processing out the wax. I've never had one run.

now I have had the occasional "bad crocker" that rubbed off on
everything, but it was one of those cheapos ($2-$5/yd), and I wash them
like crazy in hot water, and dry them on hot.

I agree with Pat, I'd return it. Unless it is something you really
need, why chance it?

Carol in TX
Need therapy? Make a quilt

prewashing batiks
 

According to my trusty little book about vinegar -

"Add a cup of vinegar to the last rinse when dying fabric to help set the
colour"

Can't hurt!

--

Cheryl
http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
cawaites@netconnectDOTcomDOTau


"Cheryl" cawaitesATnetconnectDOTcomDOTau wrote in message
...
Have some vague recollection about vinegar for this sort of thing - I will
look it up and let you know.

--

Cheryl
http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
cawaites@netconnectDOTcomDOTau


"quilter" wrote in message
oups.com...
Help! I prewash everything before it gets incorporated into my fabric
stash. I usually run fabric under the faucet and stick it in a bowl of
warm water for anywhere from 5-20 minutes to make sure the water is
clear, then toss it in the washing machine on delicate. If a fabric
bleeds, I change water and do it all over again. This works really
well for me, and I don't think I've ever had a fabric that wouldn't
stop bleeding if I changed the water enough times. BUT, I've started
using batiks, and the bleeding on some of them is just terrible. I can
get the water to run clear over a fabric, but if I leave the fabric in
the bowl for a few hours or overnight, by morning the water is bright
green all over again. If I drain it and refill, it's bright green
again by nightfall. Anyway, I'm willing to slave over one batik for
days to get peace of mind that it won't bleed, but my question is
whether this is doing any damage (removing too much color) from the
fabric, by soaking it for days at a time.
thank you oh wise ones.

-Lynn

prewashing batiks
 

Thanks Cheryl - I did used to do this when I first bought bright
clothes in high school to set the dye (just a teaspoon though, never a
cup). But, then someone else told me that the next time you washed it
without vinegar it would run. I don't think that's true though.

Back to rinsing my little batik froggies.

Lynn