My Light Table

Here's the "light table" I use to trace my patterns onto fabric for redwork. It's homemade - just a piece of Plexiglas and one of those lights you mount under a cabinet. I started using it about 10 years ago for calligraphy, and what I like best about it is that I can adjust the angle to suit me as I go along. The board rests in my lap (it's not heavy), and I can move it a little or a lot as I trace a pattern. It measures 19 by 24 inches. I got it at a hardware store and it must have come pre-cut because I would never ask for those measurements! The light rests on my desk top (it's not hot), and the bulb seems to never burn out!

When not in use, I store the Plexiglas under the desk and the light on a shelf behind my desk. (It stays plugged in.)

Front view - from over my chair


Back view - so you can see the light fixture better. It measures 12.5 inches long.

Pinkwork for Deena

My friend Deena LOVES pink! And we both love tea parties. Here is a pillow-in-progress I'm making for her; it's almost finished. I'm stitching the dedication on the back of the pillow, then I'll sew front to back and put a pillow form inside.

The floss is two strands of DMC (not sure what color number). It was fun to stitch this!

Redwork stuff

I have been collecting Redwork patterns for about a year now.

I keep a jar of vinegar and water on my shelf and put handfuls of floss in it at a time. I don't take the wrappers off while the floss soaks so the skeins don't tangle when I take them out. Recipe: 8 oz water plus 1 Tbsp vinegar. Soak floss for 8 hours or longer. Then rinse with cold water till it doesn't smell like vinegar, and drip dry. My favorite red is DMC #304.


Here is some floss, washed and dried, ready to go. Also some red buttons, in my vintage enamal pan with red stripe. Surrounded by glass jars holding dog biscuits and buttons, and pictures of my son, age 5 or 6 (that was about 12 years ago) on the French bulletin board behind the shelf.


I keep my Redwork info and patterns on the CQ and Embroidery shelf. Everything goes into the notebook asap so I can find it when I want it! I do try to read all the info before I put it in the notebook, so I know what's in there.


...and some copyright-free patterns I printed from the internet yesterday, on my desk, waiting to be filed in the Redwork notebook. I got these flower and alphabet patterns here: http://www.ladiesinred.org.