Redwork and Bluework

One of my favorite pastimes is embroidery. I discovered redwork embroidery about 8 years ago and fell in love with it. I embroidered 2 of these glass towels about 6 years ago, and just this past week I finished 2 more while watching the 5 hour version of Pride and Prejudice.

For an extra touch, I crocheted an edging along the bottom of the redwork towels, using a number 10 steel crochet hook (tiny!) and pearl cotton thread. I have the thought of making a few of these towels into pillows. Hmmm... any other good ideas of what I can do with the towels? Of course, I could use them to dry glasses. :-)

Redwork was popular in the 1800's and it has seen a revival in the past 10 years or so. I have found many free redwork patterns online, and there are several yahoo discussion groups for redwork. A redwork primer can be found here. I recently read somewhere that Bluework was popular from about 1910 to 1930, and of course I had to embroider something, anything, in blue thread. I like it almost as much as I like the redwork.

Ruth

Free Embroidery Patterns

This last weekend I did a little embroidery project on a tea towel for a gift. It turned out really well and I had fun working on it.


I found this charming horse pattern as well as many others at http://www.needlecrafter.com/. They have hundrends of vintage patterns that are free to download. Imagine how cute hand embroidery on an apron would be?

I just love these vegetable patterns.



Here is the direct link to the Pattern Library. There is also a very comprehensive Stitch Dictionary that would be helpful if you are learning to embroider.

Jessica

ps. oops... when you click on the direct links above, they still take you to the homepage, but the link is highlighted on the top of the page, in a box, so just click there to get to where I was talking about.