Redwork Embroidery - A very attractive art

Redwork embroidery: the red wine color of Türkiye

Redwork is a name originating from the red thread commonly used for a particularly striking embroidery style. Cotton growers in Turkey used a special dyeing method so that it would not fade. What a few decades ago was considered great news and explains why it was so popular at the time. As the processing of the red color came from Turkey, it was aptly named Redwork from Turkey.

The durability of the color in any embroidery is very important to be able to withstand the rigors of continuous washing. At that time the only alternatives were white and natural cotton. So the addition of the new red color created such a sensation.

embroideries from europe

It is believed that Redwork embroidery originated in Europe in the XNUMXth century. At that time, silk was considered a luxury item and cotton, on the other hand, was abundant and very cheap. This explained why farmers were the main market and could improvise using decorative stitches as decoration. This popularity spread throughout the United States, where stores were selling around 6-inch squares of muslin for just a penny a piece. This was called "cent squares". We often see these ladies in sheets and duvets to this day.

The squares were given to the teenagers to help them improve their embroidery skills. Even small children at that time were taught to sew in orphanages and schools. In fact, a school in England helped popularize Redwork embroidery, as this is where students first developed the Kensington stitch. However, over the years Redwork embroidery, along with other forms and styles of embroidery, has declined significantly due to changing times and the fickle temperament of people.

Designs to embroider in Redwork

Learn how to make Redwork embroideries with Pano Xadrez by Eliana Zerbinatti (video in Portuguese):

Redwork embroidery in modern times

However, in modern times, Redwork embroidery is experiencing a renaissance, mainly because there are some people who are trying to replicate the same look as the vintage quilts you might see at auctions. Apparently, many people today are drawn to the pure ancient art of embroidery. While there are many embroidery machines that produce specialist quality embroidery at the push of a button, there are still some people who prefer to do it the traditional way. That's why hand embroidery never goes out of style, especially on delicate fabrics that require more delicate handling and highly intricate designs that can only be done by hand.