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Saturday, October 17, 2009

A Huge Disappointment

My Halloween quilt is done! And I love it!!

I quilted it with an allover swirly design. My husband says the quilting looks quite "ghostly," and I agree.


I love the binding -- printed on the diagonal so I didn't have to cut it on the bias!


And I think the backing fabric is quite perfect!!

So why "a huge disappointment," you ask?

Well, look:

That super cute backing fabric BLED ALL OVER MY QUILT when I washed it.


It's all smudgy and smeary and dirty-looking. I am SO disappointed. Deflated. This is one of my favorite quilts, and it looks like I smeared soot all over it!!

Anyone have suggestions for me? Is there any hope? Or do I just pretend it adds to the "Halloweeniness" of it? (I don't think I can pretend that it doesn't bug the living daylights out of me.)

Should I try washing it again? Or is that just tempting fate?

Sigh....

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17 comments:

  1. WendyCaroleOctober 17, 2009 at 10:31 AM

    How disappointing and it such a lovely quilt.

    I don't think I would wash it again just it case it got worse but on th eother hand it might all come out

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  2. treva eOctober 17, 2009 at 11:09 AM

    What a cute quilt! I would try washing again, with something like Cheer bright and clear or the new tide stain lifter out there. Its excess dye/paint and hopefully will lift with a second wash. Pre-soak and give it and extra rinse. I've worked with a lot of costume fabrics over the years that just have to much dye and didnt go thru a great rinse process. Best of luck.

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  3. Andrea HardmanOctober 17, 2009 at 11:22 AM

    I'd try washing it again and pretreat the areas that are smudgy. Then do what treva e said. Good luck.

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  4. Summer RaeOctober 17, 2009 at 12:08 PM

    So sad! I hate it when things like that happen. No suggestions, just wanted to say 'I feel your pain'

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  5. JennaOctober 17, 2009 at 12:53 PM

    Oxyclean is really great. I might try that. Also I think they recently came out with a product that removes bleeding inks, possibly made by Tide? Good luck!

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  6. LynnOctober 17, 2009 at 1:29 PM

    It's gorgeous! I hope you get some good answers on the stains. (I'd be googling like mad). On the other hand, I bet you're the only one who will notice, and it still looks amazing even with the stains.

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  7. MichelleOctober 17, 2009 at 2:02 PM

    When you wash it again try putting in a Shout Color Catcher sheet. It soaks up the excess dye and keeps it from getting all over your fabrics. I've used it when washing some new RED clothes in Warm water. I know I know, that is pretty daring. But it worked and my reds stayed red, without soaking into everything else!

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  8. Darling PetuniaOctober 17, 2009 at 4:44 PM

    Think of it as atmosphere. :)

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  9. LisaOctober 17, 2009 at 4:58 PM

    It's not so bad, you can't tell in the long shot. I'd wash it again with one of the products the others mentioned. It really is a gorgeous quilt.

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  10. Yeta NurthaOctober 17, 2009 at 5:08 PM

    I agree with Petunia . If you haddn't mentioned I'd have thought it part of the ghostly design.

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  11. willow and mooOctober 17, 2009 at 5:31 PM

    The quilt is fantastic!!!!!

    I know I'd be feeling deflated if that happened to me. How could that perfect backing fabric do that to you? Naughty fabric!

    I think Michelle's suggestion of a colour catcher sheet is a good one.

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  12. Lynette @ My Craft DiscoveryOctober 17, 2009 at 5:52 PM

    What a darling quilt! I am sad the color bled though! If one of the products work, you'll definitely have to post about it!

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  13. Anne at Film and ThreadOctober 17, 2009 at 6:03 PM

    I love your quilt, especially the backing. I have heard on a couple of quilt podcasts that there is something called Synthrapol that will correct this type of bleeding. I think I heard about it on Within A Quarter Inch. She says it is available at quilt shops or you could probably order it online.

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  14. Heather - Dollarstorecrafts.comOctober 17, 2009 at 6:50 PM

    It looks beautiful... looks like you have some good suggestions for treating the bleeding here. You can get synthrapol at dharmatrading.com

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  15. RedThreadDIYOctober 20, 2009 at 3:21 PM

    Oh no... At least you have pictures beforehand! I am so sorry

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  16. susanlavonneSeptember 18, 2010 at 7:23 AM

    Good luck with removing the stains...it's still a GREAT quilt!!!

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  17. CathyOctober 8, 2012 at 8:34 AM

    The synthrapol suggestion was a good one. After that, I would use its sister product Retayne to set those dyes and keep them from running in the future. The synthrapol washes out the excess, so you would want to do that first, because you don't want to "retayne" the dye mistakes. (Get it?!) I used both of those products when I was in school for textile design. Both products were important steps after printing or batiking our designs.
    Another suggestion, a bit unorthodox, might be to tie dye the whole thing in a dark dyebath to emphasize the Halloween atmosphere. You could wad the quilt up with the back exposed more than the front and do a gentle marble tiedye, nothing Grateful-Deadish. I think it looks great anyways! But those fabric manufacturers ought to be flogged for releasing sketchy fugitive dyed fabrics to the unsuspecting public! (;

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