What inspired you to write Bargello Revisited? I have been wanting to write a book on Bargello for 20 years and have started to do so at least twice. But this time instead of trying to cram in big projects and lots of theory, I decided to go for lots of little projects and find ways for people to be able to unleash their own creativity.
There seems to be a renewed interest in Bargello, to what do you attribute this? I think it's because Bargello gives you a big bang for the buck. It's incredibly easy to do and the results are so lovely that you feel it must be harder than it is. Besides all that it's less expensive than many other kinds of needlepoint and it is very portable, once the base line is in place all you need is the canvas, a needle and your thread.
Do you have a favorite needle artist that specializes in Bargello? I think I have every Bargello book out there and I love so many of them, but my all-time favorite is Elsa Williams. It was my introduction to Bargello and her designs are so classic and so wonderful, they never go out of date. For a wealth of information, I love Barbara Snook's books. There aren't many pictures of projects, but there are dozens of lines charted.
What pattern do you most enjoy stitching? I love stitching basic scallop patterns, they are so soothing.
What pattern would you consider the most challenging?Four-way Bargello is not my best thing. I always find them challenging. I think that is because the pattern only becomes apparent to me once you get to the larger rings. Since I always start in the center, I'm confused for awhile.
What type of Bargello project would you recommend to a beginner. Look for a simple line pattern, not one with closed shapes. Pick a thread which is easy to use like Silk & Ivory in a color family you really love. And start by making a small project. Once you've finished it, find another line you like and another set of threads and make another small project. With every project you will gain more confidence.
Can you reveal your strategy for putting pattern to design? In other words, how do you decide what Bargello pattern would most compliment any given design, such as a stocking? Some of the shapes I like, such as the mini-socks, mittens, and ornaments can take almost any pattern as long as three repeats can fit across the widest part. But other items, like the 3-D Christmas Tree quite simply wouldn't work with a line pattern, the joint would look weird.
Mostly to decide, I tend to pick the pattern first and then decide what to make from it. So if the item is large, then I know I can pick a bigger pattern.
Is there a rule of thumb for determining how many colors should be used and how many shades of each color? I have a few Bargello pieces which use three colors and one which uses two and I think these look very modern. Pretty much I think Bargello looks best when 3-5 colors are used. If you get too many more than that the object will need to be large so you can see the whole span of color.
Does Bargello look easier than it actually is? Or just the opposite?? Easier. It's just one stitch, grouped in different ways. That's what makes it so fun, the patterns look complex, but they aren't.
Is your book available through your website? Where can we find a copy? I don't sell from my website, but you can order it from Amazon.com, although they are a bit slow. If you want it fast you can order it from your local needlepoint shop, who can get it through my distributors, Rainbow Gallery, Unicorn Books, and Nordic Needle. If you don't have a local store, you can order it from Needle in a Haystack (http://www.needlestack.com).
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