Dye catcher....avoid disaster

This is why I always wash fabric before using in a quilt or quilted project.  I had a stack of fat quarters....blues, a couple of greens, a black, and some purples...that needed to be washed.  I threw a white dye catcher sheet into each load.  And this is what I got back.... Excess dye that I do not want to bleed onto the backing or of other fabrics in the project. 
Better safe than sorry.
Happy stitching.

Washing fabric

I prefer to wash fabrics when they come in my door.  I use a short cycle--about 5 minute wash-- and get it over with and done.  I know other quilters who never wash because they like the crisp finish on the fabric.  My number one reason to wash is dye bleeding....one accidental bleed years ago convinced me of that.  I also use a dye catcher cloth when I wash finished quilts to hopefully stop that event from happening again. 
So, today I am washing fabrics.  The first load was a piece of white--about 6 yards long--that I was given several years ago and stuck away.  I pulled it out to use as a backing and knew it needed to be washed first.  Then the mail arrived.........yeah, I know I don't need anymore fabric, but 30 yards for $35 was too much to resist.  I threw out the stash busting scoreboard and bid and won 2 lots on ebay.  Justification:  all florals, mostly Hoffman's  and in large cuts that could be used for backings.  And I am a sucker for florals.  Here's a look.

Without a doubt I have the yardage now to do a french braid in floral fabrics,  a split 9 patch in floral fabrics, and lots more watercolor/colorwash quilts.  Better finish the washing, so I can press and fold and hunt for a place to stash this haul.  Happy stitching.