Now I'm building up enough for my new niece's quilt, I really do need to get piecing (more on that soon).
In the meantime, the days are hot and are ideal for washing and hanging the fabrics on the line.
Trouble is, I'm not at all sure how to go about it. So I'm going to show you photos of what needs washing and ask you to tell me what should be washed with what.
Ready?
First off is this lot. I'm going to split the darks from the lights and add to piles from ....
.... this lot.
Again, split the lights from the darks and split again, making a glorious pile of pink fabric!
However, the next photo is the problem.
The solids I can sort. No problem. Apart from not wanting to untie them from their oh so pretty piles.
It's the batiks. It says on the label "hand wash only". The fabric is quite thick and I think will withstand a quick 30° wash. I'll split them up into lights and darks, but am worried that they will run and I'll loose the pattern.
I'd take a chance, but the fabrics are so gorgeous I am dreading it!
Most of the pinks are going into my niece's quilt, which will get A LOT of washing.
Should I chance it?
Answers on a postcard please!
Next post will be photo of photo of proposed quilt. I love it!
Sorry - meant to mention I have loads of Color Catchers.
5 comments:
could i help you with a bundle of color catchers?
give me your address and i'll send you some!
irene from amsterdam
Irene. Thanks for the offer, but that IS one thing France has cottoned on to and I have loads. I'm just worried about the batiks.
Since I spent a good part of today helping a fellow quilter with her hand appliqued and hand quilted award winning quilt that the blue batik ran dreadfully the first time she rinsed the quilt I would strongly recommend washing the batiks. I have only ever had one not do well in the machine...but isn't it nice to learn that before it is part of your quilt?!
Wea re heading to the Dordogne next Friday is the quilt shop in Cognac still around? Google is not my friend today. Run by a lovely Dutch couple.
I work at a quilt shop, Fabric Fanatics, when only batiks will do... I, and my colleagues use batiks all the time and we wash them in cold and dry them. I do not pre-wash anything except true red and then with a color catcher. The owner follows the same practice. One of the girls pre-washes a few other colors - the ones which appear the most saturated with color. Good luck with your fabrics and check us out on-line if you get a chance, we ship internationally. All our batiks are $8US all the time and we only charge actual postage. www.fabricfanatics.com...oh yeah, we are having a grand opening (moved to a new location) Aug 25-27 and all batiks will be $6US. Sorry this is starting to sound like a commercial. I really just wanted to make the point that the new fabrics have better finishing techniques, therefore, less worry about instability of the dyes.
Post a Comment