I recieved a note today commenting on the redwork. I am sending along a few more links in case you would like to learn more. The dye used originally came from Turkey. If you are an antique buff you might recall the term "turkey work" to refer to the embroidered pillow shams with catchy slogans such as "I slept and dreamt that life was beauty." and then on the next, "I woke to find that life was duty." Growing up with a lover of old things I saw lots of those shams and tea towels in magazines displayed on old iron beds with patchwork quilts. My twin bed sported a blue redwork (yes they really call it that ; )) sham with a cherub all the years I lived at home.
The pieces are worked much like cross stitch. You use an embroidery needle, plain 100% cotton, and a two strand floss for regular work and 1strand for details. The basic stitches are backstitch, stemstitch, and french knots. The first link shows how to do them all. We transferred our first pattern today and Moira (9) is moving through it with ease. This is a keeper craft! : )
Starry Sky Journal 
Thank you for the links – it’s a fascinating subject. I do quite a lot of needlework but the closest thing I can think of here (Wales) is ‘blackwork’, but that tends to have less ‘white space’ left and is not (to my mind) so visually pleasing – it also tends to err towards a more ‘medieval’ feel rather than the gently nostalgic victorian. I love the pillow case in the photo, presumably it is one you have made yourself? Anyway, book ordered from Amazon and patterns from Calico cat so I think I have been smitten by redwork 🙂
I am glad the links helped Shayne. I am personally hooked. I began to cross stitch years ago and found it is very difficult to keep accurate counts with little ones around. This is much better!
Can’t take credit for this sham though. I just can’t seem to post without a graphic lol!
Kim, this is great…I really would like to learn…I too have an unfinished cross stitch project…it is the Marine Corps Emblem for dh…I can’t count at all with the kids around…and the toddler gets caught up in the string…I really want to do something more creative…this looks like it! Thanks for the links…as usual, I have a LOT of reading to do ;o)