Just now when I unpinned my challenge quilt from where it had been drying after I spritzed it and blocked it, this is what I found. It's the back, it does not show on the front, and this is the worst one of two spots where a particular fabric seems to have bled. I tried dabbing it with a solution of Synthropol, but it didn't help and I'm afraid rewetting will make it worse. Any ideas?
I'm feeling a bit ill about this, but unless someone knows what to do, or I think of something, I think I'll just trust to the judges' mercies. The only other way I know right now is to wash the whole thing with Synthrapol, on the assumption that it's ruined and nothing can make it worse.
P.S. Several people on the Dharma website said they had used Synthrapol to remove bleeding from quilts or pieced blocks. So maybe I'll try that. Scary. But I guess the Synthrapol would prevent that nasty fabric from bleeding more, which is what I'm really worried about. I have to bind the quilt first though, so this will be a tense time.
11 comments:
Oh Kay. :< I'm certain someone will be able to contribute their experience with this though. I have faith in that. Never fear!!!
Hopefully someone knows just what to do. I am very novice at this stuff. I am pulling for a solution! Steph
If you do not want to put it in the washing machine and use oxiclean or woolite dye catcher, I have heard some people have success with Tide stain stick.
Yikes! I feel so bad for you.
AARGH!
It's my understanding that Synthropol and the dye catchers only catch the loose dye in the wash water. It does nothing about dye that has already migrated in the fabric.
There's one quilt this happened to for me. The red fabric bleed eventually washed out after several trips through the wash.
I hope you find a solution QUICK.
How about taking some fabric paint and painting some swirls over the back that incorporate the bleeding like it is part of the fabric? Is it in a place where the label could hide it?
I would do exactly as Debra suggested: add some type of surprise applique or embellishment to the back. It would be a fun thing to turn the quilt over and see something unexpected.
I know you are upset and I would be too but I bet you could put something back there without ripping your hair out. How about some similar flowers as on the front?
Oh, Kay, I'm so sorry. Can't imagine how sick you must feel after all that work. Some good suggestions, though; hope at least one of them helps!
Don't know if it would help now but I've had great success with Color catchers and Oxy clean. Made a paste out of the O.C. and brushed it on. I tried the stain stick on this type of thing and it just seemed to highlight the problem by making it more of a funky color. Hope you find a solution but the applique ideas given here sound like a plan too.
I have a friend who ony quilts hte top to her batting & then attaches the backing loosly - for wall quilts. Maybe you could add another piece of fabric & see if this could be a solution for you...
If it's any consolation, I had a bad bad bleed episode on a queen size quilt, that affected the front and the back (white muslin shows red bleed quite nicely).
After washing it with a color catcher, the bleeding was still visible. I was heartbroken but I'd already arranged to send it to a show. It's been in two shows so far, and not one judge has mentioned the bleeding.
Good luck.
Janet
Kay - I realize I'm way too late to help with this, but one time many years ago I had a serious bleeding problem on a quilt during it's first wash. It was so horrible that the quilt was truly officially ruined if I couldn't get rid of the bleed stains. I did not put the stained quilt in the dryer...I don't know if that made a difference. But, while it was still wet and seriously stained, I bit the bullet and just ran it through a regular wash cycle in the washer with regular detergent several more times. Each time the bleeding faded a little until it was finally completely gone. I realize that the solution may vary from fabric to fabric as the dyes may vary, but in that case that worked for me. claudia w
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