Redwork

Redwork was popular a long time ago.  Penny squares were purchased with designs stamped on them to embroider, typically designs would be of women in huge hooped skirts.  Young girls were taught to embroider, because it was a life skill they would use..in handiwork or patching clothing or in gaining employment as a maid. 

I learned to embroider when I was about seven or eight..I had my own wooden hoop, threads and needle..being admonished to never lose my needle. I recall getting knots in my thread, and going from one side of my hoop to the other on the outside of the hoop, cutting my thread too short so that I couldn't tie a knot, pulling too hard on my thread..making holes in my fabric..not pulling hard enough and having lazy threads that could be snagged.  Searching for hours on my hands and knees on the floor for the needle that I lost. Always looking at the back of my work, after all the back should be a pretty and neat as the front. Learning different stitches, the lazy daisy, the satin stitch, the chain stitch. Proudly adorning the corner of a flour sack dish towel with a flower design, never getting to do a dresser scarf or pillowcases till I was much older. 

I taught our daughters to embroider, then I taught them to Cross Stitch..Trica even knows how to crochet!!  Life skills..I did not do so good teaching them to cook..but they could sew on a button. 

My Cousins group makes a quilt every year to give away at the family picnic in August. Tuesday we got together and began quilting it.  We each embroider a square and Diana puts the squares all together with borders and we put it on a frame and hand quilt it.  If you notice yellow marks..that is the marking pencil I used to trace around a dinner plate for part of the design. 

This is our first adventure into Redwork, using only red embroidery thread. We chose "old timey" patterns instead of  ladies in fancy dresses....I like anything red, so I think it is just gorgeous:)