Sunbonnet Babies and Chickens – Free Redwork Pattern

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!

When it’s hot outside it’s fun to do any kinds of activities that involve ice, water or anything cold. Check out my water and ice activities here, and read on for sensory and science experiments using and inspired by ice cream, and maybe grab a sweet treat after you’re finished.

In the Playroom has a bunch of ice cream inspired STEM challenges that would be great for older kids. These include things like designing an ice cream cone holder that will hold cones upright, making the highest stack of “scoops” (using cotton balls) and making a cover that can keep ice cream from melting so quickly. The challenges and printable pages kids can use as they work on their experiments individually or in teams are included in a free download.

This ice cream water table from Happy Toddler Playtime doesn’t use real ice cream, but you could try chilling the shaving cream for the fake ice cream base (though cans of shaving cream should not be frozen). Or just throw some ice cubes in there while you play.

You could also make fluffy ice cream slime (not edible) with this recipe from STEAMsational Family and use that in a sensory tray or table if you like.

Happy Toddler Playtime also has an ice cream cone volcano idea, which is the classic baking soda and vinegar project with an ice cream twist.

Turn building an ice cream cone into a lesson about sharing with this idea from Extremely Good Parenting. Read the book Should I Share My Ice Cream? and then make paper into an ice cream ball you can share with someone else (or just make for fun).

Learn about states of matter and sequencing with a melting Popsicle experiment (you could also do with ice cream) from Mrs. Jones’ Creation Station. This is a good one if you have a sunny spot on the playground or in the yard where kids can observe and time the melting of a frozen treat, ideally while eating their own. There’s also a free printable for kids to record their observations if they didn’t get too sticky.

Have you read?