Tips

Prevent in color bleed in washing
With mixed colors and white cottons I give them a vinegar bath before the first washing. A cup of vinegar to a couple of gallons of water. I squeeze the sweater in the water and if keep it moving. Rinse and if you see color coming out in the water rinse until the water is clear. If it doesn't stop releasing color. Repeat the vinegar wash. It is rare to have to do it twice. Wash the garment and rinse thoroughly. Watch the rinse water and besure there isn't any color coming out. Keep rinsing until the water is clear. I usually put the cotton sweaters in the machine and spin the water out at that point. Put the sweater in the drier and tumble with a couple of soft bath towels until almost dry. Take out and shape and let finish drying. Check occasionally for color run the first time you wash the garment. If it shows just wash it again until it stops. Don't let the color dry in the sweater if it does bleed. The colors that bleed are excess dye. The goverment regulations on dyes prevents them from using something to set the colors. This works well with washing needlework too. I have also used the vinegar rinse with wool garments that I thought might bleed. With wools keep the water cool and the wash and rinse water the same temperature

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