Marcy’s Musings

I received a newsletter from Nordic Needle that was all about Bargello. (The book at right is available at Nordic Needle.) Bargello is a form of needlepoint that is fast, easy, and creative. The name comes from the Bargello palace in Florence, Italy where many chairs were covered in the popular flame stitch.

According to Nordic Needle, Bargello uses straight stitches known as Gobelin or groups of satin stitches. The stitches are placed side by side to form either horizontal or vertical designs. Traditionally, the stitch went over four canvas threads; and Nordic Needle recommends using an even number of threads. A group of stitches is called a step.

If you’d like to try this technique, Nordic Needle’s Debi has provided a free pattern for you titled Controlled Chaos. As always, if you decide to give it a try, please share your finished product with us!