Friday, June 20, 2008

A Question for Everyone Out There


I made this quilt top last night in under an hour. It measures 72 x 72. Jessie fell in love with the fruit fabric when we went down to Amish country last fall - not really my cup of tea but....there you go (and if our daughter wants to pick out fabric for me to make quilts - who am I to refuse her?).




What to do with the fruit/veggie fabrics? I found the yellow, and made a Quilt like this one.

I have this for backing it - it was on the clearance rack at my local quilt shop for $2 a yard (so I brought the whole bolt - 7 2/3 yard worth).




My only question is - do I wash the watermelon seed fabric before quilting it? It's hard to see, but it's a bright pinky-red. I usually don't like to wash fabrics beforehand - I like my quilts to pucker up good, but I'm afraid. Or does anyone have a brilliant idea on how I can wash it and not get the backing fabric to bleed through to the yellow?


See - I made Tyler's Firetruck Quilt, and he had an accident at night - the first time I washed it all the white fabrics turned pink (I had to wash it about 8 times to get most the pink out - there are still 5 or 6 blocks that are pink).


Kris

7 comments:

5 Chicks and a Farmer said...

That is a great question. I'm dying to see what others have to say.

I know that whatever you do, it will be precious and amazing. Can't wait to see it together.

I do like the fruit fabric. I think it will fit into a quilt nicely.

Have a great weekend.
Lyns

A Spoonful Of Sugar said...

Red and purples are the worst for bleeding. A it is for a child, I would prewash the backing - it would be a shame for you lovely work to be ruined. I do believe there are some colour catching sheets you can put in with the wash to absorb the colour but can't remember their name and haven't used them personally.

SewAmy said...

I would prewash the red backing. I use color catchers. They work great.

jacquie said...

Kris,
I had such a disaster with the vintage windows quilt...that old fabric bled all over. Washed the second one with Shout Color catcher sheets and not one single problem...even with vintage fabric. I've washed red and black and all sorts of colors and used those sheets and haven't had a problem yet. I got them at my grocery store.

Kristie said...

Here is something that my Grandmother told me and I do it myself and it has always worked for me!....When washing a quilt for the first time and if you are afraid that it might bleed...Fill up the washer and add 1 1/2 cups of salt (just regular kitchen table salt), add the quilt in the washer and wash. Take out and dry as soon as the washer stops! So far this has worked everytime for me. I even made a red and white quilt and did not prewash, did this on the first two washes just for safety sake and not the first bit of bleeding.
Kristie

Kristie said...

By the way...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!. I saw on your sisters blog that it was your birthday!!!!
Kristie

antique quilter said...

yes you should wash the fabric in hot water with retayne. It will set in the color and all the excess will wind up in the water not on the front of the quilt!
I throw in the wash with the retayne a fat quarter or so of apiece of white fabric or muslin to make sure it does not run on other fabrics as well.
I would not take the chance of the fabric running on my quilt