"Bargello Challenge #1" -- July 1, 2008

Janet Perry has just published a new book, “Bargello Revisited”. She began a Bargello blog tour several weeks ago and has visited many different blogs which you can read about on her blog; http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/.

As part of her blog tour she asked if anyone would be willing to participate in a Bargello Challenge and I volunteered! I’m going to turn my blog over to Janet so she can talk about her project for the Bargello Challenge and then I’ll talk about mine. Enjoy!

Here’s Janet!!!

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Cyn and I did a Bargello Challenge this month. Because Bargello lines can be varied easily and because there aren't any set colors, a challenge is a fun way to do Bargello as a group.
The principle is very simple. Find (or make) a simple Bargello line. Give it to everyone who is participating in the challenge.

Each person chooses colors and, if wanted, varies the line. Then the fun begins. Each Bargello is stitched. While Cyn and I both did mini-socks, you don't have to all have the same shape.



I decided to make outlined shapes (the solid blue violet) by offsetting the lines. I had thought about doing something like this for quite awhile and I'm glad I did. While the picture doesn't show it and the metallic obscures it, the stitches aren't all the same length in the center. I'm thinking that I need to explore this idea more to see what characteristics the line needs to have to make pretty fills.

But back to the mini-sock itself. I found this charming color of Gloriana's Lorikeet. Lorikeet is one of my favorite threads for Bargello because it is a fine wool, Four strands fill up of 18 mesh canvas beautifully and the colors are so lush. This one is called Monet's Garden. To this I added the blue-violet (Silk & Ivory - another favorite) and Crescent Colours floss in a very subtle hand-dyed watery blue). The final touch was a metallic ribbon from Kreinik.

I really like the soft shading of the non-metallics against the more forward metallic. Because the metallic is not a solid color, it is less harsh and, I think, more interesting.

I loved doing the challenge and am looking forward to doing one again.

If you want some additional ideas about variations in Bargello, find the book Bargello Magic. There is a section in that where the same pattern is colored in many different ways. You need to get past the garish 70's colors and see the different and wonderful patterns which emerge from one basic diamond pattern.

Keep Stitching,
Janet M. Perry
napaneedlepoint@gmail.com
http://www.napaneedlepoint.com/
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/ - blog

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Thanks for visiting my blog Janet!

Cynthia
Windy Meadow