Favorite Things Friday 9/30/11

One of my favorite things for fabric I find in the laundry aisle at my grocery store.  It is a box of Shout Color Catcher.  These sheets help me control the possible bleeding of color into surrounding fabrics in quilts. Especially reds and batiks!  When I buy new fabric, I take it down to the laundry room and fill a pail with very hot water - just enough to cover the fabric I have to treat.  I then add a tsp/yd of Retayne.  This sets the color so it will stay the color you buy.  I soak the fabric about 20 minutes and then pour the bucket into my washer and wash on the delicate cycle for 4 minutes with mild soap and one of these sheets of Shout.  Then I dry the fabric, iron it and put it into my stash.  I've done this since my third quilting project (many projects ago) to keep colors from migrating into each other and staining my quilt.  And after I finish the quilt, I will wash it one more time with a Shout sheet in the washer.

Now if you have never used these, I'm going to give away a sheet to two lucky commentators who leave a comment  to this blog post, and so they can try this niffty product.
Giveaway closes next thursday and I'll draw 2 winners on next friday.  Good luck! 

ps:  I'm in no way affiliated with Shout - hehe.

Go on over to my left sidebar and click on the Shay's Favorite Things Friday button and see what others are showcasing.

16 comments:

  1. Both of those products sound terrific but I've never heard of them here. Don't think they are available but others will probably tell me now. They certainly sound terrific.
    cheers
    Helen

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  2. Don't you have to finish a quilt first to need one?????....giggle.

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  3. I have one of those sheets kicking round somewhere . Sometimes I pre-wash and sometimes not and I just know one of these days I'm going to get caught out!

    I think I'll invest in a box and chuck them in with every new quilt I wash...

    Thanks for the reminder!

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  4. I love those sheets. I have never used that other thing you mentioned (Retayne or whatever) but with blacks, batiks, and any other dark color that I think will run I use them. I also put one in a baggie when I give a quilt away with some colors I'm not sure I trust and tell them what it is to be used for.

    I have to take my laundry out to do so I don't always prewash. If I think a color will be bad I do have a pail where I fill up with hot soapy water to see. I keep rinsing until it goes clear (or until I get too tired of doing it). Don't put my name in though since I already know about these sheets. I'd rather it go to somebody who hasn't tried them before. :) Just wanted to share my thoughts on such a great product (and no, I'm not affiliated with them either).

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  5. Your timing is perfect. I have to admit I just included an iffy red in a quilt I'm making, just because I love it so much. I hadn't heard of Retayne, but will be googling it asap...and it sounds as if a color catcher is just what I need.

    Thanks for the giveaway, and for a blog I really enjoy reading.

    wordygirl at earthlink dot net

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  6. I haven't tried these products but I have heard of them. I wish I had them before I made my wall hanging. Yes, it contains a small amount of red batik which ran when my long arm quilter removed her markings. I wonder if there is anything I can do at this point?
    Anyway, thanks for the give away!

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  7. Wonderful products. I have no problem and I only use the shout sheets. If I am concerned it might run a lot I use two sheets ( for a finished top) and then I check them when wash is done. If they are very discolored I run through the cyle again but without any soap and check color on sheets again before drying. They are usually very lightly discolored on that second time. I have no further problems and often wait until the whole quilt is done. I too have given sheets and instructions to those I gifted with quilts but several have just returned them to me for the first washings. Don't enter me in the drawing either, Angie. I couldn't find mine when we were moving so I now have two boxes.

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  8. I love these things -- I save them after they're colorful and use them in my art quilts! You can stitch on them and cut them up and they don't fray. They're wonderful!

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  9. Sounds like a great product! Thanks for a chance to win! :)

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  10. I have not tried this product but would love the chance.
    I would hate to have a color run and ruin a quilt I had
    put alot of work into.

    Thank you for the giveaway and a chance to win.

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. I have heard wicked good things about Shout color catchers. I finally found a coupon for some in my Sunday paper, but they seemed awfully high at the grocery store and our Target doesnt stock Shout products at all. I'm gonna look for them at Wal-Mart and check 'em out. The Retayne sounds great, too. Can you buy it at any old fabric shop or is it a specialty item? I haven't come across it before. Thanks for the great info!

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  12. I love, love, love the Color Catchers!

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  13. I heard of these but my mom said no when she saw the price. This way, can use as a trial and see if it will work for us. Thanks for the chance.

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  14. Color Catchers are fantastic. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  15. I've used the color catchers but, not the Retayne. I also haven't used it like you do. Sounds like a great plan. I do prewash all my fabrics.

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  16. I have been wanting to try the Color Catcher

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Thank you for stopping by. It's always nice to hear from you. I try to reply to each and every one of you, but sometimes life gets in the way. I hope you understand. Blessings.

Flimsy Coming Soon

Three days of playing with scraps and yardage. Just need 2 borders to make this a finished baby quilt flimsy. Blessings,