I thought I would post about an experience I had several weeks ago when I decided to get ready to use some of my Katie Jump Rope fabric by Denyse Schmidt that I have been drooling over for months and months now. I have been very excited about this line of fabric, I love the primary colors that somehow remind me of growing up in the 70's. Luckily, I recently have made it a habit to prewash all the fabrics I use in a quilt. Mainly, I have done this with the purpose of preshrinking, but now I have realized another important reason to prewash! I never would have thought that a quality quilting fabric from Westminster would ever have any issues with the color running!
Here in this photo you can see all the Katie Jump Rope fabrics (minus one) after I washed them all together on a warm cycle in my front loader... The colors look ok, right?
Now, have a look at the yellow dotted fabric I had in the same wash load. Looks a bit grey, right? Well, I was not happy and I wrote to the Denyse Schmidt Studio and sent a swatch of this fat quarter to let them know that their fabric didn't wash well. Imagine how I would have felt if I had made the entire quilt and then washed it! I would have been very sorry indeed!
The Studio wrote me back and thanked me for letting them know about the problem. They sent me a replacement fat quarter and suggested that I use a dye magnet in the washing machine so I wouldn't have problems like this in future. I guess I will, but how many of you out there use a dye magnet when prewashing fabric? Don't you usually assume that a high quality fabric will not run? Anyway, I'm glad they replaced my fat quarter but it does concern me about Westminster's quality control.
9 comments:
I love reading your blog and have been wondering what you have been creating lately as there have been so few posts. I am sorry to hear that you have been unwell, take care and I hope you are feeling better soon.
PS. I also love the new look.
ACK - I am still thankful that you warned me, I hope I remember when I go to use it. I know that my initial foray into Katie Jump Rope will only use the blue/greens...
Oh, have you been to a dentist? Somethign might be stuck way up on your tooth - under the gums...
Oh wow that is quite a difference in the fabrics. So glad you didn't make the quilt yet too! And I hope you feel better soon. Being sick, and especially in pain, is horrible!
Do you have trigeminal neuralgia? My sister has had problems with that since she hurt her face in a fall; all I can say is, I hope you don't! Good luck. Keep us posted.
Yes, I suspect that, but I am really hoping its not! I am absolutely miserable at the moment and just hoping that the pain is connected to my virus in some way. I go to the doctor again soon.
That is so amazing what happened to that fat quarter. I am with you that I never would have expected quality quilting cotton to run like that.
I sure hope you feel better soon. Could it be shingles? That can be so painful and you might not be able to find the very small lesion that usually show up but it irritates the nerves terribly.
I'm so glad to know this! I do not prewash, but for these I will...especially since I am going to use them in a quilt with a white background. thanks for the info!
I must admit I use the dye magnet stuff all the time - pre-washing fabrics and in a normal clothes wash. Perhaps a bit over cautious but best to be safe than sorry. I do agree that quality fabrics shouldn't react as yours did and I'm glad to hear you got a replacement.
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