| Redwork. Bluework. Greenwork. Or Any-Color | | | | homestead at the time. The charming simplicity |
| Work | | | | and affordability of Redwork was very popular |
| I think of Redwork as an embroidery design | | | | among the immigrants and middle class of |
| style, a line drawing in thread. And that style can | | | | America, partly as a backlash against the |
| be stitched with any color. You've heard the term | | | | excessive ornamentation of the Victorian culture |
| Bluework? Bluework is just Redwork sewn with, | | | | of the time.Redwork's popularity lasted until the |
| any guesses? Anyone? That's right! Blue | | | | 1920's when the development of synthetic, |
| thread.Unless you're recreating an antique look, | | | | colorfast dyes opened up the world of color to |
| you can use any thread color with Redwork | | | | embroidery, not just for the wealthy but for |
| designs, but to maintain the allure of the design, | | | | everyone. But no embroidery style has ever had, |
| stitch it with just one color.A Little Redwork | | | | or continues to have, the grass roots appeal of |
| History | | | | Redwork. |
| Redwork originally applied to a very simple linear | | | | The Resurgence of RedworkWhat goes around, |
| style of embroidery that became popular in the | | | | comes around, and the same is true of Redwork. |
| United States in the late 1800's when Turkish | | | | With the advent of digitizing software, skilled |
| cotton processors developed a secret technique | | | | digitizers, computerized embroidery machines and |
| to make a red colorfast thread, creatively known | | | | thousands of thread hues, colorful embroidery |
| as 'Turkey red'.Until Turkey red came on the | | | | continues to reach new heights. Those same skills |
| scene colored cotton thread would fade or bleed | | | | and technologies allow us to create Redwork |
| when washed and line dried and couldn't be used | | | | designs that are more intricate than those of the |
| for everyday items such as towels, bed sheets | | | | past. But no matter how non-traditional or simple |
| and bedcovers. Embroidery with colorful silk | | | | the pattern, there is something undeniably |
| thread could only be afforded by the wealthy. If | | | | appealing and elegant about all Redwork designs. |
| the rest of us had anything embroidered it was | | | | Because in the case of Redwork, less really is |
| with common white or natural cotton thread. Kind | | | | more.Deb Schneider is a machine embroidery |
| of boring.Redwork designs were basic line | | | | design digitizer offering her machine embroidery |
| drawings of children, birds, flowers, a water pump, | | | | designs, Redwork embroidery designs and |
| and other objects found around every | | | | appliques on her website: WindstarEmbroidery. |