"Redwork" Embroidery Blocks

I always mark on fabric with pencil, and never have the least bit of trouble washing it out later! Of course, I use a hard graphite pencil, sharpened so I get a very thin line, and mark as lightly as I can and still see the line. You might try this out on a piece of scrap fabric just to be sure it pleases you, though!

I used pencil. And remember the very fine (but not as fine as flour grade) sandpaper to put underneath the fabric you are marking. It makes such a huge difference. . In message , Pat in Virginia writes

I use thin-line pens in a permanent color to match the floss. Places like Hobby Lobby have pens of every color in the scrap booking department.

I marked a lot for Mom to embroider. She would have had trouble seeing pencil lines.

joan

there is a pencil that you draw on paper, in reverse, then iron the design onto the fabric. you can trace with a light table or tape to a window anything you fancy or sketch your own design. it iron transfers more than once per sketch. the pencils arent costly either. jeanne

Novice here. I thought "Redwork" was red.

I guess I'm wrong about "Blackwork" too.

Jerry in North Alabama

I was taught to trace my design in the same color of ink that I was going to be embroidering with. I did a redwork Valentine quilt & traced everything in red. The benefit to using the same color is that if you happen to be wonky with your stitches (I'm sure nobody here is), you can't see it, because the ink filled in the space! (My redwork quilt "looks" like it has perfect stitching - now if I could just get it quilted!!)

Pat, I did a bluework quilt some time ago, and I just used a blue washout marker. Worked fine! :)

I've heard this sand paper tip before? where do you buy your sand paper? do some LQS carry it? or is it definitely a trip to the hard ware store and if it is, how on earth do you figure out what to buy?

Anne

JoAnns has a board that has a sandpaper side (also converts to a white board for tracing and a flannel board). But the least expensive way to go is to stop by the local hardware store and get a fine-grade sandpaper (the higher the number - -the finer the grit). You might want to get a piece of cardboard (cut off the back of a cereal box) and glue the sandpaper to the cardboard -- gives it a little more stability.

It works wonderfully when you want to write on fabric without the fabric moving under your pencil! (or pen... or whatever)

Kate in MI

PS -- here is what I was talking about that I purchased from JoAnns:

$sessionid$AWW5M4IAACO0OP4SY5KRHOR50LD3UEPO?CATID=113057&PRODID=79651 if the link doesn't work -- just go to and search using the keyword SANDBOARD.

I did a "Rules for Teachers" precious old primitive embroidery for a teacher friend of mine - important things such as how many petticoats a proper teacher should wear. The project went on vacation with us, was subjected to extreme heat and sun in the car many times. The washaway blue marker turned black and permanent. Since it was primitive anyway, the stray marks did no harm - but could have been a heartbreaker. Now, if there's a 'carry' project marked with a washaway, it travels in a little insulated case to keep it from baking. And furthermore - not that you wanted one - there's a PPP here - Permanently inProgress Project, a quilt of just really magnificent antique handkerchiefs. Many of the embroiderers used pencil and I have yet to find anything to gently remove the pencil marks. This is beginning to sound like the safety warnings on irons that say 'Do not iron the clothing you are wearing'. Yes. That makes sense. Polly

I have had the most luck marking my "redwork" with a mechanical pencil. Not only do they keep a sharp point all the time, but for some reason, it doesn't seem to come off in the handling as quickly as a regular pencil. I can mark several blocks, put them in a little pouch (I use a freebee from Clinque), along with my little hoop, scissors, thread and needles, and am ready to stitch anywhere.

Nancy

I've been using Crayola washable markers- that are meant for children's use- for making fabric. (MUCH less expensive that the water soluble markers they sell for us quilters to use... and that are usually mostly dried out by the time I buy them at WalMart... grumble, grumble) If you matched the marker to your thread, then you'd be doubly safe??? Maybe??? I've yet to have any trouble washing the markers out, but I have been using ones that are not a great contrast to the fabric I'm marking.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Yes, it does mean a trip tot he hardware store! but, never fear, they are usually very kind to a lone damsel >g< I just looked at mine: it is Grade 1. That's probably one up from 'flour grade'. I would think that the gradings are pretty universal. If not, try drawing the pads of your fingers across it - with no pressure, it is easy; with moderate pressure it is still easy (and you feel no discomfort on the skin); squeezed it is not possible to slide the fingers at all. . In message , Anne Rogers writes

There's a red pencil that marks (allegedly) the same stuff used on pre-printed embroidery designs. It's made so you can draw on paper and iron onto fabric. But tracing directly onto fabric is OK too.Washes out, but even if it didn't, the red wouldn't show up in redwork. I bought the pencil so many years ago that I couldn't tell you where, and it wouldn't be much use even if I could remember. But I assume they are still made! Roberta in D

"Pat in Virginia" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:3xaVh.79608$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe22.lga...

Blackwork is a type of counted embroidery: you do various stitches over a number of counted threads, like cross stitch. Used as all-over embellishment in the Renaissance period. Roberta in D

"MaleQuilter" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@q75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...

I believe that originally Blackwork was not a counted thread work. It was done with a double running stitch, also called a Holbein (sp???) stitch and looked pretty much the same front and back. Could also be embellished with gold threads (actually very fine gold wire) and sometimes red. Counted work is later, I think. (Not positive there..) Blackwork was the usual decoration on ruffles at cuffs and collars in the Tudor/Elizabethan era and you can see lots of examples in portraits of the time. For some reason in the last several years people have decided to do blackwork as counted thread work. I suppose because of the very geometric look to the patterns.

Pati, > Blackwork is a type of counted embroidery: you do various stitches over a

I think you are pretty on target on that, Pati. I remember reading that Katherine of Aragon was skilled with Blackwork and it was she who introduced the craft to England, or at least the 'fad' revolved around her.