Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabric 2026 Challenge - Sketchbook Add-On Fat Quarter Bundle

Hopefully, we all have memories of snuggling in at night for storytime, anticipating a story that captured our imagination. Remember that one book you just HAD to read over and over? The illustrations were just so beautiful and the story was just right.

Books published in the past had a certain illustrative style, quality, paper, feel and even smell. The Classics bring joy to generation after generation of hungry minds. 

That's the feeling we are trying to capture with this Challenge.

• Cherrywood 2026 Storytime Challenge - Add-On Sketchbook Fat Quarter Bundle. 
• Bundle contains 4 fat quarters, each approximately 18" x 22", and rules/information sheet.
• Note that this Sketchbook bundle is an optional Add-On to the Storytime fabric bundles required for the Challenge.  The Challenge entries cannot be made only from the Sketchbook bundle. 
  
• Complete rules for the Challenge can be found here.  Naturally, if you don't wish to enter, you can certainly enjoy these fabrics in a project of your choice.
• Cherrywood fabrics have been hand-dyed using a high-quality unbleached 100% cotton muslin and Procion dyes.  These greige goods with this high-quality dye results in a unique rich colours with a suede-like look. 
• These fabrics have been washed a minimum of 4 times and dried in a hot dryer, so they are well preshrunk.  Any other fabrics you use with them should also be pre-washed and dried to remove shrinkage.
• Cherrywood fabrics come in beautiful gradations of colour - perfect for projects requiring various values of the same hue.
• Due to the nature of hand dying, dye lots will vary.
• Cherrywood recommends prewashing these fabrics and finished items using Synthrapol, a product that keeps loose dye molecules in suspension while washing, therefore not allowing the colors to run into each other.  Read Cherrywood's Care Instructions here.
  
  Along Came Quilting has tested Cherrywood fabrics using Synthrapol and found that it does not stop the dye from running (as to be expected with a surfactant).  Further testing found that prewashing the fabrics with Retayne in lieu of Synthrapol will set the dye molecules into the fabric and stop the dye from running.  After setting the dye with Retayne, the fabric should be rinsed out (you can use Synthrapol at this point to assist).  There should be no further bleeding of the dye once it has been "fixed" with the Retayne.  Be sure to follow instructions and use a hot water soak (at least 140 degrees), moving the fabric freely in the water to allow the product to fully permeate it. 
  
  Note that Retayne is meant to be used on the fabrics before cutting and using it in your project.  If you use it in a project where the dyes have already run into each other, then you will only "set" those dyes to stay that way.  For a completed project where the dyes have run, you would need to use Synthrapol each wash.
  
  Click here to purchase Retayne.
  Click here to purchase Synthrapol.