Several of the vendors were selling fat quarters of these woven plaids and stripes made in India - they have a nice weight to them, not flimsy. The ribbon says "Fabric Freedom" which is a British company, but I don't see anything like this on their website.
Siobhan bought some of this as well. Doesn't it look lovely on the washline?
And why is it important to pre-wash your fabric? Well at 4:00am other night, one of the cats (I'm looking at you, Habibi) knocked a plate and one of my favorite mugs onto the kitchen floor, making all sorts of crashy bashy noise. I couldn't get back to sleep and groggily went out to the recliner. In my stupor, I knocked my current hand-quilting project Orphan Train onto the floor.
I've mentioned that one of my cats, Howler, is a problem child. He wees on the sofa and has also gotten various bits of clothing and our bed (now we have to make sure the bedroom door is always closed). Well, you guessed it. He peed on Orphan Train. Twice. Aiyee.
Later in the morning, still too early for clear thinking, I used the nearby spray bottle of Urine Gone. That stuff works great on the sofa, but after I used it I panicked that I'd just sprayed smelly chemicals on my quilt. So I rushed it into the tub and dashed water on it. Of course my husband had just taken a shower so it was hot water. Sigh. One of the hand-dyes bled all over, but luckily I think it just dyed the backing and batting.
So yes, it could have been much worse, but "accidents happen" is one more reason to pre-wash quilting fabric (in addition to getting rid of the chemicals in the fabric sizing). I didn't pre-wash this hand-dye because it had supposedly already been washed twice. sigh.
Yesterday I had a delightful lunch with Margaret who is taking a weekend break here in Paris. We wandered through the the fabric shops of Montmartre and I managed to hold off from buying more silk, which always calls to me from those shops.
Gorgeous fabric! I had to smile at your clothesline photo -- I have a picture of saris on a clothesline by my kitchen phone. Sorry about Orphan Train, but I'm glad it's just on the back.
ReplyDeleteMy learning experience came many years ago when a friend and I sat on a new "picnic" quilt I had made to keep in the car for picnics. My friend spilled his drink, the fabrics on the quilt bled... right onto his clothes.
ReplyDeleteNow when I buy fabric, I don't even bring it into the sewing room. It goes directly into the washing machine.
Those colors are great!
I think the fabric you picked up is gorgeous! So rich looking. Sorry about the orphan train...but since it appears to be on the back, maybe it will just add 'character' to the quilt?
ReplyDeleteWell, if I weren't allergic to cats. Anyhow, lovely colors.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous fabrics you've added to your stash. Thanks for the reminder about prewashing! I don't always do it but know I should!!
ReplyDeleteLovely fabrics Tonya. I feel your pain on the bleeding issue, I too have had a hand dye bleed on a quilt for a competition. Fortunately I was able to fix the problem, but that was more luck than anything. Interestingly, it was the same colour that had bled on your quilt.
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a great weekend.
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)
I think pre-washing is a good idea but even then I've had some fabrics bleed. So sorry about your quilt but at least it's just the back. Gives it personality and individuality...
ReplyDeleteThe bright Indian fabrics look like some creole fabrics I bought on St. Lucia. Very fun!
I guess that's one of the dangers of hand dyed. I've have quilts that came out looking just like yours! Actually if I've used other hand-dyed fabrics in the quilt the bleeding sort of makes the background, backing etc. match so I've become philosophical about bleeding problems now. I guess only for my own quilts though. I'd probably have a panic attack if one of my gift quilts bled before I gave it to the person!
ReplyDeleteOh Habibi, you've got a lot to answer for!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous gorgeous fabrics - I love the oranges - and well done for keeping your hands in your pockets when passing those silks. I keep on thinking about those batiks in Reine.
Love, love, love those new fabrics. I'd be so tempted by those :0).
ReplyDeleteAs for the quilt? Bad kitty! (and, well, it could also be partially the chemicals that caused some of the problem?)
Gorgeous fabrics!
ReplyDeleteKitty just being kitty, I'd say...
You did and saw marvelous things in England, I'd say. Good for you and Siobhan.
love the fabrics-good that the mishap with the cat/quilting in progress is not a total disaster..what a learning experience however. And, a visit with another fabric lover/quilter-how great is that! happy to read of the wonderful visit with Sio
ReplyDeleteLove the fabric on the line. Sorry about the bleeder. I have a couple of 20-year-old quilts that still have bleeders. Can you get any Retayne to help get the excess color out?
ReplyDeleteI love your beautiful fabric finds on your clothes line! Just so pretty, waving in the wind. I also had a bleeding adventure...I made a quilt from red linen (couldn't resist that particular red). I did prewash it, too. Then when I went to wash the finished quilt, it ran...and ran...and ran! About 10 washes later, and much wear on the quilt, it is mostly out. I am sorry for your kittie mishap!
ReplyDeleteOuch, it hurts to see the bleeding on your gorgeous hand quilting. Gorgeous, gorgeous photos of the stones and of the fabrics on the line, to DIE for :-).
ReplyDeleteOh, those two rows of plaids! Love 'em both! If I had to choose though, I'd take the oranges ;- )
ReplyDeleteOuch, ouch, ouch. I feel your pain. I'm firmly in the pre-wash camp. I should have taken photos of the purple dye in my white carpet but I was too busy scrubbing! It looked like blueberry juice had been poured on it.
ReplyDeleteLove your new fabrics. :-)
same thing happened to me on an art quilt ready to go off to the exhibit. Hot water and synthrapol did the trick. I had used someone else's hand dyes and the red ran.
ReplyDelete