Expand Your Vintage Vocabulary Post #72

"Redwork" is the word for today.  It refers to embroidered white or off-white linens and quilts in which red thread is used.  

Why red?  I really didn't know the answer to this until I did some research for this post.  The answer is this:  red dye became available around 1880 called "Turkey red," a colorfast dye developed in Turkey that wouldn't bleed onto lighter fabric when washed.  It didn't fade much either, and that's why redwork items over 100 years old still look good today.

The redwork example below shows exceptional detail.  Many redwork pieces are much simpler: 

Photo Credit:  Leni Wiener

Redwork became very popular in the United States after the Turkey red embroidery thread became available in the 1880's.  Patterns for redwork designs were published in popular ladies' magazines.  Supplies, such as stamps to impress the designs on the fabric, were available through mail order.  Department stores carried Turkey red embroidery thread, fabric and other redwork supplies.

A nice detail of a redwork quilt:

 Photo Credit:  Sharon's Antiques

Little 6 x 6 inch muslin squares with simple designs, called "penny squares" were sold to young girls for a penny so they could learn to embroider with redwork.

This quilt, circa 1900. was created from penny squares:

Photo Credit:  What A Load A Scrap

Redwork was so popular in the U.S. that women were recruited as "stampers" to work from home for pay, stamping the designs on fabric for companies that sold redwork supplies.  

As more colorfast colored embroidery thread became available, "bluework" and "blackwork" was possible, but never caught fire like redwork, which waned in popularity as multicolored embroidery designs were in fashion in the twentieth century.

If you want to try some authentic looking redwork today, DMC floss in color number 321 is the most used color for redwork, according to my research.

Comments

[Susan]

The first example is just wonderful, I especially like that "wild cat." Thanks for including what DMC floss color would correspond if any of us were so inclined...I used to embroider, on my bell bottom jeans, when I let out the hem. I would make the hem line the grass and then embroider flowers growing out. Groovy!

[Mitzi Curi]

Hi Susan,

I used to embroider too! We would save time by sewing groovy trim to the bottom of our jeans.

Mitzi

[mindy]

Mitzi, I love your informative posts. I pinned this one to a board for historical fiction writers. It's good to be accurate in detail! Thanks.

[Mitzi Curi]

Thanks so much, Mindy! I like to impart a little information about antiques here and there. It makes treasure hunting more interesting!

Mitzi