Redwork History plus a Tablecloth/Quilt DIY
February 27, 2026
If this idea intrigues you at all, don’t be shy about giving it a try. Stitching the small squares makes a perfect travel project, easy to pick up and put down whenever you have a few quiet moments. It may take time, but there’s no need to rush — the real joy is in the process. Let's jump right in!
A Little History: What Are Redwork Penny Squares?
Redwork embroidery first became wildly popular in America in the late 1800s, when a new colorfast dye known as Turkey Red made it possible to stitch bright red designs that could safely be washed. Before that, red threads often bled — so this was quite a breakthrough for household linens.
Small embroidered motifs, often called penny squares, were especially fashionable. Many patterns were distributed through newspapers, mail-order catalogs, and thread companies for just a penny each making needlework accessible to women across rural and urban America. Women and girls traded and shared their treasured patterns, and stitched the simple designs onto individual squares, often working on them during sewing circles.
For generations, sewing circles were far more than a way to finish projects — they were places of friendship, learning, and shared life. Women of the day, so often isolated with heavy work loads, gathered to stitch, certainly, but also to exchange news, advice, and encouragement, turning simple handwork into community and a social network.
More than a century later, redwork still holds its appeal. Modern stitchers love redwork penny squares because they are:
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Slow and relaxing
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Beginner-friendly
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Easy to pick up and put down
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Deeply connected to tradition
For me, it’s also a quiet way to connect with the women in my family who carried heavy daily responsibilities, yet always found moments to sit, stitch, and share conversation. I wonder if you would like it too?
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| Supplies list below. |
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| Here are just a few of my redwork books, collected over many years. They sit atop a bed quilt that has been basted and the quilting has begun. |
- Fabric: I prefer the most traditional route — a high-quality 100% cotton muslin in ivory. To determine how much fabric you’ll need, start by choosing the finished size of your project, then decide on the square size you’d like to use. I prefer a 9½" square; with a ¼" seam allowance on all sides, this yields a 9" finished square. Once you’ve settled on both your overall size and square dimensions, a little simple math will tell you how many squares are required — and, in turn, how much fabric to purchase. Your local fabric shop staff can easily help you calculate yardage if needed.
- Backing fabric: in the same or similar high quality muslin.
- Embroidery Hoop
- Thread: High quality sewing machine thread such as Gutterman, in ivory and dark red. Also, quilting thread in ivory and quilting needles if you are going to hand quilt.
- Floss: Twelve skeins (more or less, depending on size of your project) of DMC 6 strand floss in Turkey Red. I used color #304.
- Needles: One package #8 embroidery needles and quilting needles if you will be hand quilting. My favorite is made by John James.
- Penny Square Books: You can find suitable designs from coloring books and children's books and also from reprinted Penny Square books that are still available. For these I'd ask my local quilting shop first, but design books are sold on Amazon, and you can also check out eBay. Finding the patterns is the fun part!
- Light Box: This is so helpful but not necessary. I borrow this one from my grandson.
- Transfer pen: Use a water soluble pen made for fabric.
- Quilting Stencil: If you are going to hand quilt, purchase a stencil to fit your square. You can find a good selection here.
- Wright's Bias Tape Extra Wide Double Fold (no subs) in color Ivory or Ancho.
- Thin quilt batting in the correct size if you will be making a bed quilt. This can be purchased after all the embroidery and piecing is done.
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| Photo 1. Transfer the pattern to the fabric. A light box is helpful but not necessary. |
- Machine wash and dry your fabric, then cut into perfect squares. I prefer a 9.5" square--with 1/4" seam all around to make a 9" finished square.
- Transfer the embroidery pattern onto your fabric squares using the water soluble pen. A light box helps with this but is not necessary. See Photo 1 above.
- Using a hoop and 2 strands of the 6 stand floss, (see photos 2 and 3 above) embroider your square using the following stitches:
- Basic Stem Stitch--use for outlining 95% of the time.
- Lazy Daisy Stitch--use for leaves and flowers
- French Knot--use for flowers and tiny details
- Chain Stitch--use when you want a more pronounced line than the stem stitch.
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| Photo 4. Arrange them in a pleasing way. |
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| Photo 5. Machine stitch squares into rows and press seams open. |
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| Photo 6. Align seams when stitching, pressing seams open. |
- Arrange the squares together in a pleasing way. See Photo 4 above. Machine stitch each square together one row at a time. Press each seam open. Repeat with the rest of the rows. See Photo 5.
- Stitch the rows together, matching each seam. Press open. See Photo 6 above.
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| Photo 9. Open up the tape and machine stitch on the fold line to attach the bias tape to one front side edge. |
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| Neatly finished edge with bias tape. |
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| This twin-size quilt was made by me in the early 1980s and spent many years on my son’s bed (though it’s pictured here on mine). When he was little, bedtime was story time — we would point to a square and take turns inventing a story about it. This quilt is full of sweet memories. |
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| Close up. |
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It is not uncommon to find penny square designs that were hand drawn. Pictured above are our family dogs with the things they loved. |
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| I made this baby quilt as a gift. |
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| Decades ago I found these completed squares for $10. They are made from very inexpensive muslin and are very fragile (a lesson to us to purchase only the best quality). I pieced them into a baby quilt, more to preserve them because I don't plan on using this. |
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This is the quilt that has been in progress for 20 plus years. What's the hurry? 😊 It is basted and about 1/3 quilted. It lives in a basket in my sewing room. I'll get it out one day and finish! |
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