| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| gvanv |
Posted - 03/01/2008 : 17:33:16
I recently purchased some Crescent Colours floss -- mostly browns! -- and seeing it was labelled "not colourfast", I thought I'd just have to rinse it out a couple of times. Which I have, but it won't stop bleeding. The weird thing is that it doesn't bleed in the water, or on the first piece of paper towel it's blotted on, but once it's left to dry on a clean piece of paper towel, it starts depositing colour!
I really like the colour blends and would like to use them, but I also want to wash my finished pieces before framing, and I don't want to deal with bleeding colours at that point. Does anyone have any suggestions?
TIA
Gail van Varseveld |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Periphaeria |
Posted - 03/03/2008 : 19:00:22
quote:
Do you happen to have an equivalent solution for silk? 
Unfortunately not and I have also heard the recommendation that silk shouldn't be washed or rinsed.
Though silk is dyed in water/dye/chemical solution, so rinsing it gently with lukewarm water shouldn't harm it.
You might also want to try to steam it (easy solution would probably be to take a kettle, put some water in it, bring it to boil insert the skein on a strainer, put the strainer on top of the kettle and close the lid as well as possible (maybe wrap a kitchen towel around the top of the kettle to reduce steam leaks)).
quote:
I'm a bit mystified: since these companies are all in business, someone must be using their products, but what are they doing with the finished pieces? I've seen dry cleaning mentioned, but I'm a little leery of exposing my precious work to harsh chemicals. Any experience out there?
Well, the spirit if hand-dyed floss is that making it colour proof is, not impossible but, very, very difficult (DMC, Coats and such have big money to put in the latest equipment, therefore they are usually colourfast).
Personally I try to keep my stitching clean, rinse the cottons before I start and keep my hands clean when I stitch.
I have heard that the best way to clean a silk project is to dry clean it, and as that came from a person who dyes silk for a living I believe her.
The fibers have already been exposed to chemicals during the dye process so in that sense it's not that much worse - though you should always make sure that you get your project dry cleaned in a fresh solution.
You would probably enjoy reading articles about silk by Victoria Clayton at Hand-dyefibers.com.
"To err is human--and to blame it on a computer is even more so."
-- Robert Orben
Periphaeria Designs
The Spanish Sampler Mystery Stitch-A-Long |
| gvanv |
Posted - 03/03/2008 : 18:37:11
I was just about to consign these fibres to paper towel forever, but your suggestion of vinegar & water worked beautifully! Subseqent rinsing in plain water yielded a bit more colour, but not enough to make me afraid to use the thread for stitching. Thank you, Periphaeria!
Do you happen to have an equivalent solution for silk? I've got a skein of Gloriana blue/purple which is taking an awful lot of rinsing -- the bleed is getting less, but I didn't buy these things to do more laundry!
BTW, I shouldn't have labelled this Cresent Colours -- I've also got some Weeks Dye Works and have in past run into GA Sampler Threads which bled. I'm a bit mystified: since these companies are all in business, someone must be using their products, but what are they doing with the finished pieces? I've seen dry cleaning mentioned, but I'm a little leery of exposing my precious work to harsh chemicals. Any experience out there?
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| Periphaeria |
Posted - 03/01/2008 : 18:01:40
Not colourfast refers to the fact that it can bleed at any given time, and in my opinion nice, moist paper towel is the nicest place to bleed on as the thread stays there.
Few things you could try:
1. vinegar + water bath (taken that you are using CC cotton. Do NOT do this if you are using silk, you destroy the fiber.)
2. steaming
3. boiling
4. gentle wash + water/vinegar solution + good rinsing in lukewarm water
All these methods will lighten the colours somewhat or more, but that can't be helped.
I have also ironed my floss sometimes to give it nice, quick heat exposure. 
"To err is human--and to blame it on a computer is even more so."
-- Robert Orben
Periphaeria Designs
The Spanish Sampler Mystery Stitch-A-Long |
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