Redwork is a technique of embroidery using red cotton floss that became popular in America during the late 1800s and stayed popular through the 1920s. The reason red was the color of choice initially was because the dye, turkey red, was colorfast and durable when used on cotton thread. Another color that was popular at this time was indigo blue - referred to, you guessed it, Bluework. Other colors were available in silk which were cost prohibitive.
The designs are line drawings of pleasant imagery such as children, flowers, fruits and vegetables, animals, or birds. The only stitch required is a straight stitch, usually a running stitch or stem stitch. The designs are stitched on white or unbleached muslin or evenweave fabric such as linen and were used for household linens or quilt blocks. For a penny, people could purchase "penny squares" - the stamped squares of fabric that were readily available in catalogs or the local mercantile store. These squares could be put together into a complete quilt.
If look around your favorite quilt shop, undoubtedly you will find a book or two with redwork patterns and there are a number of patterns available on the internet, some free and some not. You can even use your sewing machine to do redwork if you have an embroidery machine. If you would like to learn how create redwork patterns for your machine, visit The Electric Needle´s free redwork tutorial. There are also a few free patterns for embroidery machines available to download.
Free Patterns
- Hickory Hill Quilts. The free patterns are at the bottom of the page. They have a nice assortment of books available as well as preprinted fabric.
- LYLMster´s Dozen. This is a series of primitive designs that can be used for redwork.
- Pantograph. Read the story about The Pantagraph´s Colonial History Quilt Contest to learn more about these blocks.
- Three Stitches. Other patterns are available for purchase as well.
Patterns for Sale (listed in alphabetical order)
- Betty Alderman Designs. Designs for Redwork and Bluework. The Baskets of Redwork is a wonderful marriage of redwork and quilting.
- The Calico Cat. Be sure to check all three pages, they have some wonderful seasonal designs.
- Colonial Crafts has an extensive collection of patterns for sale. There is something for everyone.
- Designs by Alene. These redwork patterns designed by Alene Ward are available through Quilter´s Warehouse, click on Products on the left side to see them.
- Ginger´s Needleworks and Quilting carries patterns, fabric and notions for redwork.
- Grandma´s Attic Quilting. You can join Grandma Rachel´s Redwork Club. There is also some more historical information about Redwork to read here.
- The Redwork Lady is also known as Toni Baumgard - she also teaches workshops so If you are interested in perhaps having a workshop at a quilt guild meeting or your local quilt shop, visit the website and contact her.
Machine Embroidered Redwork
- Patti´s Portfolio. Patti designed these patterns to be used with glow in the dark thread, but they would also work well for redwork.
- Redwork ´Round the World. These patterns depict girls in cultural apparel and are available in two sizes.
- Redwork Sewing Motifs. Free patterns for the Baby Lock Palette in a .pes format.
Many Redwork books are also available from Amazon.com. The box below shows a few of the books that are available. Any item you click within these pages will take you to more details about that particular item at Amazon.com, where you will also be able to place your order. 
If you have any suggestions or comments, please email me!
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