Setting colors......

Hi all!
I'm in the middle of making a charm quit. Is it true that if I soak my
new cotton fabric swatches in a solution of cold water and simple table
salt,
it infact DOES set the fabric colors and prevent the colors from
bleeding later on? I've heard of this being done with new denim, and I
was wondering if it would work for my quilt fabric?
Thanks, J

Sorry, Julie. It looks like all of our pre-wash group is out getting ready
for back-to-school. There are better ways to check for bleeding potential
but I'm not a member of the Wash First club; my quilts are going to have a
busy life and a little dye weeping around won't make much difference.
Meanwhile, you could cover your kitchen counter with an old white sheet, wet
any charms that looks suspicious to you and place them to dry on the sheet.
You'll quickly see which are well-behaved and which are going to need
treating - if any. I don't think the salt idea even works on denim, it
didn't for me. Polly

"Julie Marie" wrote in message
...
Hi all!
I'm in the middle of making a charm quit. Is it true that if I soak my
new cotton fabric swatches in a solution of cold water and simple table
salt,
it infact DOES set the fabric colors and prevent the colors from
bleeding later on? I've heard of this being done with new denim, and I
was wondering if it would work for my quilt fabric?
Thanks, J

Well, I am a pre washer just cause that is the way I have always done
it. I just was wondering as I read this new thread how often new
fabrics run or bleed? Since I bought a Beyer red maybe 10 years ago
I am not sure if anything has run but a patch on a vintage top.
Are new colors set better? Is anyone buying new fabric that is running?

If you want denim that really hold the color get a touch of man made
fiber along with the cotton. Gives you a little moving room if it
is a touch stretchy but that is another problem all together : )
Taria

Polly Esther wrote:
Sorry, Julie. It looks like all of our pre-wash group is out getting ready
for back-to-school. There are better ways to check for bleeding potential
but I'm not a member of the Wash First club; my quilts are going to have a
busy life and a little dye weeping around won't make much difference.
Meanwhile, you could cover your kitchen counter with an old white sheet, wet
any charms that looks suspicious to you and place them to dry on the sheet.
You'll quickly see which are well-behaved and which are going to need
treating - if any. I don't think the salt idea even works on denim, it
didn't for me. Polly

"Julie Marie" wrote in message
...

Hi all!
I'm in the middle of making a charm quit. Is it true that if I soak my
new cotton fabric swatches in a solution of cold water and simple table
salt,
it infact DOES set the fabric colors and prevent the colors from
bleeding later on? I've heard of this being done with new denim, and I
was wondering if it would work for my quilt fabric?
Thanks, J

Taria wrote:
Well, I am a pre washer just cause that is the way I have always done
it. I just was wondering as I read this new thread how often new
fabrics run or bleed? Since I bought a Beyer red maybe 10 years ago
I am not sure if anything has run but a patch on a vintage top. Are
new colors set better? Is anyone buying new fabric that is running?


YES! I bought a "grab bag" from a local small chain, basically approx a
yard of matching fabrics, I had in blue in the mix that ran terribly.
I've also been doing the Northcott block of the month, one of the
fabrics from May (iirc), ran slightly.

The lady at the shop told me to use a cup of vinegar in the wash to set
them, I haven't tried that yet, I also bought some dye catcher sheets,
which I will throw in when I was a completed quilt.

Cheers
Anne

On Thu, 9 Aug 2007 21:41:29 -0400, (Julie
Marie) wrote:

Hi all!
I'm in the middle of making a charm quit. Is it true that if I soak my
new cotton fabric swatches in a solution of cold water and simple table
salt,
it infact DOES set the fabric colors and prevent the colors from
bleeding later on? I've heard of this being done with new denim, and I
was wondering if it would work for my quilt fabric?
Thanks, J

No it does not.
Neither does vinegar, washing soda, asprin, alum, or a gum rubber
eraser, unless the fabric was badly dyed to begin with in which case
the washing soda may help on cottons.
Some of those will help rinse out any dye left in that should not have
been, but they won't set it so that it stays instead of washing out.
If you soak fabric and it bleeds, odds on are that it will bleed again
when it is washed.
I usually wash any yardage that comes into my hands as a matter of
course. The only exceptions are bolts, where I wash as I cut, and
bitty bits. It is not just bleeding, but shrink that I fret over.
I was gifted with a bunch of unwashed 5 inch squares in red, blue, and
animal prints, and darned if I know what to do with them. I imagine I
shall have to sew them up and hope for the best. Since I have had
work ravaged by uneven shrink (greens are cursed I tell you!) just
from being washed and dried at an alien laundry, I am expecting the
worst. Hopefully I will be plesantly surprised.

NightMist
actually did have somebody once argue quite forcefully that a gum
rubber eraser in a hot wash would set color in fabric.
--
I'm a little teapot, short and stout
here is my handle, here is my...other...handle?
Bloody Hell!!
I'm a sugar bowl!

The dye catcher sheets always seem to pick up a fair amount of color, no
matter what brand of fabric. Reds and blacks are always tricky, and some
blues. But sometimes I wash without a color catcher, and don't see any color
transfer. Maybe it's just luck, but OTOH it might be that the loose dyes
aren't sticking to the other fabric. Of course lights and darks get
separated for washing. Mostly I don't worry (but do always prewash -just
think where it's been!) And as Polly says, the occasional bleeder is no big
deal. I use all sorts of scraps that people send me, so no point getting too
bothered.
Roberta in D, Queen of the Scrap Heap

"Taria" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:52Sui.8295$MT3.6426@trnddc05...
Well, I am a pre washer just cause that is the way I have always done it.
I just was wondering as I read this new thread how often new fabrics run
or bleed? Since I bought a Beyer red maybe 10 years ago
I am not sure if anything has run but a patch on a vintage top.
Are new colors set better? Is anyone buying new fabric that is running?

If you want denim that really hold the color get a touch of man made
fiber along with the cotton. Gives you a little moving room if it
is a touch stretchy but that is another problem all together : )
Taria

Polly Esther wrote:
Sorry, Julie. It looks like all of our pre-wash group is out getting
ready for back-to-school. There are better ways to check for bleeding
potential but I'm not a member of the Wash First club; my quilts are
going to have a busy life and a little dye weeping around won't make much
difference. Meanwhile, you could cover your kitchen counter with an old
white sheet, wet any charms that looks suspicious to you and place them
to dry on the sheet. You'll quickly see which are well-behaved and which
are going to need treating - if any. I don't think the salt idea even
works on denim, it didn't for me. Polly

"Julie Marie" wrote in message
...

Hi all!
I'm in the middle of making a charm quit. Is it true that if I soak my
new cotton fabric swatches in a solution of cold water and simple table
salt,
it infact DOES set the fabric colors and prevent the colors from
bleeding later on? I've heard of this being done with new denim, and I
was wondering if it would work for my quilt fabric?
Thanks, J

Old style dyes could be 'set' somewhat with salt or vinegar. Today's
dyes not so much. It depends on the fabric and the dye, but most fiber
reactive dyes lose the ability to "dye" after a certain length of time.
However, contact transfer of color can always happen. That is when wet
fabric sits on fabric, and the color moves from one to another.
So you can have fabric that looses color into the water which generally
doesn't transfer to another fabric, and a "Color Catcher" can take care
of that type of thing, and you can have fabric that doesn't bleed color
into the water but transfers if it sits on, or another fabric sits on
it. Best thing to do there is not let wet fabrics sit. VBG
To set dyes, and to help remove excess dye, there are two products
available at many quilt shops.... Synthropol and Retayne. Synthropol
helps remove excess dye, and is used for washing just dyed fabrics.
Retayne helps set color so that it stays bright. But they don't work on
all fabrics/colors/dyes. VBG
There are far too many variables to be certain of anything.... fabric
preparation, dyes used, mordants used, and so on. VBG So the best you
can do is whatever you can do and hope for the best. The suggestion of
rinsing and setting the swatches on something like white paper towels to
dry is probably one of the best. No need to use salt or vinegar, but you
may if you wish. G But do use hot water.

Have fun,
Pati, in Phx
http://community.webshots.com/user/PatiCooks



Julie Marie wrote:
Hi all!
I'm in the middle of making a charm quit. Is it true that if I soak my
new cotton fabric swatches in a solution of cold water and simple table
salt,
it infact DOES set the fabric colors and prevent the colors from
bleeding later on? I've heard of this being done with new denim, and I
was wondering if it would work for my quilt fabric?
Thanks, J

On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 04:43:45 GMT, Taria
wrote:

Well, I am a pre washer just cause that is the way I have always done
it. I just was wondering as I read this new thread how often new
fabrics run or bleed?

Yes. Lots of colors bleed. Red, burgundy, black, blue, and dark
green are the worst offenders, although in all cases some will bleed
and some won't. IME over-dyes all bleed, and so do true solids. Some
prints bleed too.

I've learned the hard way that some of the finishes put on today's
fabrics can seal in the color until detergent removes the finish. This
means that a fabric might pass the plain water and white cloth test,
but bleed horribly during the first real wash. I don't trust any
fabric until I wash it now.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere

On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 06:25:31 GMT, (NightMist)
wrote:


I was gifted with a bunch of unwashed 5 inch squares in red, blue, and
animal prints, and darned if I know what to do with them. I imagine I
shall have to sew them up and hope for the best. Since I have had
work ravaged by uneven shrink (greens are cursed I tell you!) just
from being washed and dried at an alien laundry, I am expecting the
worst. Hopefully I will be plesantly surprised.

NightMist

Sort the squares into three piles, red/blue/print, and

put a pile into a pillow case, tie it shut, and wash on the gentlest
cycle your machine has and they should come out with a minimum of
fraying and all you need to do is remove a few loose threads.

or

put a pile into a sealable plastic container with a tight fitting lid,
add water and a couple drops of detergent, close lid and shake a
minute or two, empty sudsy water and replace with clear water, close
lid then shake again to rinse. Repeat rinse if you feel it is needed.
Most fabrics won't fray at all with this method.

Dry them in a pillow case or just press them dry.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere