Natalie and Charlie lived in what had been the Lutheran Teacherage -- where the (unmarried) women teachers at the Lutheran school had boarded. The house originally had three rooms down and three rooms up, 16x16x16. There was a wide hall with a very steep staircase. The wall up the stairs was lined with framed redwork pillow shams.
I was smitten. I had discovered needlework (mostly needlepoint but also other embroidery). I loved antiques. I was earning a living and setting up housekeeping, defining my tastes and starting collections -- and redwork was among them.
Redwork has been extensively documented and described (here is just one example). Technically I purchased "outline embroidery" because they weren't all red floss-on-white. My collection remained modest because as much as I admired redwork it didn't fit my decor (and was not to my husband's taste). The redwork stayed in a box in the Deep Stash.
It occurred to me that redwork would be an ideal complement to the decor at Bonnie Hunter's
Quiltville Inn . I wrote to offer my collection to her and she said yes! I took pictures before I put the pieces in the shipping box -- but I didn't iron them because then I'd have had second and third thoughts.
These shams are unhemmed. I always thought the child's eyes (on the right) were scary.
Some of the pieces are beautifully finished. The fabric was fine percale.
Oops -- someone's floss was not colorfast.
Peacocks were a popular motif.
The German piece is embroidered on ribcord fabric. The top piece folds over, like a reverse pillow-tuck. The housecleaning scene makes me think that this was for a daybed off a kitchen, maybe. (The ribcord is too heavy to be a curtain.)
The pieces on the right are Swedish.
This is a 100+-year-old UFO.
And some pieces I'm keeping . . . for the time being, at any rate.
When I had a guest room these were over the twin beds.
I don't always remember when/where I buy specific pieces, but I do recall this: an antiques store in Naples, Maine, circa 1993. The fabric is a heavy-ish twill and it must've been hard to poke the needle through.
It says:
Ring out the old
Ring in the new
Ring out the false
Ring in the true
(In Memoriam by Tennyson)
.....certainly a good thought for the new year!
I have been working on a redwork quilt for years. It's the perfect travel project--just red floss and the image. My goal is to finish it this year. The main pieces are joined with pieced work. I created a border--one side finished, working on the other.
ReplyDeleteHow kind of you to gift it to someone who will be able to use it. I think many of us are have reached the decluttering stage of our lives.
ReplyDeleteHooray for relocating the redwork to a setting so ideal! So much better than it staying in the Deep Stash.
ReplyDeleteLove the red-work pieces that you have/had. What nostalgia they bring to mind.
ReplyDeleteWonderful to bring the red work out of a box and get it to a place people can appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteOur guild just put ourselves in the lottery to go to the Quiltville Inn! If I make it there, you bet I will brag on knowing you and take lots of pictures!!!!!!
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