Fugitive Dye

Yesterday I wet finished the second batch of linen place mats. I expected the dye to run and tossed 3 Color Catchers into the washing machine and let it run through the wash cycle with hot water wash, cold water rinse, with a double rinse.

At the end of that cycle I dug around until I found the Color Catcher and immediately started another complete cycle with 3 more. The result after that cycle is the middle of the three colours in the photo.

Noticing a rather more significant amount of colour, I set up the machine for a 3rd complete cycle. Later when it was just beginning the final rinse, I popped the lid up and saw that the water in the tub was completely clear, so I stopped the agitation and started the spin cycle.

Now there isn’t a whole lot of difference between 2 and 3, but the test was the water – which was clear at that point.

I can now proceed with the pressing, hemming, final press and tagging.

These will not be ready for the big craft fair at the end of this month. But they might be for the guild sale in December.

Wet finishing is the stage where things like fugitive dye can be dealt with.

No, I don’t soak the web for 24 hours. That is an open invitation for fugitive dye molecules go walk about and settle somewhere you don’t want it. Once the fibre is fully saturated, it is fully saturated. Letting it soak for hours is not exactly a benefit when there is fugitive dye.

I use the gentle wash and rinse cycles. I try to not set ‘permanent’ creases by using the high speed spin during wet finishing. After the cloth has been given a hard press it will tend to resist creasing – a little bit. Once a ‘permanent’ crease has been set it can be quite difficult to remove. One way is to subject the cloth to higher heat than previously experienced, then do not introduce more creases by wringing or using the highest spin cycle. If you don’t have a ‘gentle’ spin, turn the machine off once you don’t hear water gurgling down the drain anymore. Beyond that, you encourage permanent creases to set.

I’m done eating my lunch so I need to head down to the studio. I want to get the mats I wet finished yesterday pressed. They may not dry in time to begin hemming tonight, but I need to make sure I get them ready – if not for Studio Fair, then the guild room sale.