You can try Retayne, but with fabrics bleeding as badly as this, you will probably need multiple treatments of that as well. I've had similar problems with batiks. When this happens, I store them separately for use in a monochromatic project so the bleeding shouldn't matter. Batiks can be troublesome for this and one hates to just throw them away because they are expensive.

I'm not sure if this will help but after a few soaks I put in about a 1/4 (or more depending on the load) of white vinegar. It totally stopped the bleeding and the colors never bled again. It might be worth a try...if you don't have Retayne.

And there was no vinegar smell to the fabric.

Susan

Personally, when I buy batiks (which is often I put them directly in the wash. Altogether. No matter what color families.

My feeling is 1) they're washed half a zillion times in production and 2) they're so multi- and blended-color that a little run together won't wreck anything. I also feel that when I use them together in a project those things continue to be true.

I haven't had a bad experience.

My feeling would be that if you continue to get dye transfer that particular fabric may have been prepared with a particularly problematic dye. I'd try Retayne and vinegar then I'd consider putting it aside for something like a notebook cover that won't need washing.

Hope it's a FQ and not yards and yards of something.

I've not had these exact batiks, but I've not had any bleeding continue through Retayne in hottest water followed by a Synthrapol wash in warm. It does take a few rinses to get all the Synthrapol and excess dye out, like three or four, but after that it's been done for me. I was surprised when I first started a couple years ago, that I've had more trouble with dark browns bleeding than any other color.

Thanks everyone for your tips! Susan, I used to use vinegar, too many years ago to count (!) esp when using dark colors in corduroy. I had forgotten about vinegar - it did help alot -or it could have been the cheap beer that also spilled in the rinse water. I was preparing the steamer for crabs, when the beer spilled into the bowl! Same recipe, water, vinegar & cheap beer! ~~LOL~~

I tried the vinegar rinse (w/out the beer) again this morning, and it is definitely almost clear. My bowl is a very beautiful aqua, and I used a box of color catchers. I think I will also purchase the Retayne & Synthrapol to have on hand.

imrainey- these are FQs - bright colors that read as solids, so I was afraid to wash them together, otherwise I agree, most of the colorful batiks have crossover dyes. Also I hope to pair these with white - but now I am hesitate.

All dyes that bleed don't also transfer. You can rest easier if you wash the FQ with a square of muslin and get no transfer. If you're REALLY paranoid (like me and my mom) you can wash them together, and then lay the wet FQ on the wet muslin to air dry on the counter to give it a more realistic time test, too.

I am really Paranoid!!!! Can ya tell???? I have all these FQ laying in the kitchen, in bowls, lids, etc and got after DH when he made coffee this morning! I will wash with some muslin and do as you and your mom do! Thanks!

rivergirl,

sorry you're having such problems. i generally will soak my new fabrics in a cold water bath with a handful or two of kosher salt and about a cup or more of vinegar. Let it soak for a good long time and then run the washer through a cycle. This has generally worked for me, but not always. I wish I had another solution for you, but you might want to try it ... simple, inexpensive ingredients, and if it works, then you're golden.

Good luck to you.

Odessa

Hee! My mom's doing a 2 inch Grandmother's Flower Garden, all by hand. Each flower is surrounded by a row of white, and if any were to transfer at first washing she'd be psychotic. Mine's a 6 inch applecore charm, by hand, and if it had any transfer on first wash, again my mom would be psychotic. I'd be less upset, but her fanatical washing/testing just rubs off.

Get it? Rubs off? HA HA HA HA HA. Yeah. We're nuts.

I really like that tip with the piece of white muslin. I'll be using that one.
Thanks!
lots2do