In particular I am looking at a couple in the "Twist-and-Turn" by Eileen Wright. I know that the fabric selection process will be time consuming. But, what about the actual pressing, cutting, piecing, matching seams, etc... It looks pretty intimidating to me (time-wise).

I wondered the same myself!

I think they are quite easy. I label everything really well, so that I don't get mixed up.

I want to make one I will be watching this.

Me too

I haven't made one yet....too chicken but I found this site and if memory is not faulty as been known on an occasion..it was posted here on the quiltboard?..www.qultville.com/scrapbargellopf.html
it is a scrappy one and it looks like even I could do this. made just like the trip around the world which are easy...I like it because get to use up those scraps...deffinately colorful!

The first one of anything always takes more time. I have done lots of bargellos and can tell you .... Just jump in... get the learning curve ( really not all that much)over with .. so you can move on to really enjoying just a new twist to strip piecing. If you can do strip piecing , you can do this! Her book has some that are more difficult than others... so I'm not sure which you are thinking about.
Starch your fabrics , it helps to keep everything going straight. I make a copy of the pattern , and take a marker or pencil and draw a line through the completed rows. Sometimes looking a the pattern it gets a bit confusing. Or take a sheet of paper and cover up the pattern of the row/column you just finished.
One of the benefits is they look harder than they really are.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-41828-1.htm#975492
This is the beginning of a tutorial that was done here on the board. I didn't make this one but you can find a lot of helpful information. You have to have plenty of time if you wnat to look through it.

I just finished Diamond Jubilee by Nancy Smith. Her patterns make bargello's amazingly easy. I posted the partially done top few weeks ago. I need to quilt it then I'll add the new pictures.

Thanks. I might try one day!

I didn't think they were hard, but you have to keep track and pay attention. I enjoyed making mine.

I just finished piecing one by Eileen Wright

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-157075-1.htm

The hardest part was finding "just the right fabrics", 24 in all. Piecing it was easy, never pinned anything, just locked the seams together and then eased them under the presser foot all while keeping your fingers out of the way. I found that cutting the strips was easier if I only did a few at a time, less confusion. I also cut a strip map with the numbers and hung it above my sewing machine for easy and fast reference. It saved lots of time and mistakes. I think the quilt turned out great and will be fmq soon (as soon as I figure out my new machine).

as with most anything (difficult) is relative.
are you a fairly good piecer?
are you a precise cutter?
are you patient?

some people think of bargellos as a fairly easy (beginner friendly) project, other's find them to be quite difficult.

i think of them as kind of an intermediate/beginner...if you pay attention to detail- take your time- and cut/sew fairly precisely they would be easy for you- if those technical steps are difficult for you- it will be a little more difficult (but certainly not impossible)
look over the tutorials, videos, and all the patterns you can find- read the hints and tips- and before committing to a queen size bargello- maybe make a table runner- or a tree skirt bargello---they you will have the process figured out- and know if it's something you want to make a big quilt out of.
personally- i love making bargello quilts!
they are aways so unique--at least mine are.

I don't find them difficult, you just need to be organised, the hardest thing is choosing the fabrics :)

Yes & No - just depends on the pattern. But they are so much fun to make, watching the design come together is worth all the effort.

I,m watching too.

Bargellos are not difficult...... just takes careful labelling and following directions to a T
Love Derek Lockwoods designs

With most of her quilts, there are places where you unsew the seams and insert different fabrics, I worked off of the chart that was provided in the book by making a copy of it. I especially colored the section where the colors changed from Turquoise to Purple but it might be a little difficult for someone not familiar with the pattern. As you can see, I haven't had time to attach the border to my Aurora Borealis. TOO MANY Xmas presents to get done by December 25th. I HOPE to get to it first thing next year. OH, that is a little over two months !! Good luck. If you have any question, please feel free to PM me. :lol:

It is alot of fun and time consuming. You have to label everything and keep them in baggies so you dont get mixed up. They are beautiful

I just finished a twist and turn, If you pay attention and follow the instructions it is not hard. The hardest part is picking the fabrics. the rest if fun seeing it go together. Go for it and have fun.

All the replies to your question are true (be organized, etc.)
I just taught a bargello class that was "intro to the technique" and we did not match seams as in the photos attached. Here are a few websites to look at: http://www.quiltingandwhatnot.ca/pdf...oBabyQuilt.pdf and http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/bargello-quilt/index.html

Hi Deb53,
Thanks very much for the links. Your quilts in the photos are very nice!
DottyD.

I've never made one either, but am in awe of how beautiful they look when finished.

i don't think there hard at all - its really just a strata quilt.

I've made two bargellos and didn't follow anybody's pattern. I made up my own.

I did, however, find out how they are made, sewing the strips, making a tube, cutting the widths, etc.

Most important when all this is done is to label the strips! Then double check that they are in the right order.

I found that making the bargellos a fairly quick process. I assembled my second bargello in the "quilt as you go" technique and it went very quickly. With doing the quilt as you go, the quilting is already done. If you want to add some dimension, you can do extra quilting in the blocks.

I'm putting on the binding right now.

Here is my first one but it is only the quilt top.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-138930-1.htm

Good luck! Bargello quilts are so much fun to plan and put together!

All the replies to your question are true (be organized, etc.)
I just taught a bargello class that was "intro to the technique". Here are a few websites to look at: http://www.quiltingandwhatnot.ca/pdf...oBabyQuilt.pdf and http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/bargello-quilt/index.html
No matching seams.

I find them quite easy too - and fun.

Margie Eddie also has a book on Bargellos and it is very helpful. I started with the same Bargello that Deb53 taught, I teach it as well, and it helped me move into the more intense designs. It gets the concept into your thinking process and then you can follow how your color choices will show up in the quilt. The Bargello is one of my favorite patterns. I just finished a minature heart bargello. Sewing those 3/4" strips is the challenge, especially when there are 64 of them in the quilt.

I just started one about 2 weeks ago. Got all my strips cut and my machine broke! Ugh!!! Should be done tonight though, so I'm super excited!!

Haven't made any so no help, but do love seeing them.

I just got done making one from the same book. I was really terrified of even starting it but once I got started I couldn't believe how easy it was to make. Just make sure you label each strip so you don't get confused

thanks to everyone for your comments on this thread. i have been sitting on the fence (in awe of those who've posted their finished tops) for a while, too chicken to start. so far, i've cleared a space & put a long table dedicated to bargello strips. now, with your encouragment, i'll start pulling fabrics. thanks again!

I just finished a wallhanging by her and, yes, it is time consuming. Just remember to stay very organized, cut accurately, and mark every row with it's number. I was not very happy with my fabric choices. My mistake was too many fabrics (batiks) that changed color too drastically so in some rows the pieces were one color and in some, the same fabric was totally a difference color. It looks okay, I think, but would do it differently, if I did another. Won't do this one again.

The quilting is done, such as it is, and the binding is on although not turned and stitched down.

Not difficult but time consuming. Diane C

I really like your Bargello BonnyH - It is lovely - as are all the others I have seen on this thread ! Great work and I can see why you would have to be very organised and precise.

I have made a bargello (beginner's pattern) all the blocks same size. I had the blocks all labeled so there was less chance of messing up. Took a bit of time, but, fun making it

I did a twin size scrappy bargello from a pattern on the Internet but it doesn't begin to compare with the twist and turn ones I have seen here.

They LOOK difficult and that has kept me from venturing into that arena.

Depends on what Bargello you do. Some, with a twist, are more time consuming than ones that just go up and down. I've done several and they aren't hard as far as technique , you just need to label things to keep them straight, and pay attention to cutting and pressing. You can do it!

Deb 53 thanks so much for your directions and photos. I've wanted to make a bargello quilt, but have been intimidated by matching all the seams. Your explanations and ideas are just what I needed!

Sally