Terrie I just talked to the owner of our LQS she said maybe they did wash the fabric but some fabrics keep running if they haven't checked the rinse then they would not be aware. The ones she carrys in the store was bought from Checkers which is US. I didn't think batiks ran because they are washed so much but one dark blue I hade to wash three times. ttyl Joan

And don't forget Terrie... before you wash your whole top, to staystitch it around the edges. Don't want any fraying!

Quilters are GREAT!! Thanks to Joan (snowlady) I am now awaiting a Colour Catcher she is exporting from Ontario. THANKS, JOAN. In the meantime, the grocery store manager is working on her end to see if they can be available here in Quebec. They may be international, as Lois suggested, but ..ahhh,,,hmm.... er.... well, Quebec is 'special' - it's definitely political, has to do with language labelling etc.

Now, onward to finish the sewing of the rows, and when "IT" gets here, I will wash the whole thing before sandwiching it. (Not my usual way.)
BTW - in 'fixing' the purple, some red began to bleed from a reel - not prewashed, I guess.

The crisis is over. I have learned some things. Thanks TQSers

I tried to make some after the last discussion on this subject and I'm not totally satisfied with the result. The "real" color cathers still get more color on them, while testing with one of each.

But I save all my color catchers because the fiber they are made of can stand a hot wash, which they do in my house. Then I can use them for smaller machine applique pieces. Works great. My first purchase was a 100 pack from Ebay, next time It was not available, so I bought 20 packs. Everything Dylon, they say, but the fibers are different. I like the first ones best

I can get them in Denmark now

crocus999 wrote:
I get mine at Walmart. Aren't they almost worldwide now?

idaho wrote: I'm thinking that if you used cotton you could get some interesting hand-dyes for quilting too

Terrie Privately send me your address and I will mail you a package of Shout Color Catchers. My kids brought home so many I would be happy to send you one. Joan

I've been around the neighbourhood and nobody has Synthrapol or Retayne or Colour Catchers. I have had Colour Catchers before (here in Canada - Quebec), but don't remember where I bought them. It is possible that I even bought them in Vermont and just don't remember. I asked the manager at the grocery store to see if she could order them. She'll get back to me next week. ho-hum...so I have used lots of good old hot water and plain bar type hand soap and it's getting better. However, I know that sometimes you can 'see through' wet fabric, but it is opaque when dry, so I'm hoping that will happen to mine. I'll try to go and get some of the Dyson product tomorrow.

Thanks to all for the advice and support. It's fun to banter back and forth here on the forum, but there are many many times it is educational and so helpful and supportive. When we need the fun, we can have it, and when we need the help, we get it too. We quilters are here for each other. Many thanks and hugs.

I'm a believer in Synthrapol and color catchers !I will try out the home made idea Rosemary posted !
Makes sense it would work ! We will see !

My DS and DDIL brought me colour catchers back from a trip to Vegas, they are great now I see our LQS carrys a product that does the same thing, I can't remember the name but is something breeze, we could not get color catchers here in Canada. Good Luck

Does anyone recognize whose reel this is? It is the only one that came to me without a label... and I would love to know whose it is so that I can quilt the name of the person it came from into my quilt. Thanks!

Thanks for that link Rosemary,

Terrie, I have used both synthrapol and colour catchers when I was washing my T2T quilts because there were so many different fabrics in the quilts and I could not have been sure that I had washed all of them as I had some in my stash since Adam was a boy! Both quilts turned out perfectly.

Renata and Nancy, It only took me three kids to figure out what was happening in October/November

Never mind I just found this info for August 18th and 19th...
Guess I will shoot for these dates...
Flowers and quilts it can't get any better right?

Quilting Show: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm :The Boissevain Quilters are the featured quilters. The Prairie Button Keepers of Winnipeg will showcase button storage cases, which may be purchased and display mounted button collections. The 183 Trading Company are returning with their vast button collection for sale and display along with button jewelry and other articles for sale.

http://www.peacegarden.com/calendar.htm

Synthrapol works - particularly when used for mixed fabrics already stitched together, as I understand it, it helps to keep the loose dye suspended in the water, rather than migrating to other fabrics. I used it for my reels, which I forgot to prewash. I have heard of the Dylon colour catchers, but haven't used it myself.

Something else I haven't yet tried but it certainly looks promising is this http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/08/make-your-own-laundry-color-catchers.html