My daughter gave me a book on the Gees Bend quilts, it was a very interesting read. I made two of the quilts from kits for my daughters for Christmas last year. I washed the fabrics in the solution you use for hand dyed fabrics (sorry, can't think of the name) and also used dye catchers. One of the quilts that had red in it still bled into the other colors. I always wash my quilts after I finish them so I can catch any problems before I give them away. So after crying for a bit, I bought other fabric in the colors and remade the quilt. So, just a warning about the hand dyed red.