Ok - I am looking at the directions for a bargello quillt and this confuses me

"All strips are cut 3-1/2-inches by the width of the fabric , from selvage to selvage. Place the fabric with the fold towards you and cut 2-1 /2 strips of each fabric. For the most accurate cut, cut only one fabric at a time. "


If all strips are 3.5 inches - what am I going to do with the 1/2 inch strips?

Since I don't know what came before or comes after... my guess is that you are cutting both 3 1/2 inch and 2 1/2 inch strips (selvedge to selvedge)... usually bargello quilts do not always have the same size strips. It is the variance of the widths as well as the other cuts and sewing you will do that will make the bargello a bargello! Hope this makes sense. :mrgreen:

I've never done bargello, so this is a guess. Do they mean you cut only 2 1/2 strips out of the fabric? Rather than cutting 3 or 4 strips, you only need less than 3 strips?

Just guessing, since you didn't say inches in the 2nd sentence.

I've never done one either (yet) but I wonder if they don't mean you should cut 3 strips, each 3 1/2" wide and then use 2 1/2 of the 3 strips. Just a guess...

It's impossible to be sure without seeing the directions that come before and after this one, but here's my interpretation. They want you to cut three strips 3.5 inches wide, making sure your cuts are accurate. Of those three strips, you will use only 2 and one-half of them for the pattern. If you notice, there is no "inch" after the 2-1/2; this is the tip-off for me that they want 2 and one-half strips. I would verify this with the instructions that come later, though.

That is how I read it too. They want all of the strips cut selvedge to selvedge, and in doing this, you will have some half strips left over.

I sure hope someone who has made one answers this. I have the fabric and the book, but can't get my mind around the directions either!

i am reading it like you are but i dont really understand someone will come along and save you that is why this is here for people like us lol

I agree with carrieg - with Bargello's all strips are cut the same width to begin with. The difference in cutting sizes is after you join all the strips in sequence (like for a trip around the world). From that panel of joined strips, you will then start cutting across in different sizes and that difference is what will produce the waves in Bargello.

So, only cut 2 1/2 strips of each color at 3 1/2 inches.