Bargello quilting
 

I am wanting to make one of these. They are so amazing. I have chosen blue/teals...to give the effect of the ocean waters as the back is (real looking) Orca whales..my GD is a huge fan of these animals. So I want the bargello pattern to imitate ocean waves...so I know I need the strips different sizes...1,1/2 to 3,1/2inch wide by the length of the fabric. However...anyone have instructions more detailed than that? Like how many of each size strip and do I make the quilt (twin size, maybe slightly larger) all one length of strips or is it made into 4 sections and then sewed together. Any thing you can suggest would be appreciated.

If you have never made one before I would perhaps start with a pattern, these are some
http://www.clotilde.com/list.html?cat_id=383
and I have heard great things about this book, which has some amazing quilts in it
http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Bargello.../dp/1564779432

Thanks so much for this as I really want to do one as well!

This is a link to a bargello I made from Eileen Wright s book "Twist and Turn Bargello".

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...a-t181266.html

I loved working from her book as the instructions are very clear. Just an FYI Eileen is a member of this board and periodically comments on quilts made from her patterns. Bargellos are not hard , just read the instruction a few times , stay organized, and keep the chart close at hand. I made a copy of the chart and drew a line threw the columns I had completed.

You can pick the book up at JoAnns when on sale or a coupon, or you can buy it used on line .

I made one bargello quilt. I bought this book http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1564...ls_o01_s00_i01 which explains not only a construction method, but also how to draft your own design. I don't think the construction method would be great for a bed quilt (mine is a wallhanging) but it might give you some ideas how to proceed. Here's my quilt - designed to look like a waterfall.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]364192[/ATTACH]

Looks great. Any tips or suggestions you care to share? I am wanting a water theme..ocean waves specifically. I have 9 fabrics, but can't find a pattern that tells how many strips to cut of each size nor can I find one that tells how much to buy and cut for a twin size quilt. I hate to buy a book online cause I can't see much and if I spend $25 for the book and it doesn't have what I want...it is money wasted. I looked at JOannes, but they dont' have one about Bargello. I have watched Eleanor Burns QIAD and she says for a queen you need 24 fat quarters, but doesn't say if it is 24 diff fabrics, or 2 each of 12 diff fabs. Also doesn't say if the quilt is made a one unit...or multiple units, and if multiple...how do you end the one and start the other? I started withteh Around the World quilt and that is made in 2 halves sewn together in the middle, but I want the ocean waves to be all together flowing. Much like yours...

I agree. I made the Infinity pattern and it came out great. There's a really nice one called Surf Song that I want to make also.

http://www.ladysewandsew.co.uk/Atlan...Fabric-Freedom
3 free bargello patterns, very oceanish.

Every bargello is different, and the number of strips etc is going to depend on your pattern. But let me try to give you a rough estimate. As you said - strips will vary from 1.5 to 3.5 inches wide. Let's assume an average of 2". If your quilt is going to be 60x80 (wild guess at the size of a twin) and your pattern is wide, rather than tall, that would be 40 60" strips, cut at 2.5" each (approximately). That's about 3/4 yards of each of 9 fabrics.

For designing a bargello/figuring out strip widths - it is all about the curve you want. See diagram - if each - is 1", here's an example of a curve you could draw:

---
....--
.......-
.........-
...........--
...............---
...................---

(The dots are there because this board won't let me put spaces at the front of lines) Notice the narrow strips make steep, and the wider strips make shallow curves. So what I drew is 3", 2", 1", 1", 2", 3", 3" strips. The vertical stripes are usually all the same width, I think. Mine were, anyway.

So to assemble, you strip piece in the order you want your colours to go (make a 40" wide piece, composed of stripes of each of your 9 fabrics, each one 2" wide (cut 2.5")). Then cut the strips the various widths you want, and offset each strip one from the one before it, to get the slope. If you diagram it out, you could assemble in parts and still make it look like it was a single piece.

This is really hard to explain - I hope you can find a book that is helpful, because I don't know if I'm being a lot of help here.

Editted to add: Feel free to PM me, if I help further.