Craft Gossip

The largest independent craft review site since 2007

Sunbonnet Babies and Chickens – Free Redwork Pattern

by

In quilting, most people know about Sunbonnet Sue, a popular design that has been around for many years.  Well, here’s a different take on that traditional design.  These are Sunbonnet Babies done in Redwork hand embroidery.

Originating in the mid 1800s, redwork has been a popular embroidery technique for a long time. You can see the work on pillows, dish towels, quilts, and coverlets just to name a few.

Ideal for adding to a tea towel or even a quilt panel, this adorable pattern from Grandma’s Attic Sewing Emporium is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. It is a traditional design with two children feeding a flock of chicks.

The pattern suggest using the outline stitch (also known as the Kensington stitch) for the project.  It looks to me like the polka dots on the one dress are made with french knots. You will need an embroidery hoop, floss, canvas and a needle to complete this project.

Embroidered onto a set of tea towels, this design would make a lovely gift for someone.  Of course, if you prefer not to do the project in redwork, you could always do bluework or blackwork.

Click here to get this charming free pattern:  Sunbonnet Babies

[photo from Grandma’s Attic Sewing Emporium]

Sunbonnet Sue is a classic embroidery pattern that has been around since the late 19th century. It features a young girl wearing a bonnet and dress, holding a basket or umbrella.

The pattern was first created by Ella J. Sperry, a popular embroidery artist of the time. The pattern quickly became popular and was used by many embroiderers to decorate quilts, clothing, and other items.

Today, Sunbonnet Sue is still popular among embroiderers and quilters, and there are many free patterns available online. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced embroiderer, Sunbonnet Sue is a great pattern to start with – it’s easy to learn and can be adapted to suit any skill level. So if you’re looking for a classic pattern to get started with, Sunbonnet Sue is it!

Read These Next

Have you read?

Learn about Bulgaria for Kids

Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is in Southeastern Europe that’s bordered by Greece, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia and the Black Sea. It was founded from an empire that deeply influenced the Slavic nations and was once part of the Eastern bloc controlled by Russia.

Bulgaria Facts

  • Bulgaria is 42,855 square miles, or 110,994 square kilometers, with a population near 6.5 million.
  • Its capital and largest city is Sofia.
  • The Bulgarian Empire, from which the nation takes its name, took power in the area in the late 7th century and developed Cyrillic script, which is used for many Slavic languages. The country was under Ottoman rule for almost five centuries, but it declared its independence in 1908.
  • Bulgaria sided with Germany in both world wars and became part of the Eastern bloc led by the Soviet Union in 1946. The Communist Party ceded control in the late 1980s and Bulgaria adopted a democratic constitution in 1991.
  • It is a unitary parliamentary republic with a president and a prime minister as well as a National Assembly.
  • The word Bulgar might have some from a word meaning to mix or stir, or a derivative of that word that means revolt or disorder. About 85 percent of the country is ethnically Bulgarian, and the official language is Bulgarian.

Bulgarian National Symbols

The Bulgarian flag is made of three horizontal stripes, one white, one green and one red. It was adopted when they gained independence from the Ottoman Empire.

The national anthem, “Mila Rodino,” or “Dear Motherland,” was adopted in 1964 but its lyrics have been changed many times, most recently in 1990, and a shortened version was approved in 1991.

The Eurasian griffon vulture is considered the national bird, and a lion is used as it heraldic symbol.

The patron saint of Bulgaria is Saint John of Rila, the first Bulgarian hermit, whose followers founded many churches in his honor, including the famous Rila Monastery, now a UNESCO World Heritage site (and a very cool looking building).

The national instrument is the kaba gaida, a bagpie that is native to Bulgaria.

Bulgaria Activities for Kids

Listen to the kaba giada in this video, or you can listen for two hours(!) here.

Learn more about Bulgarian folk dancing and watch some people doing it. The people in this video are also wearing traditional Bulgarian folk costumes, which is fun to see. (As a knitter I love those socks!) You can learn more about Bulgarian folk costumes here or at Meet the Slavs.

See what your name looks like in Cyrillic and see if you can write it! You can also learn the sounds of the Bulgarian alphabet here.

Learn more about Bulgaria from Kids World Travel Guide, or check out the resources available at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Wonders of Bulgaria has a good rundown of traditional Bulgarian foods you might want to try. For kids I’d suggest their version of moussaka, which is like the Greek dish only made with potatoes and not eggplant or zucchini. The Modern Nonna has a version that includes carrots, but they’re optional.