Updated November 23, 2018
Although the colors in this mini-sock (from my book Bargello Revisited, available in my Etsy shop) are traditional, the Bargello is not.
A fairly straightforward, if large, zig-zag line pattern is interrupted by two straight lines. Those lines, in turn, are interrupted by a few of the Bargello lines. It’s an easy technique to freshen Bargello line patterns, especially those with lots of movement. I love how it allows you to introduce an accent in a contrasting texture or color in a subtle way.
Begin by making your establishing line of Bargello, somewhere near the top of the piece. A pattern with stitches four threads long is good here.
Count down an even number of threads and make a line with a Pigma Micron marker. This is the top of your interrupting line.
Stitch down to the line and decide if this will be your interrupting line on the pattern. If it is, continue to make the pattern all the way to the end of your area. If it is not, stop. Go back to the beginning of the area and make Bargello lines stopping at the interrupting line until you have the Bargello line that will go straight through.
Once you’ve made your through line, stitch the top accent line. Drop down four threads and make a second accent line. The thread you use for the accents should be a strong accent, different in both color and texture. Make the accent lines all the way across, stopping only for the through Bargello line you have already stitched.
Two accent lines is plenty for this mini-sock. If you are making a larger piece, such as a pillow, consoder making the lines further apart or having more lines. If you do this reme,ber to have the spaces always be an even number of threads apart. The accent lines should always be the same width as one stitch in the rest of the pattern.
Using that through line as your new establishing line and following the same color progression of threads and colors, fill in the areas between and below the accent lines.
Finally finish up the rest of the unstitched area.
It sounds far more complicated than it is. But it’s a lovely way to make line patterns look fresh.
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
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