Bargello Revisited

Bargello Revisited by Janet M. Perry

Bargello is a simple straight stitch which can be stitched along a line to form geometric patterns.

Bargello has been popular for over 500 years, but its origins are a mystery. There are a few Medieval pieces which have patterns which look like simple Bargello.

Several chairs in the Bargello Palace (in Florence, Italy) are covered in a recognizable Bargello pattern, thus the name.

Bargello patterns are made up of groups of Satin Stitch, one or more per level, which move up or down in a regular pattern, called the step. The levels and steps form a pattern, called a line.

Needlepoint Dandruff – flecks of white canvas which show through no matter how thick the thread is. This is why most canvases are not white, but instead closer to the lightest color that will be used in the piece.

I Bargello, Do You?