stamped embroider quilt blocks

do check the red for colourfastness before you get too many of those done. red can be one awful bugger to bleed, even with the embroidery floss. just a suggestion. sounds lovely tho. i like adding a bit of emboidery to applique blocks to continue the design idea. like do some applique leaves, then a couple embroidered too. hmmmm, perhaps i should do some LIME green (my fav colour) on black in embroidery. now that would be novel, lol. cheers, jeanne

I want very much to do these, but it seems that every time I find them for sale, they are one or two short of the required number, or what they have is REALLY ugly! I am keeping my fingers crossed, though! (Perhaps I should just go ahead and buy a couple -- same size but different patterns -- and make a pillow.)

I like using embroidery in quilts and grab anything I find at flea markets. But feel it's too time consuming to do myself. Although I did recently finish a little linen tray cloth with a printed embroidery design, partly cutwork, from around 1920 or so. Flea market find! Wanted to ignore it, but it kept whining and pleading. Only one piece though! Roberta in D

"Marcella" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:rNWdncNrjswMF5HbnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@insightbb.com...

I've done a few stamped baby quilts this way. Nice change of pace for me as I always need to have some hand work going. Probably why the other 'traditional' quilt I'm working on has been in process for 3 years now!

Replying to my own post here - sorry. Marcie, as Jeanne mentioned, be VERY careful with the red thread. Check the label on the DMC floss. If I remember correctly, they recommend washing with mild DISH detergent - NOT a mild clothing detergent when initially washing the piece after stitching. I've done both and DISH detergent works MUCH better!

You can also buy iron-on transfers to stamp your own on the fabric of your choice. My mom did a lot of embroidery and the pre-stamped blocks I saw when looking for stuff for her weren't always the greatest fabric quality. She also did a lot of crib quilts using designs traced from coloring books with a transfer pencil. Each one would transfer several times before she had to re-trace the lines. I put together quite a few quilts using those blocks.

Julia > Are y'all aware that you can make your own 'stamped' embroidery blocks? If

Marcella wrote:

I have several of these in my stash -- all kitties, of course :-). I know some folks are concerned that the DMC red floss will run when washed. I will have to say that I have NEVER had regular DMC cotton floss of ANY colour run when washed -- not red or black or navy, etc. I will also say that I have been doing embroidery of all types (counted work, cross stitch, surface, crewel, etc.) for at last 50 years -- using DMC and most other brands of floss -- and the only time I have ever had a needlework fiber bleed was when I was using some silk floss. I did needlework long before I ever started quilting. *IF* you are concerned that your floss might bleed, wash the fiber before you stitch with it. I will take off any paper labels and put my first finger through one of the loops at the end of the floss (this keeps it from getting tangled). I then put the whole skein of floss in that same hand, add a bit of desired soap (either hand soap or Orvus) and gently wash the floss using my other hand and a circular motion, being careful to keep the floss cupped in my hand. When rinsing, I let the floss dangle from the finger I have through the looped end and I hold the floss under the running tap. I would also recommend using the same temp water you will use for washing the finished quilt. I have done just a few of the kitty quilt blocks in my stash and I haven't bothered to wash any of the floss or the blocks. I just trust DMC, always have and probably always will. I'm sure that the Anchor floss is equally as colorfast. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

I have read that you should not wash anything with red embroidery floss in Woolite! There is something in it that reacts with the red dye and causes it to run. Use a mild dish soap as someone else suggested.

Betty >

Piggybacking on my own message here. I found this laundry information on the DMC website:

Betty in WI

The blue lines (hence the name blue-line embroidery) do wash out but you might need to wash them several times. Some things I have done washed out after the first wash, others I had to let soak for just a bit. As for the change in the red dye formula -- however it was done, DMC managed to find a way to get the new dye set so that it doesn't run. Honest -- I do a LOT of needlework --I'm a model stitcher for a local designer. A lot of my personal stuff is for Christmas so I use a lot of dmC #666 which is the Christmas Red. I have yet to have a problem with the stuff running. I never pre wash my DMC floss and I ALWAYS was my needlework after I have finished stitching the piece. Of course, if someone is a bit gun shy of the red colors, then by all means pre wash your floss. It only takes a few minutes and the stuff dries quickly so why not make yourself feel more at ease before you begin stitching?? CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

Also remember that anything that has been copied will iron on to fabric! You can get at least 2 decent transfers from one sheet from a copier. Just remember that the stuff will transfer bass-ackwards so any writing needs to be reversed. Another thought -- maybe a bit Illegal if you try to sell the stuff

-- if you have a set of the embroidery quilt blocks take one and make a Master copy of it either on paper or fabric. Then you can use the Master to transfer the design to fabric of your choice in any size of your choice. Easiest way for me is to just use dressmakers carbon (remember, I'm a seamstress and have bunches of the stuff) to transfer the design to your fabric. You can even make reverse copies if you want simply by turning your Master over, drawing the design lines on the back side and then using it as the top side when you transfer your design. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

OOOOOO YES -- I had forgotten all about that! Orvus, hand soap or dish soap are what I use and have never had a problem. I NEVER use Woolite anymore since I found out what it can do to fine needlework. I have some stuff I stitched that is all silk -- silk fibers on silk fabric and since I found out what Woolite would do to it, I have never ever bought another bottle! Even on the fancy silk stuff, using the regular soap we all have around the house was better!! CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

I have done one redwork quilt and have one somewhere around here in progress. But I don't do the prestamped ones usually. There are several different methods for getting the lines on your fabric, including using a light box (or substitute) and a light pencil line (or fine red pen line), using the iron on transfer pencils to make your own transfers, and using any of the multitude of available iron on transfers available on your own fabric. That way you choose the designs and the number and sizes of blocks you want to do. In fact I just got a catalog from a site that has a lot of embroidery patterns on it--(had to go get the catalog)

Interesting site and they will send you a free catalog too. There are lots of books out with "redwork" patterns too, several by Laurene Sinema, as well as patterns that are designed for either embroidery or applique, and so on.

Pati, > I want very much to do these, but it seems that every time I find them