HELP! My woolies are bleeding

[brightonwoman]

I was given some darling handknit shorties, and I love them, but I am having the problem that they bleed onto other fabrics if they get wet. Given that they are a diaper cover, well, it's common for them to get wet. The first time I thought it was because of compression wicking, so I stopped using them as a cover (under other clothes) and switched to just using them alone. However yesterday they bled in onto his light-colored diaper (even though the outside of the woolies still felt dry) and now post-washing the diaper is still orangy-tinged.
As one might guess, I'd like to avoid this in the future!
Can anyone give me an idea of what might fix this?
I'm wondering if maybe it was hand-dyed yarn, and the dye didn't get set properly--and if that's the case, how can I set it?

[cristeen]

That is the most likely cause. But I'll say that even my hand-dyes that I know were properly set, the red continues to bleed. Although I haven't had it stick to anything it's bled onto, it always washes out - of cotton, it might stick to synthetics.

I'd start by giving it a nice soak in a warm water bath with a little wool wash. Let it sit about half an hour and see what color the water is. If it's a light color, then there's probably not much you can do (my blue/gn/yellows still bleed the tiniest bit into soak water I discovered yesterday). If it's any more than that, then I'd recommend a vinegar bath and heat setting. The two combined should help resolve the problem. I use a mason jar with warm water, a good glug of white vinegar, add your woolies and then set it in a hot water bath and heat it until it's steaming. Let it sit at least 20 minutes at a steam, then just turn it off and let it cool. Once it's cool, rinse in tepid water to get the vinegar out.

[brightonwoman]

thanks, I will try that

[Pinoikoi]

Oh dear! Was it something I sent you? (I can't remember if I sent you any premade things, I know I sent you some wool though)..

I have lots of trouble with wool bleeding when I wash them but not when they were worn.. that sucks.

I have had so many things bleed during washing that I actually have had to do a "blue wool bucket" and then a "red wool bucket" etc.. I thought most people did that but then I learned otherwise.. so not sure what is wrong with my wool.

[brightonwoman]

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

Oh dear! Was it something I sent you? (I can't remember if I sent you any premade things, I know I sent you some wool though)..

No, you sent me yarn, not ready made woolies. I have several things that bleed a little when washed and that's no biggie, it's the bleeding onto the diaper that's sad.

Anyway, I'm finally getting around to steaming them today. thank you cristeen for the directions!! I've never dyed/set dye before.