Suppliers have advised that users should be aware of the following:
- Embroidery threads are spun from cotton, natural silk, linen, wool or mohair.
- Each hand dye lot is unique and some variations may occur between purchases.
- If this should be a problem in your intended project then it is advisable to ensure that you have enough threads of the same dye lot to complete your work before starting.
- If the same dye lot is unavailable then chose the colour that is closest to your original (remembering that the threads are “hand” dyed and this is part of the fun and uniqueness of using this type of embroidery threads).
Although the problem is rare, the threads are not guaranteed to be colourfast and if washing is necessary the following actions limit the risk of damaging the work due to colour bleed:
- Wash in tepid water using pure soap only.
- Roll in a towel to remove excess water and dry flat.
- Press on the wrong side using a dry iron
- Consider adding a sheet of “Colour Catcher” (found in most supermarkets) to catch any loose dye in the wash or can be used to blot the area if bleeding occurs.
- The deeper colour shades and especially in silk threads are more likely to run or bleed than the others.
- If this happens then run cold water over the affected piece until the water runs clear. Do not allow the embroidery to dry out until the dye no longer runs.
- Hot water, steam or some detergents may reactivate the dyes causing further bleeding to occur.
Please Note: This can also happen with all brands of hand or over dyed threads and with some dark “solid” coloured machine dyed threads.
According to feedback this is a rare occurrence and with care these beautiful pieces of embroidery stay that way and give much pleasure to the viewer.
