Event Email: redwork@friendshipquilters.com
Your hosts: Delyse
Upton
& Val Dickinson
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Redwork year round! What could be better?
In this event, we will have a monthly redwork pattern to download - for 12 months! We know that there are some redwork fanatics out there in IFQ but this event is also for those of you who have always wanted to learn redwork but haven't gotten to it yet. Yes, this is for you too. We're offering a handy stitch tutorial that will get you started in nothing flat!
But let's talk a bit about redwork first. Redwork is believed to have originated in Europe in the 19th century and travelled to America prior to the War Between the States. Silk was a luxury item, but cotton was plentiful and cheap which made it popular. In America, stores sold 6 inch muslin squares pre-marked with a variety of designs for a penny each. These 
"penny squares" are often seen in old redwork bedspreads and linens and were bought for children to teach them their stitching.
Even children in orphanages were taught to sew and embroider, because it would help them find employment as maids. Working on linens was an essential part of raising all young women as preparation for a trousseau. In fact, it was girls from the Kensington School in England who helped to popularise redwork.This name continues to be associated with this style of 
embroidery, as the split stitch is also called the Kensington Stitch.
The name redwork is derived from the red cotton thread that was used to create this style of embroidery. In Turkey a dye process was created for red thread that made it colourfast, which was a novelty at the time. Colourfastness was important, because until this point, only white and natural cotton thread were acceptable and affordable for such mundane work. The introduction of Turkey red marked the beginning of an era when a whole new, colourful world of embellishment was open to the average person, which would also be colourfast in frequent washings.
Any plain outline stitch is acceptable for redwork: backstitch, stem stitch (also known as the
South Kensington stitch) or the English Kensington stitch (also known as split stitch) were all used in this type of embroidery.
One of the most popular designs are Sunbonnet Sue variations, believed to have been inspired originally by the designs of Kate Greenaway in the 1880s, who was fond of drawing children, especially girls in their regency dresses and big bonnets which look too big for small children. . Even during 
the Victorian era, small children were dressed with enormous hats and bonnets. Delyse has contributed a photo of her aunt Dorothy at age two to prove this point!
Delyse has also gathered a number of lovely floral designs that you will be able to download each month. Plus there are 4 surprise designs too that will come throughout the year! You won't see the designs until you download them. The photos on this page are examples only - they are NOT representitve of the actual designs.
Tell me a bit about this event
Each block that you make will be a 6 1/2 inch UNFINISHED block. Center the design in the middle of this 
block. At the end of the year, you'll be able to make a lovely redwork quilt - we've shown some examples - although the designs on these quilts are different to those that you will be downloading.
Do you have to stitch with red thread? NO!!! You can choose the color that you want. You can even do each block in a different color thread. But traditionally, you will use only one color per block.
After you have signed up for this event, you can come back to this page and, if you are logged
into the IFQ website, you'll find a box at the top of this page with a link for the January design. You will also find the Redwork Tutorial for downloading, if you wish. Each month, on the 21st of the month, there will be a new design available. So keep coming back to this page (and be sure that you are logged into the IFQ website) to find the new downloads.
At the end of the year, we'll have a file for the instructions for the quilt pictured on this page if that is what you wish to do with your blocks.
Don't forget to check in often at the IFQ "Redwork Florals" Forum. 
This is a great place to ask questions, talk about your progress and get new ideas.
Post a picture of your block each month. Part of every IFQ event is sharing with other members and one of the ways we do this is by posting photos of our work.
If you've never done redwork before then this IS the event for you! It will be a great way to learn and practice with lots of IFQ members there to help if you have questions! And, of course, if you're addicted to redwork already, you'll waste no time signing up!!
Please remember, the IFQ website is on Pacific time. IFQ's current date and time is listed below. Please adjust the dates and times to your current time.
The current IFQ time is:
Saturday, May 19, 2012 12:27 AM
EVENT DATES
| Sign Ups Open |
| Wednesday January 21, 2009 |
You must be a registered IFQ member and logged in to sign up. |
| Sign Ups Close |
| Monday December 21, 2009 |
This is the last day that you can sign up! |
Participants
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