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Quilt drying after five washes to remove bleeding.  Photo by Lilo Bowman

I've been working on a project off and on for about two years. OK, some of you might recognize it as the 2009 BOM! I got this far (see photo above) and then hit a creative wall. 

Recently, a quilting friend visiting my studio made a few suggestions and my muse returned. As a result, I've been working feverishly to complete this UFO using pre-washed, hand-dyed fabrics. To pre-mark my bobbin work in the large triangular areas, I used wash-away thread, which requires that the finished quilt be immersed in water. Herein lies the problem: My quilt is bleeding!! Currently it is being washed (with a color catcher) for the fifth time, but the lovely, wine-colored fabric continues to "run" all over the place. All-important lesson learned? If in doubt, wash, and wash again, until all excess color is removed BEFORE using a fabric in my quilt...especially a hand-dyed fabric.

That said, there are two camps on pre-washing fabric for use in quilts. There are those who do and those who don't, and I don't want to ruffle any feathers. My intent is simply to alert you to the potential hazards of using unwashed fabric in a quilt that you plan to wash in the future. If that's your plan, here are a few suggestions to keep your colors from "mingling."

1. Pre-wash similarly colored fabrics together in cold water.

2. If you suspect a fabric may bleed, add a bit of Synthrapol to the initial wash. Synthrapol removes and suspends excess dye in the wash water so that the color does not gravitate back to the fabric.

3. If you are still uncertain that the remaining color is fast, wash the fabric once more with Retayne. This product sets the color and keeps it from bleeding.

You should be able to find Synthrapol and Retayne in most quilt stores or online.

If you have other remedies for fabrics bleeding color, we would love to hear them. Share your tips through the Forum so we all can avoid this potential hazard.