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I cannot sew, embroider, quilt or anything else that requires patience and intricacy. I've said it before: I'm a same-day craft girl; that is why I love glitter and scrapbooking. Both can be done quickly and that immediate result is very satisfying. Sewing overwhelms me because I make a lot of mistakes when I sew, and removing thread with a seam ripper is one of my most despised tasks.
That is why I am especially drawn to Redwork. I love the simplicity of it, and the thought that a little girl sitting near her mother embroidered those wonderful patterns for me and you, years later. I own only one piece of it, and I treasure it immensely. I hope to stumble upon some more...
According to Barbara Parrish of Redwork.info, Redwork became popular in the late 1800's because of a colourfast thread from Turkey, that was made using a secret recipe (I don't have said recipe...). Up until that time, coloured threads did not hold their colour in the wash, thus they weren't suitable for use when making everyday objects like tea towels or bedspreads. The simplicity of redwork designs, coupled with the fact that they were embroidered with very basic stitches on inexpensive muslins, meant that most households could have decorated linens. Children often learned to embroider on "Penny Squares", little designs printed on muslins and sold at the general stores for a penny. Redwork quilts were mostly "summer weight" linens, meaning they had no batting.
What happened to Redwork? When synthetic dyes began to be manufactured, their popularity faded. Everyone wanted to embroider with the "new" coloured threads. Redwork is like everything - it had it's day in the sun and it is now a popular collectible. What was old is new once more. Have a look on your travels for some of this lovely embroidery. Happy hunting!!
