Have you tried Bargello needlepoint?

If the word Bargello is unfamiliar, you may have seen this form of work referred to as florentine stitch, hungarian point or flame stitch embroidery.

It is not a new needlework technique. In fact it has been used since the 15th century for bed and wall hangings, upholstered furniture and table coverings. But you don't need to undertake such huge projects as those!

It works just as well on pillows, bags, belts, purses or even framed pictures.

I was first introduced to it as a teenager in the 1970s, when it was often worked in wild and wacky color combinations! I will go into color in more depth shortly, but first let's look at what you will need to get started in Bargello needlepoint and how it is worked.

What do you need?

You will need a tapestry needle of the correct size for the fibre and canvas you are stitching with. The needle needs to pass through the canvas without distorting the threads, while at the same time being big enough for the fibre to pass through the eye without rubbing and wearing thin.

If you like to work on an embroidery frame, then a slate frame is ideal for bargello needlepoint work. However, as the work is done in straight stitches it is unlikely to twist or warp the fabric if you prefer to work "in the hand".

The only other piece of equipment you might like to use is a laying tool. This is useful if you are using more than one strand of yarn (for example 4 strands of stranded cotton or three of crewel wool) to ensure the strands lay side by side, and not twisted.

What is bargello?

The steepness of the zigzag depends on how many threads the stitch is worked over, and the position of subsequent stitches. The diagram below shows that when the stitches are stepped by more canvas threads the peak is higher. To give a more rounded effect groups of stitches can be worked either at the end or part way down a slope, as in the photo at the bottom of this page. Traditionally all the stitches in a design are the same length throughout.

They can also be arranged to form a lattice work, as in the photo, above.

Design in bargello

The simplest is a row design. The pattern is established in the first row, and then repeated using a different colour, tone or tint in subsequent rows. I will explain the colour terms shortly.

To create a motif design, part of a row is mirrored and a medallion or motif is formed. The medallion can be filled in repeating rows or each enclosed area can be dealt with differently. The pattern is mainly formed by the use of colour.

A mitered or four-way bargello needlework design consists of a triangular section that is then mirrored both ways. Both rows and motifs can be worked in this manner. Some traditional patterns worked in this way are known as tulip, rose and pineapple.

How to use colour

One colour scheme you can use is monochromatic. This uses tones of one colour. Take pink for example, you could start the sequence with a burgundy (a shade is made by mixing black with the original colour) and then use lighter and lighter tints (mixed with white) ending up with a very pale pink, similar to that in the photo. The sequence is then repeated.

I don't want to get too technical here but I'll introduce another colour term; analogous. Basically this scheme uses related hues that are close to each other on the colour wheel. For example red, orange and yellow. Another choice would be purple, blue and green.

Bargello needlepoint can also be worked with contrasting colours. To find any colour's contrast look opposite it on the colour wheel. Yellow is opposite purple and therefore its contrast. The same goes for orange and blue. The trick here is to use much less of the contrast than the main colour. Think of it as an accent. If you use equal amounts of each the effect won't be as vibrant. Think of a mainly blue room that has the occasional orange pillow to give it some "spark"!

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