Needlework - Alphabet Stitches

Transcription

1 Needlework - Alphabet Stitches There are many times when a project requires lettering. The following are some examples of alphabet styles. Before beginning your project, take a piece of graph paper and transfer the letters. Be sure to count out the same number of squares of graph paper as there are squares in your project. Graphic Graph Paper 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 10

2 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 2 of 10

3 Script Alphabet 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 3 of 10

4 Backstitch Alphabet 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 4 of 10

5 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 5 of 10

6 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 6 of 10

7 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 7 of 10

8 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 8 of 10

9 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 9 of 10

10 Cross Stitch Alphabet 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 10 of 10

11 Needlework - Redwork Basic Stitches Redwork is essentially outline embroidery done in a single shade of red on a neutral (usually white or ivory) background. The basic stitches used are shown below. Other standard embroidery stitches can also be used if you like but these are the most commonly used. Stem Stitch This is the stitch used to outline the main portions of the design. Referring to Fig. 1 below, bring the needle up at 1. Hold the thread down with the thumb of your non-stitching hand. Reinsert needle at 2 and bring up at 3 (about halfway between 1 and 2). Pull the thread through and continue in this manner (Fig. 2)with the thread held below the line of stitching and working from left to right (reverse if left-handed) Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Backstitch This stitch is used to outline tight curves and can be used to outline the design if you wish. Referring to fig. 3, bring the needle up at 1, a stitch length from the beginning of the design line. Go down at 2 (the beginning of the line). Come up at 3 and down at 4. Continue in this manner working from right to left (reverse if left handed) Fig. 3 Satin Stitch This stitch can be used sparingly to fill in small spaces such as eyes. Referring to Fig. 4, come up at 1 and down at 2. Continue with straight stitches very close together to fill in the desired pattern. Fig. 4 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 2

12 Straight Stitch This stitch is used to cover small straight lines. Referring to Fig. 5, come up at 1 and down at 2. Straight stitches can be of varying lengths and spaced regularly or irregularly. 1 2 Fig. 5 1 Fig. 6 2 French Knots This stitch is used for eyes and other areas where a small dot is desired. Referring to Fig. 6, bring the needle up a 1. Wrap the thread once around the shaft of the needle. Insert the point of the needle at 2 (close to but not into 1). Hold the knot down as you pull the needle through to the back of the fabric. Choosing your fabric Any 100% cotton fabric can be used. Heavier fabrics (such as cotton sheeting and muslin) will help keep stitching from showing through to the front of your work. Are you trying to be frugal? Experiment with using the unworn portions of old cotton sheets or pillowcases. Cut to size, these can be great, inexpensive sources of white or ivory fabric. Embroidery Floss Redwork is worked with 2 strands of embroidery floss. Carefully separate the six strands of the floss and then put 2 strands back together. Work with strands that are about 18 inches long (pieces that are too long tend to get tangled). Be sure that you have enough of one colour of floss to complete your project. Choose whatever shade of red you like. Embroidery Hoop An embroidery hoop can be useful in keeping your fabric taut as you stitch making it easier to keep the piece flat as you stitch. This gives the finished piece a smoother look. If you choose to use an embroidery hoop (and you should if at all possible) try to get one that is large enough that the entire design fits inside to avoid having to position the hoop over the stitches you've already made as this can result in stretched stitches. Remember to remove your work from the hoop after each stitching session to prevent permanent marks on your finished piece. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 2 of 2

13 Needlework - Candlewicking Opening a new country takes a special type of person - somebody who can make the most of what they have to build a civilization. Candlewicking is born of these people. When America was being opened up to new settlers, whole families packed up their lives and went west. The problem was that they could take with them only what would fit in a covered wagon. This meant necessities only. Then when they got there, there were only necessities for them - luxuries like fine embroidery fabric, and beautiful silks came rarely and embroiderers had to make do with what they had. In many cases, this was calico or canvas and candlewick. Thus the fine embroidery style of Candlewicking was born. The designs were drawn directly onto the fabric - often using charcoal or a pencil - and then the embroiderer used the candlewick to embroider them. This gave Candlewicking its distinctive "white on white" look - which is still the preferred colour scheme today. Choosing Your Supplies Candlewicking is traditionally done on an ivory background fabric using ivory candlewicking thread, crochet cotton, or 6 strand embroidery floss. Choose a fabric that is 100% cotton for best results. The thread of your choice should be as close to the shade of the fabric as is possible for the most traditional look. Candlewicking can also be done in white-on-white. The Stitches: 1. Colonial Knot or French Knot The colonial knot is one of the most frequently used stitches and has the appearance of a small rosebud. Referring to the diagram, bring the needle up in the centre of the dot which marks the location of the finished knot (1). Hold the thread lightly between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. Working the stitches from left to right, place the needle under the thread and then twist it around to the left and under the thread so that a figure of eight is formed. Pull the thread taut with the left hand and insert the needle back into the fabric on the right hand side of the thread (3) close to where it came up at the same time pulling the thread firmly with the left thumb and forefinger. These two fingers control the tension H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 2

14 2. Stem/outline stitch This stitch is used on curves and for outlining designs. Referring to the graphic to the right, bring the needle up at 1. Reinsert the needle down at 2, and then bring it up at 3 (about half way between 1 and 2). Pull the thread through and continue in this manner working from left to right Up and down buttonhole This stitch looks nice around curves and circles. The stitches can be from 5 to 15 mm apart. Starting with the thread on the lower line, insert the needle at and bring it through at 2, with the needle vertical and keeping the thread under the point of the needle. Pull the thread through to create a loop. Insert the needle vertically at 3 and bring it up at 4 very close to the first stitch. Keeping the thread under the point of the needle, pull the thread through by pulling first in an upward direction and then in a downward direction. 4. Straight stitch This stitch is used to cover small straight lines. Come up at 1 and down at 2. Straight stitches can be of varying lengths and spaced regularly or irregularly Herringbone stitch This stitch is effective for borders and filling in spaces. Working between two lines, bring the needle up on the lower left side at 1, insert the needle on the upper line and little to the right, and take a small stitch (2). Insert the needle on the lower line a little to the right and take a small stitch to the left (3). Repeat alternating stitches on the top and bottom lines. 6. Satin Stitch This stitch may be used to fill in small shapes. It is the same as the "satin stitch" shown in the Redwork directions of this manual. 7. French Knot 1 2. This stitch is used for eyes and other areas where a small dot is desired. Referring to Fig. 6, bring the needle up a 1. Wrap the thread once around the shaft of the needle. Insert the point of the needle at 2 (close to but not into 1). Hold the knot down as you pull the needle through to the back of the fabric. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 2 of 2

15 Needlework Completion Signing And Dating Should you sign and date your work? If your project is intended to be entered in a competition, then possibly you should not. Find out the rules first. Otherwise, go for it! Be proud of your skill. Signing can make a piece more valuable, as the years go by. Samplers usually incorporate the stitcher s initials and the year into the design. All other designs require a little more creativity on the signer s part. Some people use permanent ink and sign on the edge, where it will be hidden by the mat or frame. Personally, why would you want to hide this interesting and valuable information? Some people find a way to stitch their name/date with teeny letters, over one or two threads. Try out some variations on scrap cloth, until you find a look you like. Don t abbreviate the year. Stitch 2000 rather than 00. Your stitching may survive you by many years, and even though you may think the project is unimportant, later generations may disagree. There are several things you can do to make a signature visible but unobtrusive. For example, use a thread color that is only a shade or two darker than the fabric. Or incorporate the signature into a shadow, using the shadow s color. Or put it below an object, using the object s color. Or figure out a way to make it part of the design... Keeping it Clean Always wash your hands before stitching, and keep them clean while you work. Don t use hand lotion before stitching. Keep your hands out of your hair, off your face, out of the popcorn, away from the pizza and far from the chocolate bar. No smoking near the project. Watch out for ink from highlighters, and toner from photocopies. Needlework projects, especially those in scroll frames, make very nice cat beds. You may choose to view any fur that works its way into the project as part of the design but a judge may not. If not, try using a lint remover or tweezers, or make sure you cover the work to put it away. Don t store linens or fine fabrics in plastic for the long term. The plastic can trap moisture and over time release chemicals. However, storing projects in plastic while they are in progress can help to keep them clean. This is assuming it takes less than 5 years to complete the project! If you want to store a project-in-progress for a more than a few days, roll it rather than fold it. Folding can make creases that are hard to remove. Wrap it in cloth, preferably white. If you use a hoop, remove the project from the hoop after every stitching session. Put your project in the hoop or bars backwards. This method is sometimes called having the project in the well. It prevents the front of the design from touching anything when the bars are set down. It also provides more room on the back of the project for ending threads. Try not to hold on to the project in a way that leaves your hand touching the front of the fabric. For example, fold any extra fabric forward and hold the project there. Some people like to use a layer of tissue, white flannel or plastic wrap on top of the project, with an opening in the center to stitch through. These can be fitted into a hoop, and provide something to hold onto. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 2

16 Finishing When your stitching is complete, wash in cool water using a mild liquid detergent. Rinse well. Do not wring, but roll in a clean towel to absorb most of the water. While still damp, place your work face down on a terry towel. Place another cloth on top of the needlework and press lightly with a warm iron. Let dry. Then frame or finish as desired. Mounting Matting and Framing Not all needlework needs to be framed like a picture. Needlework can be found on pillows, linens, clothing, box lids, jewelry, light switch plates, and so on. If you are going to frame your project, here are some suggestions: Don t do anything which cannot be undone several years later. Avoid anything which causes the project to have long term exposure to chemicals, metal or acid. Cut any selvage edge before framing. Zig-zag each edge, or stitch unbleached muslin to each edge. Use acid free foam core or acid-free white mat board as a backing. These are available in framing stores, art supply stores and office supply stores. Have it cut at the store, or use an X-acto knife at home. Make it 1/8 inch smaller than the frame you will be using. Avoid normal cardboard and paper, as they have high acid contents. The acid can damage fabric over time. Do not use sticky board. The chemicals can damage your fabric, and the glue can provide lunch for bugs. Center the piece on the backing. Fold the extra fabric to the back and tuck in the corners. The fabric on the front should be taut but not stretched. You may want to use straight pins pushed into the edge of the backing to temporarily hold the fabric in place. Use un-waxed dental floss, quilting thread or some other strong thread to lace the fabric to the backing. Lace the long edges first, sewing from the left to the right and back to the left, somewhat like lacing a shoe with only one end of the shoe lace. Keep the stitches about an inch apart. Make sure the thread is evenly tight. Repeat the lacing for the short edges. Remove the pins, as even rust-free pins may rust over time. If you use matboard, make sure it is acid-free rag matboard. Consider using acid-free rag matboard even for double and triple matted pieces, where not all of the matboard is touching the fabric. The regular matboard ages much faster, and it releases fumes. Should you use glass? As with everything else, it s up to you. On the one hand, glass can protect against dust and pollution. On the other hand, it may trap moisture and cause mildew. If you use glass, make sure it does not touch the needlework. Spacers or matboard are good for this. Regular glass is O.K. Standard non-glare glass is bad, as it actually lets more ultraviolet light in, and may release chemicals. Conservation glass or UV glass is very good, but expensive. Figure out how much the project is worth to you, and be willing to pay accordingly. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 2 of 2

17 Needlework Creating Patterns Patterns in needlework are lots of fun to make and allow you to create the project of your dreams. They are easy to generate using simple graph paper and a pencil. First decide the size of the project. Mark the dimensions on the graph paper and then draw the graphics and letters in the squares of the paper. Another way to position your graphics is to cut each pattern out and move them around on the graph paper until you are satisfied with the design and then mark your design on the paper. Choose your colours and mark them in. You can colour the squares in different colours, or use a different symbol for each different colour. The following are some small graphics suitable for bookmarks or making your own creations. There are lots more available on the internet, in craft magazines and in your imagination! Santas 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 3

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19 Teddy Bears 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 3 of 3

20 Needlework Cross Stitch Basics Counted cross-stitch transfers a design from a printed graph on to evenweave fabric. The stitcher uses embroidery floss to place X s on the fabric corresponding to symbols on the chart. Each symbol on the chart represents one X on the fabric. The different styles of symbols on the chart represent different colors of floss. Cross-stitch is easy to learn and requires only a few supplies. Graph. This is the pattern or design you chose to stitch. There are thousands to choose from easy to more complex. Evenweave fabric. The fabric for cross-stitch is woven in an even manner so that you know exactly where to place your needle. Generally, people first learn to do counted cross-stitch on aida and then try linen or other evenweaves as they become more experienced. An evenweave is any fabric that has the same number of threads per inch in both the vertical and horizontal directions. The individual threads might not all be the same thickness you can see this in linen but the number of threads will be the same. Aida is worked with one X per square, while linen and other open weaves are generally worked over two threads. This means that a 28 count linen (28 threads per inch) linen produces the same size picture as a 14 count (14 squares per inch) aida. Needle. Counted thread stitch should be done with a tapestry needle. Tapestry needles have blunt points and much larger eyes than sewing needles. The blunt points prevent the needles from piercing fabric threads. Tapestry needles come in a variety of sizes. A larger size number means a smaller needle. Cross stitch usually requires a #22, #24, #26 or #28 needle. One traditional rule says you should use a #22 needle if the fabric is 14 count (14 threads per inch) or less, a #24 or #26 needle if the count is count, and a #26 needle if the fabric is finer than 18. You may use whatever needle you find most comfortable. Floss. Embroidery floss is a cotton thread used for stitching. Floss has 6 strands, but usually you will use only 2 strands at a time for stitching and 1 strand for backstitching. On Hardanger fabric (22 count) you usually will use only 1 strand; on 11 count Aida use 3 strands to stitch and 2 to backstitch. Most books and graphs suggest either DMC or Anchor brands. Embroidery hoop. A plastic embroidery hoop is helpful to hold the fabric while you stitch. Remove the fabric from the hoop when you are not stitching to keep from getting hoop marks. Some people find it easier to stitch using a hoop and some people find it easy in the hand. The most important thing is to use what works best for you. Scissors. You can start out with any pair of scissors, but pretty soon you will want to get a nice pair of small embroidery scissors. Get a good quality pair with sharp points. A good pair of scissors makes stitching a lot more fun. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 2

21 Choosing Your Fabric There are dozens of fabrics to choose from. They will all work, so you just have to decide on what you like. White or ivory Aida 14 is the most common and 14 count is an easy fabric to start on. The number of stitches per inch will determine the finished size of the design. A design that is 28 stitches wide stitched on Aida 14 (14 stitches per inch fabric) will be 2 wide. The same design will be 2 ½ wide on Aida 11, and 1 ¼ stitched on Hardanger (22 stitches per inch). Thankfully, most designs show design sizes for different counts of fabrics. Be sure to allow extra fabric for finishing (at least 3 extra on length and width). The look of the cloth in the background is also important when selecting a fabric. Both texture and colour should be considered. Aida is generally less expensive. Whatever fabric you choose to work on, always buy the best quality you can afford. The amount of time invested in a project can be quite large and is far more valuable than the small savings up front. Preparing the Fabric Cut the fabric to size for the project. Allow an extra 3 to 4 on each edge. Prepare the edges to keep them from fraying while you are working. Some of the options are: Use a sewing machine to do a zigzag stitch. Use a serger to serge the edges. Fold the edge of the cloth over and baste by hand. Do a whipstitch by hand to overcast the edges. Use Fraycheck or masking tape, but then allow another half inch all the way around so you can cut off the chemically tainted fabric when you are through stitching. Chemicals of any kind may cause deterioration years later. Separating the Floss Standard embroidery floss (embroidery cotton, etc) consists of six threads (or strands) of fiber twisted together. In general, lengths of 14"-18" are cut, then all the strands are separated. Metallics or any fibers with rough surfaces should be cut somewhat shorter to help prevent fraying. Usually, pulling one strand while holding the rest near the top will separate it without actually creating a knot (the rest of the strands will make loops under the held point). Separate the floss into individual strands and then recombine them. This is known as stripping the floss. There is less twisting and knotting and the stitches lie flatter. Threading needle (floss & blending filament) There are several possibilities for threading the needle. Actually getting the thread through the eye can be done 1) with a needle threader (basically a wire passed through the eye and used to pull the thread through); 2) with a bit of paper folded over the end of the thread to keep it from unraveling; or 3) (see diagram) by folding the end of the thread over the needle to make a sharp bend, then sliding the needle over the folded ends. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 2 of 2

22 Needlework Cross Stitch Stitches To Begin You are finally ready to make that first stitch on a new piece of fabric. What is the right location to start? The center of the cloth? The upper left? The lower right? Whichever you choose always work outwards from there. The design itself should be centered. Where you start the stitching is up to you but a lot of people find it easiest to begin from the centre. Find the center of the graph. For most patterns this is shown with arrows or a bold line. Next, find the center of your fabric. An easy way to do this is to fold the fabric in half vertically and pinch with your finger to make a small crease. Open the fabric, fold in half horizontally and make another pinch. Open the fabric up. The two creases will mark the center of the fabric. Bring your first stitch up here. Starting your thread Do Not Knot Your Thread! Knots on the back will show through, so do not use any knots to start or end. To begin stitching, bring the threaded needle up from the back of the fabric leaving about a 1 tail of thread behind the fabric. Stitch the next 5 or 6 stitches over the tail. Clip off extra thread. To end off, weave your needle back through the last 5 or 6 stitches and clip the thread short so as not to leave a loose tail. Stitching There are two methods. The first method is to work a row of half stitches. Bring the thread through at the lower left-hand side, insert the needle 1 block up and 1 block to the right and bring out 1 block down, thus forming a half cross, continue in this way to the end of the row. Complete the upper half of the cross as shown. Cross stitch may be worked either from right to left or left to right, but it is important that the upper half of all crosses should lie in the same direction. The second method is to complete each X as you go. When working cross stitch on canvas or working very small areas, the correct method of working is to complete each stitch before beginning the next. It is important that all the X s are crossed in the same direction. That is, the top thread of the X should always slant in the same direction (either \ or /). It does not matter which way they slant, but if they are mixed the finished piece will look uneven. Relax as you stitch. Your stitches should lay flat on your fabric and not distort the holes or the fabric. Backstitching Backstitching is a running stitch (not an X) used to outline an area or to form lettering. Normally you use one less strand of floss for backstitching than you use for cross stitching. Any backstitching should be done after all the cross stitches are complete. Backstitching can be 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 2

23 done left-to-right, right-to-left, top-to-bottom, or even on a diagonal. It all depends on where the outlines need to be. A backstitch from left to right would go like this (up on the odd numbers, and down on the even): Some people prefer the double running stitch to a backstitch. To do a double running stitch, go forward doing every other stitch: Then come back filling in the gaps: Carrying Your Thread Sometimes a color will have only a few stitches and then jump to another area. Most of the time you should end off and start again, but other times you can carry the thread along the back. Just jumping from area to area is easier than starting and stopping, but sometimes the thread will show through. This can be a problem if you jump a dark thread over an unstitched area of light fabric. In general, you can carry the thread to another area if the jump is short, the floss color is light, and you are jumping over a previously stitched area. Try to plan your work so that it isn t necessary to travel very far to do the next stitch. Where Am I? There are many approaches to keeping track of location. Find the method that is easiest for you: Mark off the symbols on the chart with a highlighter or pencil as you finish the corresponding stitches. Some people like to see the shapes of the different areas. Color in the entire chart before starting to stitch, using distinctive colors for each symbol. The colors don t need to be close to the thread colors. Laminate the chart with clear contact paper. Mark off the parts as you finish them with a fine tip dry erase pen. The chart can be wiped clean with a paper towel when you are through. Works on color and B&W charts. Put the chart on a metal board, and use a magnetic straight edge that can be moved along the chart as you stitch. A variation on this is to use non-magnetic plastic strips on a nonmetal board. Use Post-It notes. They are easy to move, and very portable. Count twice. Count from two different locations. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 2 of 2

24 Needlework - Plastic Canvas Basics Plastic canvas is a very popular form of needlework from which one can make many decorative things such as coasters, mats and three dimensional items. It is very useful in situations where cutting a shape is required. Typically plastic canvas projects include tissue box covers, coasters and magnets. There are lots of patterns for various projects available. Materials: Plastic canvas: Plastic canvas is a sheet of plastic mesh which comes in a variety of sizes, colours and pre-cut shapes. It is measured in mesh or count in several sizes. The mesh measures the number of holes per inch, such as 5-mesh, 7-mesh, 10-mesh, and 12-mesh canvas. The most commonly used is 7-mesh, unless otherwise stated on the pattern. Canvas is available in a clear shade as well as in different colours. It is better to use the standard clear canvas unless otherwise suggested because it does not show through. It is also available in different shapes such as squares, rectangles or circles, and the canvas can be stiff or soft. Yarn & Needles: Regular worsted weight yarn is used to stitch designs on plastic canvas. It is available in a large variety of colours and is not expensive. Big needles used particularly for this type of needlework are readily available. Look for 16 to 20 size tapestry needles with blunt ends. Method: Counting lines or holes on the canvas: When working with a plastic canvas pattern, the canvas grid has to be counted by its lines also known as threads or by its holes also known as squares. In some patterns the grid is counted by threads and in others by holes. This will be specified on the top of the pattern. The grid is counted to cut the canvas into the pieces required for the design. Before cutting your pieces, note the thread count or hole count on the pattern. This indicates the number of holes or lines in the width and height of the canvas pieces. It is easier to count the holes. Marking the canvas: Outline the shape with a China marker, grease pencil or washable quilting marker. Cut out the shape, and then remove the marking with a tissue. Cutting the canvas: Be sure to cut as close to the thread as possible without cutting into the thread. If you don t cut close enough, nubs will be left on the edge of your canvas. Be sure to cut off all nubs before you begin to stitch, as these will snag your wool and are difficult to cover. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 2

25 Stitching: As in any needlework, there are a number of stitches used to create your project. See the additional work sheet on stitches for how-to s. Begin a row by coming up from the wrong side of the canvas and leaving a small length of the yarn, about a cm tail on the wrong side. Hold this tail against the canvas on the wrong side and work the first few stitches over the tail. When secure, snip the tail close to the stitched piece. This way the wrong side of the work looks good without any knots. Always begin with a long piece of yarn so that the yarn ends on the back will be minimum. Try and keep your stitching tension consistent, with each stitch lying flat and even with the canvas. This way your work will be fully covered without the canvas being seen through the stitches. You should not pull the yarn too hard, nor should you let it lie too loosely. When stitching if the yarn gets twisted, just drop the needle and let the yarn untwist by itself. When you end your stitches, run the needle with the yarn through several stitches on the back of the piece. Snip the end of the yarn close to the stitched piece. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 2 of 2

26 Needlework Plastic Canvas Stitches Tent Stitch This is the basic stitch that is used on most patterns. It is used to fill the canvas. It is also known as Continental, Half cross, and Basket weave stitch. Start the stitching leaving about 2.5 cm tail on the back side and bring the threaded needle up at 1 and all odd numbers and down at 2 and all even numbers. All of the stitches are done in this left to right manner. The stitch is worked in horizontal or vertical rows according to the instructions Vertical 4 Horizontal Gobelin Stitch This stitch is similar to the basic stitch, but it is carried over more than one square. It can be run either horizontally or vertically Horizontal Gobelin Vertical Gobelin Scotch Stitch This stitch forms a square. It may be worked over three or more horizontal lines or holes of the canvas by three or more vertical lines or holes of the canvas to form a square. The figure shows the stitch worked over four lines or holes of the canvas. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 2

27 French Knot This stitch is used where a small dot is desired. Bring the needle up, wrap the thread once around the shaft of the needle. Insert the point of the needle back down. Hold the knot down as you pull the needle through to the back of the fabric. If the dot on graph is in hole, come up and go down with needle in same hole. If dot is across a bar, come up in one hole and go down one hole over. Overcast Stitch This stitch is used to finish off the unfinished edge of the project. This stitch covers the edge of the canvas and is also used to join two pieces of canvas together. It may be necessary to go through the same hole more than once to get an even coverage on the edge, especially at the corners. When two pieces of a pattern have to be joined, place them back to back (with the wrong sides or right sides together). Make sure that the edges to be joined are even with each other and then do the overcast stitches where they should be joined. 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 2 of 2

28 Needlework - Redwork The history of Redwork refers to a very simple linear style of embroidery done with red floss. Outlined pictures were stitched with a simple running stitch or a more dense stem stitch. This was a linear stitch that children could easily learn. The image was a simple line drawing, often of children, animals, flowers, birds, vegetables and fruit, or other homey subjects. In the late 1800s there were very limited colors of embroidery floss available that didn't run or fade. Women were willing to pay extra for Turkey Red thread because it was colorfast. A colorfast blue was also used. Initially Redwork was not done on quilts but on a variety of useful household items. Embroidered tidies were used to protect chair backs while embroidered splashers were hung behind the sink. Napkins, tea towels, dresser scarves, chair cushions, sofa pillows were all opportunities for stitching with red floss. It wasn't until the turn of the century that women began to use Redwork for bedspreads. Preprinted squares ready to embroider were sold in the local store. Because theses squares originally cost only about a penny apiece they were commonly called penny squares. The quilt blocks used for Redwork quilts ranged from six to ten inches across. They were usually embroidered then sewn together without any sashing between the blocks. Often a feather or cross-stitch was used to cover the seam line. Later a red or red print sashing was sometimes used. Some of these bed coverings were quilted while others were simply lined without batting and then tied at the corners of each block. Because the pictures were especially appealing to the children, these quilts were mainly done for them. Redwork is still an interesting type of needlework to do today. With the introduction of colourfast threads in all colours, it does not have to be confined to just red work. As long as the pattern is done in all the same colour, the Redwork premise remains the same. REDWORK 4-H Craft Background 2004 Page 1 of 1