Updated February 26, 2021.
You may not have thought about Bargello as the easiest way into doing your own designs, but it is. A simple Bargello line pattern, such as the one I used on my Bargello pattern challenge with Cindy from Windy Meadow, pictured below, can be the springboard to many different Bargello projects.
The basic line, a scallop, is used for this little coin purse. The overdyed thread is the end of some knitting yarn given to me by a friend. I used Crescent Colours floss and Flair as the other threads.
From start to finish, it only took me less than 3 hours to stitch.
Once you have a line, you can start to vary it. This ribbons pattern is made by keeping the pattern going in one direction instead of turning at the scallop’s top. It’s a simple change and can be done with any Bargello line pattern, but what a difference it makes!
You can enhance the ribbony look by making more than one line using the same thread. I used three and accented it with neon green Sparkle Rays. It’s in a lime green alligator Lee’s Needle Arts luggage tag.
This was the original piece I did using this line; it was on Cindy’s site. I offset the rows of the pattern so that the lowest point in one row meets the highest point in the row below it. When you do this, the pattern no longer has lines but shapes. This type of shape is called a clamshell and is fun to fill.
Mine is pretty conservative, but you could also fill the outlines with different colors, making a scrap bag design, or you could alternate between two or three colors.
I started (late Tuesday night) yet another variation that crosses two of the ribbon patterns into a big “X,” and I want to do more after that.
This is easy to do yourself, find a Bargello line pattern you like, graph out on or another of these variations, pick your threads, and stitch away! You have created an original design!
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
I love the ease of bargello and throw it in blank spaces whenever I can. I am currently working on my first original design and found that triangles are easy to work with. I saw a “Barrister’s Block” quilt block in a book and thought it would be perfect for the law office I stitch, I mean work, in. Barrister’s Block is also known as “Lawyer’s Puzzle”. I have the main bit done, now trying to think of a way to do the borders.
For color, I used 2 Watercolors, Pine and Pearl. I think this combination is going to be a favorite. The Pine has the greens my Irish boss likes, and the Pearl gives me a chance to throw just a touch of pink in. Not enough that a man would complain, but enough for me to notice. I am going to use this combination in other pieces, with more pinks for me to enjoy. Time to restock the stash.