A free bargello design for Christmas

What will I need?

I stitched this design on 27 count Linda evenweave fabric, but you can also use an 18 count mono needlepoint canvas.

Besides the canvas, and a needle, you will also need DMC embroidery floss in the following colors...

• 500, 501, 502 and 503 (greens)
• 930, 931, 932, 800 and 775 (blues)
• DMC stranded metallic gold

Download the pattern to begin with, and print it out on a color printer.

 

About the design

This little Christmas bell design uses a traditional bargello needlepoint pattern known as trees.

I have used pine greens for the trees and blue for the sky beyond. I topped each tree with a golden candle. The bell has a golden clanger and is hanging by a golden ribbon over a branch of a pine tree.

I used the green colours in order from darkest at the bottom of the tree. I worked the sky in the opposite direction with the darkest blue tone at the top of the bell.

How to stitch the free Bargello design

I worked each stitch over 6 canvas or fabric threads using 4 strands of floss.

Visit the embroidery floss page for a video showing a simple way to separate the strands without getting in a tangle. By separating and then recombining the strands you will get a smoother stitch.

You may also like to try using a laying tool to improve the finished effect.

Step down/up one thread for each subsequent stitch.

Begin at the top with the dark green triangle (500), then by establishing the darkest blue (930) zigzag row. Leave spaces to add the gold stitches later. Change to the next lighter shade of blue (931) for the next row, missing out the green stitches of the treetops. Continue in this manner to the base of the bell.

I hope you have enjoyed stitching my free bargello design. Why not experiment with different colours and send me a photo of your results?

Classic bargello books for your shelf