Supplies for my Redwork Mystery

Now that the holidays are past and we have 2 months to go till the deadline for my Mystery Sampler (called A Redwork Sampler Full of Surprises), people are starting to write to me with inquiries about supplies. I will answer each of your questions individually, but thought it a good idea also to post the information on my blog.

Here is the list of the supplies I used:
White congress cloth 14" tall x 17" wide.
6 skeins of Anchor floss #1005 red.

Notes on choosing supplies other than the ones I used:
You may choose any ground fabric (congress cloth or linen) you wish, so long as it is 24 - 28 count. Much of the design is worked in Cross Stitch over 1 Mesh and Double-Running Stitch, so the design will look very delicate on 24-28 count. There is no need to work on a finer ground, say 30 count or 32 or 40 count unless you have an obsession. In this case, use what feeds your obsession. (Heaven forbid we not satisfy obsessions).

You may work in any thread you wish as long as it approximates the weight of Anchor embroidery floss.
If you choose silk, you will have to calculate the amount you need. A skein of 6 ply embroidery floss has 8 meters (for those of you who need reminding, a meter is 39").

You may work in any color (or combination of colors) you wish, so long as the thread you choose passes The Test.
Here is The Test:
With a single ply of your thread (for example, one ply of the six in embroidery floss), work a short length of Double-Running stitch. If the color shows up clearly and crisply on the ground fabric, it will work well; if it fades into the fabric, find a stronger color.

If you have any questions, let me know.
If the same questions come from a number of you, I will post them on my blog.

Gay Ann