PINK ORCHID BARGELLO

by Colorado needleartist/designer Toni Gerdes.

Isn't this a beautiful adaptation of the bargello pomegranate? Toni Gerdes did a wonderful job presenting this bargello project recently at a local EGA meeting. To me it wasn't even a close call whether to stitch this simple, fast and colorful design. Toni used the stitched piece in the photo above as the insert for a hot pink, ultrasuede portfolio. Yes, it's just like an artist's portfolio, it unfolds, has handles and is perfect for carrying larger projects. I love bargello and was quite ready to get started on my own piece. NAN certified, Toni is a beautiful stitcher with great teaching skills, translation: she could teach me anything.

Getting started was easy, choose your colorway. I chose pink canvas and Threadworx # 11011 overdye as my base color. Then using light, medium and dark coordinating shades of both DMC and Anchor floss. Toni's design instructions come in 3 sizes: 6",8" and 11" square. I chose the smallest size as since I already had a HP Needlepoint hand-poured lacquered box just looking for the right design insert.

I actually purchased this box a few years ago for another project, took my stitched piece to my LNS to make sure I had the right color. When I got it home, in my lighting, it clashed. So with the shop's no return-no exchange policy, I was stuck. All's well that ends well.

To start, baste a large "X" across the canvas to identify center, then begin working in quadrants. The first stitch begins 6 threads down from the center hole. I pin-stitched at 3 threads down and using 6 strands of stripped floss I carefully laid my first stitch covering the pin stitch. Bargello in particular calls for the use of a laying tool and this project is no exception. Especially when blending light and darker threads.

The pattern is 1,1,1,2,2,3,4,3,2,2,1,1,1 with a step of 2. So if you can count to four and keep your wits about you, you can do this. For this bargello project it's important that you always begin each new length of overdye thread from the same end every time. Threadworx is a precut overdye strandable thread making it easy to determine which end is which.

Next is filling in the dark green leaves in tent stitch. The tent is done in a different direction for each quadrant. I was nearly done when I suddenly notice a huge knot on the back of my canvas. I began negotiations with myself as to whether to risk cutting the bugger out, leave it there or frog.

So after frogging one entire leaf, since I couldn't get it untangled, I stitched it again. Boo Hiss, naughty floss. I should have taken a picture of that knot, you would have laughed. I did....just not right away.
Now I'm ready to begin the rhythmic bargello starting with the darkest green floss, then the medium, then the lightest shade.

Following with the lightest pink. The real fun begins when the various colors are blended together to give the piece graduated shading. At first this is done blending 3 strands of two colors. Following with either the lighter or darker color on either side of the blended row. I would recommend sorting your threads on thread cards and numbering them. For the shading to be effective, the designer has chosen shades very close in color and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between some of those close in color.

I've finished the four pomegranates and am ready to move on to the stitching that will fill in making this a 6" x6" square.

Someone once told me how to avoid the "teeth" that show through on long stitches, I forgot what the trick to that is. Anyone out there know what I'm talking about? Next time I will also include a photo of a completed piece in a different colorway. Thanks for visiting today.