My husband and three boys got Covid at the end of August this year. My husband slept on the bed and I slept elsewhere. So once he was better I had to wash my red, cream and blue quilt. It was my first time washing it and I was nervous. I machine washed it in cold water on a delicate cycle with eight Shout color catchers. I just use the Kirkland detergent from Costco.
I felt a little sick when I pulled it out of the washing machine because the reds had bled. (Believe me that it looked much worse than the pictures show.)
I knew it wasn't completely lost because I hadn't put it in the dryer or used any heat. I pulled out my Synthrapol to wash it again. I believe Synthrapol is usually used with hand dyed fabrics because extra dye can bond with it. It can also help a bleeding quilt. But don't make the same mistake I made the first time a quilt had bled. I do not recommend using hot water like the instructions on the bottle show. That is for hand dyed fabrics--not a whole quilt.
I washed it again in cold, delicate cycle, with eight new color catchers. This time I added 2 tsp of the Synthrapol.
Better, but definitely not perfect.
I washed it again the same way with eight new color catchers and the Synthrapol.
Better but still not perfect. I did find it interesting how there was less red in the color catchers each time.
After that fifth wash the colors were better, but the quilt felt a little soapy. So I washed in cold water on a delicate cycle with only the last eight color catchers again and no soap or Synthrapol. After that sixth wash it looked so much better that I put it in the dryer. By then it was late at night and all the kids were in bed. I pulled it out of the dryer still a little damp and laid it on the floor so happy that I was able to save my quilt!
The next morning Kitty enjoyed walking on the "octagons."
Incidentally I have decided to donate the red coin quilt. I have never been able to bring myself to use it. I have only ever displayed it on a shelf folded up like in the entertainment center below.
It is time for that red quilt to help someone else.
XX,
Jasmine
Yay! Good save! I use Synthrapol when I was new quilts with red. It's great stuff. It's the worst feeling to see a quilt bleed!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you were able to save your bed quilt. Keeping the quilt wet is absolutely the key. I hope that your husband and sons had quick and full recoveries from Covid, too.
ReplyDeleteOh my heart... Having been there with that dratted red, I was super-worried, but holy Dinah, 40 colour catchers and all that soap and Synthrapol later, and phew! It's rescued. I'm echoing what Yvonne said about recovering from Covid. I'm glad that you are going to let the unsaved quilt go to helping someone else, and I get that you haven't been able to use it yourself.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read Vicki Welsh's Save my Bleeding quilt? I had to use it on a table runner that bled and it was amazing!! https://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com/save-my-bleeding-quilt.html#/
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