This is a guide for people interested in recreating or identifying vintage redwork or embroidery quilts.

Redwork became a popular form of hand embroidery in the 1880's and lasted until the 1930's.   Redwork is a design embroidered using outline-stitch, typically done in turkey red.  (Turkey red is a deep rich shade close to DMC #304.)  Red was preferred since this was one color that did not bleed, they used a different dye process than we do today.  Redwork embroidery was frequently used to introduce young girls to embroidery work. Other colors were also used, mainly blue, black and yellow.

Nursery Rhyme Quilt - embroidery/redwork pattern

Mary, Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?

This pattern was published in rural newspapers across America around 1931.  One pattern was printed each week, and the reader would carefully cut and save each piece until they had a complete quilt set.  These patterns were highly valued, many of them surviving for collectors and quilt historians of today. This pattern is known as the Nursery Rhyme Quilt was by C Mullen.

There are 25 designs, a quilting design and a quilt layout drawing.  The blocks are designed to be embroidered on 9 inch muslin squares of fabric.

Each design included a short poem and information about that weekly square.

You complete the penny squars by: embroidery on the lines, using the simple stitches, such as outline, French knot, satin stitch, long and short and lazy-daisy.

There are 25 designs

• Mary, Quite Contrary 
• Jack Be Nimble
• Humpty-Dumpty
• Little Bo-Peep
• Old Mother Hubbard
• Tom the Piper's Son
• Little Jack Horner
• Ride a Horse
• The Old Woman in the Shoe
• Sing a Song of Sixpence
• The Old Woman in the Sky
• The Cat and the Fiddle
• Mary Had a Little Lamb
• Little Tom Thumb
• Old King Cole
• Hickory, Dickory, Dock
• Little Miss Muffett
• Simple Simon
• Barber Shave a Pig
• Peter, Peter, Pumpkin-Eater
• Cat's in the Well
• Robin
• Little Boy Blue
• Rub-a-Dub-Dub
• Old Mother Goose 

Many quilters recreate this pattern today!  The  pattern is suitable for coloring, painting, appliqué work, embroidery or a combination. You can choose redwork or bluework and make  your quilt as simple or elaborate as you wish. 

Any of the designs can be used separately for pillow tops, runners, tablecloths and other pieces for your home or for gifts.