twinkie

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

newestnana

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!

lots2do

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?)

lots2do

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.

connietoo

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.

dottiequilts

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.

thimblebug6000

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?

AZ Jane

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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dottiequilts

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.

Geri B

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.