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Color fixative?

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cathy

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Dec 10, 2003, 11:05:16 PM12/10/03
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I bought a holiday tablecloth last year. 100% cotton, in dark blue and
white. Package said to wash in cold water. I did, but the blue ran
horribly, and all the white parts of the tablecloth ended up a pale
blue. Not unpleasant, but not the look I wanted.

This year the same store has the same tablecloths on sale again, so I
took the damaged one in and they exchanged it for a brand new one.

My question is, is there something I can put in the wash water to make
the blue dye not run? I'm open to any suggestion anyone might have as
to how I can preserve this new tablecloth and keep the colors intact.

Cathy

forgottenmuse

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Dec 10, 2003, 11:24:45 PM12/10/03
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cathy wrote:

I have heard that you can use ordinary table salt to set colors and prevent
running. I'm not sure of the amount but I think you use quite a bit. I bet
someone here would know more about this.

Good luck,
Bonnie

Lizzy Taylor

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Dec 11, 2003, 7:54:12 AM12/11/03
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cathy wrote:

> My question is, is there something I can put in the wash water to make
> the blue dye not run? I'm open to any suggestion anyone might have as
> to how I can preserve this new tablecloth and keep the colors intact.

over on the quilting newsgroup they swear synthrapol and dye magnets.
Apparently the synthrapol "grabs" onto the loose dye in the wash water
and stops it reattaching to the fabric, and the dye magnet soaks up the
colour into itelf. I've not used either as they are not readily
available in the UK, but they may be worth a try.

HTH

Lizzy

--
Lizzy Taylor
Heywood, Lancashire, UK 53:36:00N 2:06:00E
http://www.thetaylorfamily.org.uk
mailto:li...@thetaylorfamily.org.uk

Jenn Ridley

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Dec 11, 2003, 7:08:10 AM12/11/03
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cathy <cwel...@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote:

Many quilt shops, and some fabric stores, have something called
Retayne. It's intended to set the dye when dyeing at home. (Carbona
may make something similar, but I haven't checked their displays
recently).

Retayne will set the dye in the fabric, but it won't do anything about
the excess dye coming out of the fabric, which may actually be the
problem. For that, you'll want something like Synthrapol. Synthrapol
is a detergen which keeps the excess dye from re-depositing on the
fabric. ISTR that Tide made something like that as well, but since I
don't buy Tide, I don't know if they still do.

Synthrapol may be available at a quilt shop near you, or you can order
it from www.dharmatrading.com (nayy). If you've got a well stocked
artist's supply place near you, you might find it there, as well.

jenn
--
Jenn Ridley
jri...@chartermi.net

Joy Hardie

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Dec 11, 2003, 7:48:48 AM12/11/03
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On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 12:54:12 +0000, Lizzy Taylor
<li...@thetaylorfamily.org.uk> wrote:

>cathy wrote:
>
>> My question is, is there something I can put in the wash water to make
>> the blue dye not run? I'm open to any suggestion anyone might have as
>> to how I can preserve this new tablecloth and keep the colors intact.

Lizzy wrote>


>over on the quilting newsgroup they swear synthrapol and dye magnets.
>Apparently the synthrapol "grabs" onto the loose dye in the wash water
>and stops it reattaching to the fabric, and the dye magnet soaks up the
>colour into itelf. I've not used either as they are not readily
>available in the UK, but they may be worth a try.

Synthrapol is a soap for washing out starches and dirt and is used to
thoroughly clean your fabric before the dying process or to remove
excess dye afterwards. I don't think you want that.

Dye Magnets and other type products remove "loose" dye from the water
bath and trap them so they are not allowed to "run" over to other
clothes and muddle up the whole wash (ie. an accidental red sock
turning the whole laundry pink) It works great, but I don't think
this is what you want.

Salt, as it was explained to me, is used to "open the pores" of the
fabric and does something else magical to allow the fabric to accept
dye in the dying process so this suggestion does sound like it might
have some possibilities if you are open to experimentation.

VINEGAR - this is the option I would go with!! The last step of
nearly every dying process I have followed has been to add vinegar to
"SET" the dye. Even when dying colored eggs in spring the vinegar is
added to set the dye. So, logically, my first choice would be
vinegar.

(Bear in mind I am known to be a great experimentor and I have lived
with many of my failures, so I am by no means the end all of knowledge
on the subject. I would call a company called Dharma for more advice.
They sell dyes and can give you professional knowledge that is better
than mine.)

Joy

Lizzy Taylor

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Dec 11, 2003, 9:28:26 AM12/11/03
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Joy Hardie wrote:

> Synthrapol is a soap for washing out starches and dirt and is used to
> thoroughly clean your fabric before the dying process or to remove
> excess dye afterwards. I don't think you want that.

You may be right, but Jenn (see later posting) has used the name of the
other product often recommended - Retayne. The problem is the names
don't stick for me because they are not UK retail products.

Kate Dicey

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Dec 11, 2003, 9:01:43 AM12/11/03
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Commercially dyed things do not tend to respond to home remedies. Best
to wash it using a dye magnet or two.
--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Maureen Wozniak

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Dec 11, 2003, 9:07:23 AM12/11/03
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I'd second this. Dharma Trading company sells the synthropol and I can
usually find dye magnets in the laundry aisle of the grocery store.

Maureen

Trishty

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Dec 11, 2003, 9:15:22 AM12/11/03
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On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 04:05:16 GMT, cathy wrote:

> I bought a holiday tablecloth last year. 100% cotton, in dark blue and
> white. Package said to wash in cold water. I did, but the blue ran
> horribly, and all the white parts of the tablecloth ended up a pale

> blue. <snip>


That blue is probably natural indigo, and it's notoriously fugitive.
Washing the tablecloth again in a product that 'unlocks' the dye that's
bled into the white bits might be helpful. In England, that's called
Dyegone, but in the US it might go under another name.

You can expect the blue to be lost for quite some time with an indigo-dyed
cloth - this is why your jeans fade over time. If you don't want that
natural fading, Dharma Trading can probably give you advice.

:) Trish

Joy Hardie

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Dec 11, 2003, 12:17:36 PM12/11/03
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Oh my goodness....I have just re-read the post. I thought your
problem was that the original tablecloth had washed out to a light
blue from a dark blue and you wanted to prevent the loss of the blue
dye on the new table cloth. But, now I see that you need to keep the
white areas of the tablecloth from accepting the loose blue
dye.....thus the Synthrapol soap removes excess dyes and the dye
magnet will keep it from locking onto the white. I know you have a
product like it in the UK as I first purchased it while living there
under a different name (perhaps "Run Away"?) and brought back several
boxes because I was so thrilled with it. It took a couple years
before the similar product showed up on our shelves.
I need sleep. I will read more closely next time.
Joy

cathy

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Dec 11, 2003, 1:45:47 PM12/11/03
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Wow!! Thanks, everyone, for all the suggestions! My head's spinning!
<G>

It sounds to me like the best solution is a dye magnet. I know the
blue dye will run (the tablecloth was made in India), but I just don't
want it to discolor the white parts of the tablecloth. So from
everyone's description of a dye magnet, that sounds like my best
solution.

I'm in Los Angeles, so I'm sure I'll be able to find the right
product, now that I know what to look for.

I'll let you all know how it comes out after I wash it!

Thanks again!
Cathy

Mark M.

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Dec 17, 2003, 11:58:41 AM12/17/03
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What is the name of the dye magnet or is it called just that "dye magnet".
I live in the Chicago area.

Am making a quilt for my mom and the back is a blue print fabric. I did
prewash all the fabric, but as I was sewing it left blue color on my
machine. I don't know if it will run when I wash it. There are white
patches in the quilt.

Thanks,
Carol

Gallagher

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Dec 22, 2003, 3:43:22 PM12/22/03
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I got mine in the laundry detergent of the grocery store. There are several
on the market: Woolite makes one, etc.

"Mark M." <countryman...@NOTcomcast.net> wrote in message
news:0X%Db.575758$Tr4.1550530@attbi_s03...

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