Bargello Needlepoint Do’s and Don’ts

At the beginning of every school year from elementary through high school, my teachers would send a list of do’s and don’ts home with us to remind both our parents and us about critical things of note we would need to do to be successful in the coming school year.

Every time I see or read such a list, whatever the subject may be, I think back to that time.

Bargello needlepoint has its own set of do’s and don’ts that a wise needlepointer should heed to ensure stitching success. Here are some of the ones I been taught over the years.

Do’s

1. Always use the highest quality of bargello needlepoint supplies you can afford if you want the end result to best reflect the time, stitching and care you put into the needlepoint project.
2. When shopping for threads for your bargello needlepoint project, purchase a generous supply from the same dye lot to avoid running out and having to match. Any thread that remains can be used for odd projects or to highlight small areas in future projects.
3. Select colors for your bargello needlepoint project in natural daylight, especially when using monochromatic color schemes or intricate bargello designs requiring detailed shading.
4. Use a hard lead pencil or waterproof fine tipped pen for defining the center and margins of the canvas as well as for any shapes you plan to use in your bargello design.
5. Mark the top of your canvas even if the design is four-way bargello.
6. When stitching, make sure that you use the proper amount of strands of thread to cover the canvas.
7. Use magnification to check your finished project for stitches that may have been left out. Fill in the overlooked stitches as well as any gaps in visible between larger stitch areas.
8. Finish off thread ends by working them through the back of completed stitches of the same color.
9. Keep your stitching tension even and relaxed. Bargello needlepoint is to be enjoyed and is great stress therapy when you maintain relaxed stitching.
10. Work three to five extra rows of stitches around all sides of the design to be used as a seam allowance for finishing (except for inserts into pre-finished items).

Don’ts

1. Don’t use threads that have unraveled or thinned. Wool that is old or that has fluffed or pilled should be discarded.
2. Don’t make knots on the wrong side of the canvas. This could make your finished product look bumpy and uneven.
3. Don’t work to the very end of the canvas or only to the margin of the bargello design.
4. Don’t re-use threads that have been pulled out or ones that have split.
5. Don’t use too many textures, patterns or different stitches in one bargello needlepoint project. The result may not be what you intended.
6. Don’t leave long thread tails on the back of your canvas. Make sure they are secured properly or they could pop up while you’re stitching another color or form an unsightly lump on the backside.
7. Don’t keep your bargello needlepoint project folded for long periods between stitching. Try to finish it within a reasonable time or mount it on stretcher bars.
8. Don’t use needles that are too small or too large for the thread or canvas.
9. Don’t use long thread lengths for metallics or specialty yarns.
10. Don’t allow your working thread to twist. Stop and allow it to unwind before stitching again. Use a laying tool to keep threads flat when stitching with more than one strand.

These are just a few of my all time favorites. Feel free to add a few of your own.

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