Jubilee Needlepoint Sampler – Spool

The first block uses Bargello and four-way Bargello in a scrap quilt block, which was very popular during the Depression. Scrap quilts allowed women to use up their odds and ends of fabric to make quilts which had many colors. The central block represents the thread, while the triangles are the top and bottom of the spool.

The block is in the middle of the second row of the quilt. It will be stitched in the basted block you made in the previous step.

In the chart of the block, the bottom part of the spool only has the main line of the Bargello charted. This makes it easier to see the line of the Bargello.
The following threads were used in this block:

• Neon Rays – N98
• Watercolours (2 strands only) Amethyst
• Kreinik Medium Cord 012C
• Needle Necessities Spring II 348
• Kreinik #12 Braid 026V

Inside Square:

• Needle Necessities Spring II 312S – shadow dyed (open symbol)
• Rainbow Gallery Cresta d’Oro C21 (black symbol)

The sequence of colors for this block in the Bargello is as follows:

• Kreinik cord (solid black symbol)
• Spring II (open symbol)
• Watercolours (striped symbol)
• Neon Rays (wavy black symbol)
• Kreinik Braid (open wavy symbol)

The entire background is stitched in 2 strands of the Impressions in the Bargello pattern near the end of this post.

Kreinik Medium (#16) braid in the same color may be substituted for the Kreinik cord. The solid color version of Spring II for the shadow dyed color may also be substituted.

Spring II can be stitched with either a single or double ply.

Sometimes there will be stitches which cross only one thread. This can be a real problem when working on mono canvas, so it is better to extend the stitch above or below one thread, than to have a tiny stitch which disappears. This pattern is charted this way.

If there are areas of Bargello (i.e. made up of straight stitches) which have diagonal lines, the very corners do not work for doing Bargello stitches. In these cases, make a Tent Stitch in the direction of the diagonal to give the corner a definite finish. This will not be noticeable except close-up and it makes the corners look sharp and defined. Make the Tent Stitch before the last Bargello stitch and it will be less noticeable.

Begin by doing one end of the spool area. Complete this and then work the four-way square. Next complete the spool. Finish up by doing the two background sections in the Bargello pattern below.

This pattern begins with the second four-stitch block against the four-way square and the last single-stitch block along the outside edge of the patch. Begin at the four-way block in the center and work out. Because this Bargello is done in only one color, working in rows is not necessary, however, working in rows makes it easier to keep track of the pattern.

Remember, do the borders after the patch is stitched.

Follow the project on-line:

• Materials List
• Choosing Colors and Stitching Sashing
• Spool Block
• Dolley Madison Star
• Sawtooth
• Shoofly
• Winged Square
• Morning Star
• Chain
• Air Castle
• Box
• Star Cross
• Greek Cross
• Nonsense