I recently picked the below lovely log cabin blocks up in a secondhand shop, they have been made by the Quilt As You Go method by hand, I was thrilled as I love these colours; they and been in storage for a while and needed to be pressed before I could work on them. While pressing them my iron came un plugged and I did not realise it, well when my iron is cooling down it is not a good idea to use it as the water comes out as water not steam and the water poured on to the corner of the dark area, not to worry I thought and plugged the iron back in and decided to press it dry to my horror when I lifted the square the white cloth under I was pressing on was blue black. This fabric bleed like a pig as the old say goes!!!!!! See below
My lovely pile of 9″ log cabin blocks
Close up of the last strip in the dark that bleed so so much
Yes that dark blue stain is from that last strip Horrors of horrors???
SO I decided to remove the last strip and see how much it would bleed, just that 1 1/2″by 9″ strip turned that dye catcher that dark??????
There was no way I could leave these strips attached as they would bleed in to the rest of the blocks no matter how many dye catches I put in.
I sat and unpick the last two strips from the log cabins one evening. These were after I and washed them twice and pressed them dry. Rather hairy edges now but not to bad.
You can see the first lot of dye catches then the second lot in the second wash!!!!!! At least I will be able to use these wee strips again on these log cabins with out a HUGE dye bleed now.
A very very dark blue black sink of water
All the last two strips removed and ready to be washed.
Pile on the right ready for the first strips to be sewn , middle pile waiting for the first strip to be pinned pile on the left I have to unpick the next two pink strips as well as they are to small to make a 9 1/2″ block. I will unpick the last pink strips and resew them with less than a 1/4″ seam and they will just make a 9 1/2 ” block I hope?????
I think I will start the centre like this but if I twist the blocks I get a dark look instead of the light soft pink look
A very dramatic look instead of a soft feminine look. Which way will I choose????
Have finished quilting all these wee log cabin blocks on the front of this shoulder bag to be????
Up Date 8.48pm Wednesday evening, I have just added the binding to the bag shape.
I cut a 1 1/2 ” bias strip from very colourful cotton fabric for my bias strip and it is pinned ready to sew down here. I stitched it down with a 1/4″ seam.
After sewing the bias strip on I pin the right side so I don’t get any tucks when I roll the bias over to pin to the back of shape.
I have turned the bag shape over and have ironed a 1/4 seam, you can see where I have started to pin the bias down.
A nice neat finish to the bag shape.
This also gives added strength to the bag when I sew the gusset in.
Now to find time to hand stitch it down!!!!
I’m just off to the beach and if I take any photos will added them when I come back.
Update 2.49pm Photo’s taken at the beach this morning, the sea was rough for us; it is usually calm as we live behind a reef.
Sea was very dirty and rough this morning but one lone swimmer braved it.
After I had breakfast the sun was trying to push its way through the clouds.
As I was leaving the beach the sun had finally arrived much to the tourists delight.
Off to link up with Esther now on her WOW or WIP’s.
http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much for dropping in Cheers Glenda
10 Responses to Saved from a dramatic black bleed in too pink log cabin blocks 29th July 2015