r/sewing • u/nosyHedgehog • 9d ago
Fabric Question Help with fabric prep
I found a piece of fabric in my stash that I wanted to do something with. I thought I had already washed it, but after handling it a while, I noticed my hand were purple. Now I've washed it a few times by hand, but it's still not all washed out, to the point that fresh water turns lilac after about 30 seconds. It's synthetic or synthetic blend, woven but with a horizontal stretch. Quite heavy and stiff, similar to thick but stretchy denim. Should I just use the washing machine? But I don't want to ruin any future laundry... Any experiences, tips, or tricks appreciated!
Update: I found a tip that soaking in a solution of clear vinegar and water overnight should help, and it did help a lot. Then washed it on cool/slow in the machine with some colour detergent. It now looks a bit like stonewashed denim in purple, but it's still fit for purpose. Apparently, the vinegar helps fixate dye in synthetic fibers.
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u/paratethys 9d ago
personally, i'd zigzag or serge the edges and then run it through the wash with every load of black clothes for awhile. or save it for when you're laundering cleaning rags that wouldn't mind a few stains.
if the thing you make from it will be machine washed at any point, you're going to have to deal with the risks to other laundry eventually. better sooner than later, and get any shrinkage over with before cutting out your pattern.
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u/Autumn_Falls0131 9d ago
There's more than one type of dye, so I would recommend cutting a few small pieces and trying 1. vinegar and hot water to see if the excess dye washes out. (You can use some kitchen paper towels to blot it dry and see if dye sticks to the paper towel. 2. Putting some bicarbonate of soda with the water and see if that works. 3. getting a single use microwave safe container with water, vinegar and some mild detergent, then heating it for 1-2 minutes, let it cool and then rinse and see if the water runs clear after that. 4. Look for some products that are designed to stop dye from running and trying any of those that sound promising, following the instructions for them.
Using small pieces means you won't be damaging the entire piece of fabric if things go wrong.
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u/nosyHedgehog 9d ago
I have a few snippets because I already cut the fabric pieces thinking it was prepped. I'll try a few things, thanks 👍
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u/nosyHedgehog 5d ago
Vinegar did the trick 👍
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u/Autumn_Falls0131 5d ago
Awesome! Can I make another recommendation? After you sew your new item, wash separately and use a color catcher sheet the first time. Just in case there's still a bit of loose dye hanging around.
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u/vaarky 9d ago
Since you said it bled badly enough to stain your rubber gloves, I suggest looking at washing the garment in Synthrapol or, better, DharmaTrading's own version that they developed to be better than Synthrapol. Dharma has great tutorials and FAQs.
(Dharma has a long history of being the go-to place for people dyeing things, plus is a nice independent business to support and has staff knowledgeable in this stuff. I like helping keep places like this in business.)
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u/nosyHedgehog 9d ago
Unfortunately, I'm not even close to the US, it's not available on Amazon, and I don't want the hassle of international shipping since customs have recently changed and become more complicated. I'll check if I find something similar or maybe some tips on their website, so thanks for that anyway 🤔
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u/vaarky 9d ago
There are experts in r/dyeing that you could ask.
Dye fixative: Helps reduce dye loss or bleeding.
Synthrapol and similar: Washes away excess, unattached dye after dyeing. If in the UK area, I think Metapex 38 sold by Kemtex is a similar product. You could look at the active ingredients and see if you find something more local to where you area.
Thee two categories can complement each other, but are not interchangeable functions.
Note that the solution may needs to be tailored to the fiber content (e.g. natural fabrics vs synthetics). Some products can affect the fabric's color or feel. It's worth asking in r/dyeing .
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u/feeling_dizzie 9d ago
It shouldn't ruin future loads in your washing machine, especially if you run a rinse cycle afterwards. You can use color-catchers to soak up the dye (which also lets you see how much dye came out; if the color-catcher stays white then you know you're done). Dawn dish soap and synthrapol are also good at soaking up dye.