Crochet thread color bleed

[Patty1sch]

Boo hoo!  I've been making doilies for the bazaar and 3 of them have red and white in them.  When I starched them, one turned out just fine.  So I put two of them in the starch together - different day and new starch solution.  And boy did they bleed!  I must have used a different ball of red thread (a donation).  I've crocheted for years and have never had this problem.   I did some googling and got some suggestions, but thought I'd check here and see if I can get better ideas.  Most of the suggestions were for BEFORE I soak it in the starch.   I've read about vinegar to set the colors, hydrogen peroxide to take the red out of the white, but the way this pattern is created, it won't work.  I'm at a loss.  Shall I chalk it up to experience and make new doilies?

[Donna]

I'm no thread expert. I think someone who knows more than me will come along with an answer. But once I did a thread project with baby blue and black. After completing the project, I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed (the black was bleeding) under lukewarm water until the water ran clear. But my item was not starched. You could try to rinse them thoroughly until all the red comes out and then re-starch them. I don't know if it's too late now that they've bled and dried.

[Tampa Doll]

I usually wash my stuff, before I starch it, to alleviate this problem.  I also use color catcher sheets to take any color that will normally end up in the water and keep it from going on to anything else. 

Now as for getting color out, I have used Clorox2 spray, give it 5 minutes, then wash it.  That is the best I can think of.  Maybe someone else will have a better answer for you.

Problem is, once the color has run and is caught on another color, it is a process to get it out.

I wash everything, thread or yarn before I give it.

[Granny Square]

Before clicking on the discussion, I thought "it's gonna be red !".  I've had it happen with red & white kitchen cotton potholders, but not other colors.  I'm no help suggesting a fix, I just live with the resulting red and pinkish potholders.   

Come to think of it...I wonder if heat has anything to do with it.  I'm mostly a monochrome white or beige threadie but last year I made one that was mostly red (this pattern https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/santas-by-the-dozen) and it didn't bleed.  When I block doilies I wet them with cold water, spritz liberally with spray starch, wring them out and then pin block.  

[Patty1sch]

I  always use cold water.  And I've blocked several multicolored doilies with no problems.  Since I had no trouble with the first doily, I wonder if it was just the old ball of thread that I used.  Still, that doesn't solve this problem.  I definitely can't sell it at a bazaar, so I guess I'll just make two more, using a different ball of thread.  Good thing it's an easy pattern.  Thanks for your response!

[bgs]

Just throwing this out there.  Wonder what soaking it in Oxyclean would do to it?  I dont have much experience with it as first time I used it I learned I am allergic to it.

[Patty1sch]

I tried it on one of them, Brenda - soaked it overnight, but there was still bleeding where the red is crocheted onto the white.  It did make the other white brighter.

Patty

[bgs]

3 hours ago, Patty1sch said:

I tried it on one of them, Brenda - soaked it overnight, but there was still bleeding where the red is crocheted onto the white.  It did make the other white brighter.

Patty

Well now we know that doesnt work and that oxyclean is safe to use on colors!

Edited August 19, 2019 by bgs