Redwork question
 

This is my first time doing redwork though I have done little bits of hand embroidery here and there in the past before. My question is this, the pattern calls for Pellon fusible (very light weight) but doesn't say which one. Are they talking about Wonder Under? I've used Wonder Under before.

I have HeatnBond Lite Iron on adhesive by Therm O Web . It was given to me and I've never used it but from the directions it sounds like it might work. I don't have much extra fabric so before I iron anything on to it I would really like to make sure I'm going to be able to hand stitch through it.

Any help would be truly appreciated!! Kelly:)

This isn't an exact answer to your question, but I recently embroidered a Halloween sampler. The pattern had you put a layer of muslin, cut same size, behind the piece as it was worked. It helps to hide thread tails and traveling thread when the piece is completed. It turned out very nicely.
I did baste the 2 pieces through the center and around the outside. You could baste more if the piece is very large.
kathyd

You can use a really this batting instead of the fusible pellon. Like Kathyd I basted it to the embroidery fabric.

Are you to use the fusible BEFORE the stitching? I usually add the fusible when the stitching is done. Unless, it's used for a stabilizer while you are stitching? Then use the lightest weight, I would think.

I just finished a redwork top that measured about 48 x 48 and I, like kathyd, used muslin to back the blocks. I basted around the redwork and the edges to keep it smooth. A local quilt shop has a material they sell for backing redwork although I don't recall what the name is but it feels like flannel. The lady in the shop said I could use flannel instead. However, since muslin was less expensive I chose that. I'm not an expert in redwork, but it seems to me that any fusible no matter what weight would make it stiff and make the needle sticky. The whole idea is to use something to hide traveling threads and knots, which according to the redwork police you aren't suppose to make knots, but I haven't figured out how to keep the thread from coming loose if I don't make a knot -- so I make knots. If it were me, I would find some inexpensive muslin the same color as your background fabric instead of any fusible product.

Some redwork patterns do recommend a fusible interfacing as a stabilizer. You might want to buy a little and try it out on a piece of scrap fabric to see how you like the feel. I am experimenting, myself. Go to the Pellon bolts at Joann's or wherever. Look for a lightweight woven interfacing without a lot of the glue dots on the back...the very lightest you can find. I found some Face-it Soft Fusible by Sew Lazy that I'm going to try at a LQS. You can also try the muslin idea or a thin flannel.

It doesn't make your needle sticky at all but it does make your fabric feel kind of rubbery, which only makes sense since you are ironing plastic to it, I suppose. Some people swear by using it and some don't care for it. I'd love to know what the flannel like material is that the LQS recommends.

Are you doing hand embroidery?

I am doing my first Redwork hand embroidery. How I wish I had read this before starting. I did not know about backing my fabric. I have worked so hard so that no threads would show. With a backing fabric, the embroidery would have been so much easier. Thanks!

I always use flannel for mine when I am doing any redwork or embroidery. It helps to hide the floss. IMO, the fusible would make it so stiff.

Thanks for everyone jumping in here with all the advice! The pattern is telling me to iron it to the fabric before I do my embroidery. The fabric is pretty much snow white so having a backing will certainly help hide the threads. In what little bit of embroidery I've done I've also had a hard time not using knots to anchor my thread. The HeatnBond Lite says you can sew through it with no sticky residue but it just feels a little too stiff for my liking.

This is a table runner that is going to have batting also. I would attach a link but I'm not sure how. The pattern is Jolly Old Santa Table Runner by Pattern Press.

Flannel sounds like a great idea but since the fabric I'm using is so white I'm thinking muslin might end up being the way to go. Ironing fusible on is just soooo easy though!:p

I do lots of hand embroidery. Just finished a baby quilt from Rabbits Haven Patterns. I always use Quilters Dream behind my embroideries. Its very light weight, needles like butter, and when my top is done, the LA lady who does my quilting just puts the batting and backing together and quilts it like any other top.

Wonder Under and Heat n Bond are fusible webs. They're for attaching one piece of fabric to another either with or without stitching.

They're probably talking about a lightweight fusible interfacing. An interfacing is left in to give the fabric body or stiffen it depending on the weight of the interfacing.

Jackie. what kind of Quilter's Dream do you use? Do you cut it the same size as the entire embroidered block? Would it work on something like this? http://www.crabapplehillstudio.com/o...the-woods.html
This is the embroidered quilt I always have wanted to make. The designer recommends the muslin backing.
I'm so glad that I saw this thread. Didn't know any of this.

There's always the next time!

they are refering to LIGHTWEIGHT INTERFACING not fusable web (like wonderunder) the interfacing stablizes the block and keeps threads on the back from showing through on the top

Kelly, I always back mine with flannel which is well washed and shrunk (old sheets and pillowcases from yard sales is my "supplier"). When I then quilt it gives the embroidery extra puffy look. I've tried the fusible and wasn't happy and with the handling, the fusible came loose on the edges of the block. All in all, not satisfied. Muslin is also excellent, but make sure you've washed and shrunk it first and then just hand baste it to the top fabric.

I did a redwork quilt several years back and didn't know to back it. I used a white-on-white for the background. It has hung on my kitchen wall for about 7 years after being quilted with warm-n-??? (CRS). I have not witnessed any problem with knots showing through or any other problem. I guess this proves ignorance is bliss?? 8^))

I'm a little late to the game but here is my two cents. I am working on Winter Wonderland by Crabapple Hill at the moment. I went with muslin for the backing and basted it on just as others have mentioned. However, I have a very talented and prolific quilting friend and she made a smallish snowmen wallhanging. She used something called Sticky Fabri-Solvy which is "printable". She printed her pattern on the solvy, stuck that to her fabric, then stitched through it all. Afterwards, she rinsed the slovy off and was left with just the fabric piece. It turned out great. I did not see any knots or long threads where she carry them over. If I were to start a new piece, this is what I would use now too. Take that all for what it's worth.

I would use the Pellon Featherweight fusible.

I just love to embroider and make a lot of redwork patterns. At first I started with muslin on the back but now I just buy the thinnest white flannel and use that. It works out great, love to use it and it hides all those threads in the back. I don't think I would use any type of iron on stabilizer. It might make the needle hard to go thru the fabric.

One of the ladies in our guild teaches redwork and her own work is beautiful. I asked her about putting some kind of backing on and she said the back should look almost as good as the front and she never uses knots. She has won several awards for her work and still uses no backing. Just my two cents worth.

When our group did the Winter Wonderland embroidered project, a couple ladies used the fusible, I chose to baste muslin to the backs of mine. A word of caution, if you choose to iron fusible, you need to do it BEFORE you trace with a wash away marker or you will set the ink. ALSO one of the ladies used an iron that was too hot, her project had the bubbles that come up from the glue if it's too hot. I do hand embroidery with or without a backing, depending on how I feel at the moment. My latest project, I've basted some warm'n natural to the blocks.

Thank you all again for so much help! I would love to use the flannel but I don't know if I can get it in pure white and that's what it would have to be, so it's going to either be muslin or the fusible interfacing thanks for clearing up that mistake!!). The big thing is I have to hide the threads on the back so whatever will work to do that is what I'm going to use. I guess it's time to get out the embroidery book I bought a few years ago too! Again, my thanks to all!!

Thimblebug6000 - good to know about the heat on the iron cause mine is HOT!

I would like to know where all of you find the redwork patterns that you use if anyone cares to divulge your sources.
Thanks. Gladys

This sounds like a great idea. Will have to try it.

Crabapple Hill has some nice patterns. The one I'm working on is Jolly Old Santa Table Runner by Pattern Press. I just Googled embroidery and redwork patterns and quite a few came up.

My redwork quilt pattern is from Crabapple Hill. They have great embroidery patterns.

I wish I could help you but I am anxious to see the answer.

I could have written this post. Having embroidered as a child, never with backing, it didn't occur to me to have a second layer to embroider through (and the red work pattern didn't suggest it). Hmmm. Watching these recommendations!

I just found my new favorite site after this one of course: www.needlenthread.com. There are tons of video clips on how to embroider and she shows very clearly how to work without knots. I'm rethinking the whole back of the work question now. I signed up for her newsletter. Off to a shop to pick up some new perle cotton to play around with! She also has some free redwork designs. Couldn't explore the site thoroughly or I'd be there all day. (Sound familiar?) ;)

I have some of this but haven't tried it yet. I think this is more to mark your design without writing right on your fabric. Does that make sense? You could still have the problem of traveling and knots showing up.

Its called Shape Flex. You iron it to the back and then you won't need to use a hoop. Also there is a product called Transfer Eze . You print your pattern to this and then apply it to your fabric. No need then to trace your pattern. when you are done you just put your work in cold water and the transfer eze disappears.

I teach hand embroidery at our local quilt store in Clinton, Wi. and the absolute best thing to use is pellon SF101. It is a fusible apparel interfacing that looks like a fine muslin when iron onto the fabric. Don't iron it on until after you have traced the embroidery design. This stuff doesn't gum up the needle or offer any resistance. It hides all those little threads. Our shop carries it, but I originally found it at JoAnn's and bought a whole bolt after using it for a project. I always stress that the embroidery fabric have a high thread count--makes it easier to embroider. The best thread is sulky 12 weight which is available on large and now smaller spools. It looks wonderful, doesn't shred or separate and doesn't knot up as much as dmc. I used one large spool to do all the embroidery on the Winter Wonderland Quilt, so it goes a long way. The best needle (it is the only one I've found that is tapered from the tip to the eye) is from Scarlet Today (www.redworkplus.com) She also has cute hand embroidery patterns on her website. I think crabapplehill also sells those needles. When looking for patterns check out coloring pages on the internet--just google a subject and you can spend hours cruising through getting inspired. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to help.

dottiequilts, what pen are you using to trace your redwork design with? I have used a pigma pen & then it's okay to iron after it's drawn, but if a person is using a wash away pen you wouldn't want to iron the fusible onto the back after you had traced your design, or it would be heat set, right?

Use the lightest available where you shop. I used it on this quilt for granddaughter but as you can see I did not stick with the redwork, LOIL Two shades of pink with green. Sorry, one more edit - this is a Jack Dempsey Needle Art, it is pre-printed and very easy to do.

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I always use a pigma pen (with the finest tip they make) and try to match the ink to the thread I'm using for embroidery. If using several colors of thread, use a light brown ink. I never recommend using a wash away pen--tried it once early on and it was a mess and created a kind of heart stopping moment when I saw the color running all over my beautiful embroidery.

well, thanks to all, I have learned something new today already and it is only about 10:30am. I have hand embroidered, not very well, but tried---did a redwork quilt and am now working-more off than on! on a scrappy quilt that will have various hand embroidered flower baskets in various colors along with the scrappy fabric....Anyway, I have never heard of backing embroidery work.......My redwork is fine on the muslin I did it on, but if I have to travel with thread, I sort of wind it into whatever is there to wherever I have to go and I do knot but very tiny. I used to love to do cross stitch and there the backs were almost reverse of fronts so I guess that is where I get that practice. But, if I ever do another project, I certainly will use the softest fusible non woven interfacing I can find for backing.....thanks, for the hint.