What's red and green and white all over?

In the 19th century, the combination of red and green fabric was one of the most popular choices for quilters. "Turkey" red fabric and the slightly less vibrant "Madder" red were both used in quilts. "Turkey" red was created using the root of the rubia plant and was a laborious multi-step process (originating in Turkey) and produced quality colorfast fabrics. "Madder" red fabrics were created with the same plant, but used a European process that created a slightly darker scarlet or brick-red color. Overdyed green fabrics were created by first dyeing the cotton with blue and then again with yellow. Over time, if the yellow and blue dyes faded at different rates, the fabric would take on the appearance of a variety of shades of green. The quilt below dates to 1900 and is a nice example of an antique red and green appliqué quilt.