Friday, April 16, 2010

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:)  

14 comments:

Nancy said...

What a clever idea!

I love to embroider, but I haven't done it for years: I don't even know where my hoops are anymore.

West Side of Straight said...

Yes - It is gorgeous! Hope you win it. I'd love to have it too! Lots of hours put into that quilt. I learned to embroider when younger too, but not a favorite thing to do for me. That quilt is beautiful!!!!!!!!

Gail said...

I remember these! Mom used to have me embroider and quickly knew cross stitch was my only talent.

This guilt is beautiful.

L. D. said...

I have never heard of this before. It is a very nice quilt.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Nice! I think I still have some dish towels that my mother or grandmother embroidered, a couple of them just in red. I've learned to embroider but it's hard to do with cats in the house!

DJan said...

Oh, how well I remember having to do that redwork, although I don't think I ever called it that. I had an embroidery hoop and would make lots of pretty somethings, but right now I can't remember ever seeing one in use!

Rae said...

It is a beautiful quilt. I like the idea of giving it away at the family picnic. It would be a real treasured gift to receive. I am just catching up on blogs. I hope my favorite Border Collie is feeling better. I am sorry to hear he is sick. Ticks are mean things to deal with and such a threat at all times. I know how vigilant you are watching out for them though.
BTW -I posted something for you to see on my blog.

Teresa said...

That is beautiful! I'm sure who ever receives it will cherish it forever. LOL - when's your family reunion?

Emma Rose said...

I like red too, and that really is pretty!

Lanny said...

So wonderful, I am just about ready to begin putting together my Fiber House, washer, dryer are there, loom, sewing machines, fabric, fibers and such will be going in this next week. Looking forward to getting back to sewing, thread work and hopefully beginning my adventures in quilting. Your red work is wonderfully exciting and inspiring.

Anonymous said...

This is so lovely and what a fantastic and special memento. The quilt with the different handwork of all the people who made it is really terrific. Oh how I wish I was your cousin! :-)

PS this is me, Norkio.

Jinglebob said...

I like anything oldtimey. If I was a woman, I believe I could content myself doing this.

Merry Mary said...

I love redwork. It's gorgeous quilt. I've made one small redwork table topper but I think embroidery takes so long, it would drive me crazy to do something big like this all by myself. Can't wait to see this quilt.

Pamela said...

never seen it (maybe I did and don't remember it)
But, I never learned the gentile crafts --

That really does look like a lot of fun and good social time. Blessed!