I have a gift card from last year's B-day that I have been saving for "something special." Well, my LQS is having a class on Elieen Wright's Cosmic Twist pattern from her book "Twist and Turn Bargello Quilts." I love the look of bargello quilts and want to try one.

http://www.satin-moon.com/store/product3672.html

My LQS lists the skill level as advanced beginner. I am hesitant to sign up because the last class I took that they listed as advanced beginner was a very complicated Lone Star, which has sadly become the UFO I am most likely not to pick up again anytime soon. What do you think?

The quilt is beautiful but I fully understand what you mean. I have 2 UFO's that will probably never get done.

A Lone Star as an advanced beginner class??? Are they nuts?? What a certain way to cause frustration and chance for failure for any beginner/new intermediate quilter!! Heavens. One wants to ENCOURAGE them, not discourage them!

Jan in VA

The Bargello will not be complicated like the Lone Star. As long as you label your pieces well, it is a fun quilt to make. I label everything.

I am trying my first bargello quilt right now. It appears to me that the hardest part is selecting the fabrics - getting the right tones, but I'm sure there is someone at your LQS who can help you with that if you need it. Next most important thing would be to make a chart of all the fabrics you are going to use and the order in which you will use them. You cut them in the widths stated in the pattern, then you start sewing them together. This is an expensive quilt to make because some of the patterns use many different fabrics. I have cut my bargello out using seven fabrics and am now sewing them together. You sew the strips into loops and cut them apart where you need it to keep the pattern. I say all this to tell you that it is not as hard as the quilt appears. Give it a try. You might start with a simple one like I did before you attempt this one. Good luck.

I too have trepidations about starting something that looks and READS as complicated as that! But I had my confidence boosted recently by doing a Big Block Bargello I found on the internet. (I got it so long ago I don't even know from where!) Now I have made two of these tops from large floral prints and love them. They are on my stack to quilt next week! They have given me enough confidence to try a bargello and I have also learned the fundamentals of bargello technique from it.

the secret to bargellos is to label everything and keep things in order. Not difficult, just need to stay organized. Im sure you can do it!!!!!

I just finished a bargello for my niece. It was made basic block size. I made all 5 inch squares (beginner) which I am not by any means a professional or not even close.
I chose fabrics, labeled them by nbr and put them in plastic bags, had DH draw up how I wanted it. I will post the pattern.

Do not fear the Bargello! I would rather make one of those than a Lone Star any day. I would consider starting out with a regular Bargello before I would tackle a Cosmic Twist. Yikes!

It is basically "tube" sewing. You cut strips, sew the strips together. Then you rotary cut them. Mine (a UFO, but not for sake of difficulty, sake of my own OCD) had varying widths. you unsew the tube one strip down for every next column.

It's very easy. I know you can do it. Your pattern will be a bit dif from mine, tho, because of the shift in pattern.

Have fun!