Tips For First Bargello Quilt??
 

I am a fairly new quilter and have just discovered the beautiful bargello quilting designs. Have you made a bargello quilt? If so, what tips do you have? On average, how many different colors do you need--and are they best with a large difference from light to dark shades or would a range of neutrals have the same dramatic effect? Also trying to decide whether to use prints, batiks or solids?

My avatar is a bargello in a range of nuetrals (mostly batiks, some prints).. so yes ... it can work.

Average ... I've seen bargello patterns use as few as 7 colors, and the upward limit is well beyond 20. I don't remember how many are in my avatar.

Tips .. plenty :)

1) Take your time choosing fabics. It's not a race.
2) If you use prints or mottles, make sure that the color change from one area to another is equal to or less than the smallest bargello strip you will cut. For example working with a pattern that uses a .5" (cut size) bargello strip you would want to avoid a print that has 3" white dots spaced 4" from each other on a black background. Ditto for batiks with "washes" of color in large splotches of varying shades. By avoiding these you will be able to maintain uniformity of color.
3) Sorting your fabrics - there are two ways to sort, you may need one or both. By color and by value. Two color bargello's will require you to first sort by color and then by value. My avatar is a single "color" bargello therefore I only sorted by value.
4) Sorting by value ... there are three tools that I use. A red viewer (to view all colors except reds and browns), a blue viewer (to view all colors except blues and greens), and a photograph converted to black and white. I use the color viewers for quick views while I working with the fabrics. Once I think I like a selection I take a photo and convert it to B&W. B&W conversion will help you to determine value - but you must have first sorted by color.
5) Once you've decided label your strips. Keep a small sample of the fabric on your design wall with a lable so there is no question which blue is in which position.
6) SPRAY STARCH. You will be handling these strips a lot through the course of the bargello. Spray starch is going to be your best friend.

7) Straight seams. Make sure you have absolutely straight seams and make sure the seam allowance is consistent from strip to strip.
8) Once you start cutting the bargello strips (the ones that will form the design) hang them on your design wall in order. Don't sew them together as you go. Once you have them all hung, stand back and look and make sure it's all correct - then sew them together. My avatar was sewn together as I went and when I was finished I decided I wanted to change the design. Picking out all those bargello seams wasn't fun. So now I resist the temptation to sew the strips together until I've seen a sample of the finished product.

During the process .. just make sure that you keep track of where you are in the pattern, which color is which - etc. Organization is the key - especially with some of the more complicated bargello's that require you split the tubes and rejoin repeats.

And have fun!!

Addng to the above
9) Cut from two rings of fabric, with seams pressed in opposite directions OR
Press seams in every other strip in opposite directions.
This helps the seams lock in place as you're sewing to get the corners to match better.

I think most bargellos I've seen have 11 or 13 fabrics, although this isn't an absolute rule.

The above tips are great tips, I do most of them but deviate with one ... I press my seams open. It helps to blend the colorways better as the strips lay flatter. There isn't that ridge when pressing the seams to one side.
I have done bargellos with as few as 8 , and as many as 30 different fabrics.

What great information you two have given. I will be saving all of these steps for when I make my first bargello.

I like a slight gradation for bargello where you see a gradual shift in color. Tip is to work in sections

Thanks so very much for your thorough and thoughtful responses--great helpful information! And I love both of your bargello avatars--quite inspiring! I am looking forward to giving a bargello a try very soon.

I just made my first bargello, and this is all good advice!!! I am just now attaching my borders. Want to see? I am very pleased with this quilt. :) (it is a Surf Song pattern from TWist and Tun Bargello Quilts by Eileen Wright. Mine is the wall hanging size.)

Dina

Okay, I have thought of two tips that might help. First, read the instructions over and over. They start to make sense after a while. :) Second, you might consider making a small bargello to get the feel for the instructions. I made a placemat and it really helped me understand the technique. (Maybe I can find a picture of the placemat....though I don't use it as a placemat. I made it a "quilt" for my cat's basket here in the sewing room)

Okay, I found a picture. Notice it is not the same pattern at all, but I learned a lot by making the small version first.)

Dina

I agree with the others on tips. My avatar is my first one I love doing them.

I love your avatar. Do you recall the name of that pattern?

Dina

Dina,
I also bought that book and planned my first bargello to also be that Surf Song pattern! great minds think alike. I also like your placement, and think that would be good first practice for me as well. Now if I can just decide on colors......
Thanks!
Jeanne

Your avatar quilt is breath-taking! is it your own design???

I went back and forth between colors. At first I wanted to do blue and turquoise, but I couldn't find enough turquoise. My favorite colors are purple and blue, so that is what I decided on...finally. I took my time with fabric section, and even after I had my mind all made up, I had to switch one because it turned out I didn't even have 1/4 yard of it. It was from my stash, as were about half of my choices. I started off wanting batiks, but didn't stick to that. I think one of the ones from my stash was a batik though. I decided I could get a batik look if I selected tone on tone fabrics or fabrics that "read as one color."

I also got a lot of help from quilters on this board. When I was trying to arrange the fabric from light to dark, I took pictures and got a lot of good suggestions.

Enjoy the process though. It is fun.

Dina

EVERYTHING that was mentioned is correct. And yes, it is best to start with a smaller quilt such as a wall size, Don't start out with anything too complicated. Start out with something simple. I always pressed my seams one up and the next down. That might be confusing but it even worked out with 4 of the quilts I have made from "Twist and Turn Bargello Quilts" by Eileen Wright. Just bought her new book and I am collecting fabric for one of them. Just enjoy yourself during the process. That is WHY we all quilt, for the enjoyment.

What a great inspiration you all are. Can't wait to be retired and have more time to do this.

I have one question: Doghousemom said her avatar was a one color and there was a difference for a two color. DHM looks lik it it shades of beige plus black. I'm confused on the color counting.

Marcia

Thanks for the great tips.....I have to admit that I have been wanting to make one for a long time but am completely intimidated by the process. Its safe to say that if one is buying fabrics for a bargello they should always stay away from prints and gradients???

I think it is up to the quilter. When I started asking questions here about fabric selection, I got lots of answers, some contradictory. For example, I was told to never use white or to always include white. :) I was told not to use a solid fabric. It was suggested by the author of my book to use batiks, which I thought about but didn't do...couldn't find 8 shades of purple. :) It was suggested not to use large prints. I appreciated all the suggestions I got and all the help. (I had a great deal of trouble arranging my fabric from dark to light.)

Some of the fabrics I chose were small prints. Let me see if I can find a picture of my final selections....as I changed my mind lots of times. What I did when I got close to deciding was cut one inch strips and lay them beside each other to see how I liked them.

I have to admit that I don't know what a gradient is. (I have only been quilting 4 years...still learning lots.) My guess is that it is a fabric that has several shades of one color? If so, I used several of those.

It sounds like a lot of fabric, 20, but the pattern I made only called for 1/4 yard of each and most of mine came from my stash, though I did go buy some fabric. I had a great deal of trouble finding lights, but someone on this board told me not to be afraid to use the back of a fabric. That worked really well for me, as I couldn't find a light purple, lavender, orchid, etc.

Hope this helps. I certainly enjoyed the whole process and I hope you try it and like it too. It is nothing like anything I have done before, though I understand some Trip around the World patterns use a similar technique.

Dina

Ha! As I look at the picture as it came up, I realize this was not my final choice. I rearranged a few of the blues and I left out one of them...:)

Dina

Good Morning Jeanne, I sent you a PM, and some instructions from the bargello class which I took on making the attached bargello placemat, very similar to Dina's as posted on QB above(very beautiful Dina).[ATTACH=CONFIG]452819[/ATTACH]

Oh, d.rickman, your bargello placemat is beautiful! I really like how your "mountain" is centered more than in the pattern I used. Just beautiful.

Dina

Star with a simpler small one, and you will learn a lot as you go.

Medium and large binder clips and 2" square post it notes..............These are INVALUABLE for keeping your strip sets labeled and together, without having to pin and re-pin at every turn..................

Donna,
THANK You very much for the detailed instructions and tip! They were clear, and I will make my first start with placemats as you suggest to get the feel of it on a smaller scale. I have a couple of baby quilts to finish then bargello for the New Year!!!
Really appreciate it,
Jeanne

Thank you to all who gave advice. Your tips are most welcome.
Happy quilting.
A safe & happy Christmas to all.

I made one with 24 different colors...

Finding the fabric has got to be fun!! I think one would learn a lot of value!

As a beginner quilter, I couldn't resist the allure of Bargello, so I dove right in. As long as you follow the directions carefully, there's no reason a beginner can't make a rather complicated Bargello.

That said, here's my best advice:

1. Cut a small piece from each fabric you're using. Number each fabric in the order it appears in your "color way," and make a paper chart of those fabric pieces and their numbers. You'll need to refer to this as you follow any Bargello pattern (even one you create yourself).

2. Choosing a color that will blend (like gray), buy a whole lot of thread!

3. Understand that what you'll be doing is cutting up a bunch of fabrics (sometimes as many as 21), sewing them back together in a different way, and then arranging them in yet another way. While the technique looks mystical on paper, it all becomes clear once you get into it.

4. Follow the directions and enjoy the result! When others are awed by your resulting quilt, don't tell them how easy it was. Let them think you are a wizard! (It'll make the rest of us look good, too!)