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Problem with starch technique to ease in excess fabric


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Just finished a king quilt for a new customer. The 2" border didn't look that bad lying on the check in table but had some excess fabric when I was quilting. Happened to watch a video this morning about how easy it is to use starch to ease in excess fabric. I have been aware of the technique but had never tried it.

First excess in the border came out great so I decided to touch up some of the other spots of the border that had some excess fabric. (You know that I really wanted to do a great job for the new customer!) At one point apparently the excess had extended into the body of the quilt. I sprayed on the starch and made a pass over it with the seam and watched the yellow spread across the WHITE background. At first I thought there might have been something on the bottom of my iron but it appeared to be ok.

I am assuming that the dye came out of the yellow fabric in the block of the quilt. Need suggestions on how to try to remove the discoloration and how to deal with the customer.

Do I suggest that she go ahead and bind the quilt and then wash it? Will the color catchers that I have heard about maybe help. Did the steam set the color so it will never come out? It is commercial fabric rather than hand dyed. Would appreciate any help you can give me. Did the steam make the color run or is there a possible that all of that fabric may run when she washes it.

What type of compensation should I offer?

At least this is not a show quilt. She mentioned it was going to her daughter and the dog would probably be sleeping on it.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

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Get some Synthropol and send her home with enough to wash the quilt after she binds it. Write out the instructions of how to use it. The steam was not the cause. All of that fabric will likely run when washed. It is up to the customer to pre wash, but it is up to you to tell them up front you are not responsible for fabric bleeds if you must wet the fabric for whatever reason. I doubt the steam has set the dye, and Synthropol is a miracle product. You can finish the quilting,make sure the edges are sewn securely..trim the quilt an inch beyond the edge and offer to launder it for her. Then block it so she will have a nice square quilt to bind. I am guessing a good deal of it will come out. But you must tell the customer, apologize, and I would give a discount, but that is up to you.

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I did this very thing and it wasn't the bleeding of the fabric. I had  a white backing and I blamed it on the starch.  I took a damp cloth and wiped across the yellowed area and most of it came out, but I did tell the customer to launder the quilt.  I won't use starch again.  I will spritz with water and then steam the fullness into place.  Should work just as well.  

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Someone suggested that perhaps the discoloration was from the starch and suggested that I use a damp cloth and try wiping it off. I think it has taken off all the discoloration. Will check again in the morning but I think it is ok.

Thanks for the suggestions.

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I would hazard to guess that the yellowing is the starch.  I have some white uniform shirts that I starch and iron.  With one brand of starch, I found the shirts had yellow shade after ironing.  It easily came out in the wash.  It might come out after your quilt the top, and simply spray it with water.  I switched starch brands.  Sorry I do not remember the brand.

 

Best of luck to you.

 

Cagey

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Could have been any of the above causing it, however, having experience with Synthrapol, it works miracles!  One of my older threads has pictures of what I dealt with at one point with a running marker - it came out perfectly with Synthrapol.

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