Crazy for Redwork

Ayako Nakabayashi, our intern from Tokyo, flew home this morning.  But she left with a new passion for redwork -- and blue work, and lots of American patchwork traditions.

For Christmas I gave her a copy of Pennies from Heaven, the CD with 90 historic redwork designs.  She had never done embroidery before, but had done hand-stitching for years, so she was a quick study and had her first bloc done in about four hours.  All I had to do was show her how to take the stitches to the outside when going around a corner.  And of course, the trick of couching the occasional wayward thread when you try to make a circle too small for your stitch length.

Once she got going, she raided the fabric stash upstairs and put together wonderful collections of my Civil War fabrics, mixed with Australian hand-dyes, mixed with bold African fabrics I had collected over the years to create the crazy patch sashing in the Crazy for Redwork design and outside borders.  It was great to watch someone else reinterpret not only my pattern but my fabrics!

I'll post the results here as soon as I download the photos.

Nancy Kirk
The Kirk Collection
www.kirkcollection.com

Comments

[Joyce Morris]

DearNancy:
I have been receiving your newsletter for quiteawhile. I usually scan it and always read the personal notes about your and your family, some good andsome not. But I feel you are like a distant relativ, one I love but don't get to talk too much, but I just read your blog and want to tell you that I am touched by your thoughts. Keep up the good work. I lived in Omaha once briefly but Kansas City, Topeka and Saline longer. My prayers are with you and your family. Thanks.
Joyce Morris

[Angel]

Your place is refreshing to visit. I enjoyed reading your site.