Heart-shaped motifs fit together to form a Florentine embroidery border in this Bargello needlepoint design that’s found on pp. 112-113 in Bargello: An Explosion In Color by Margaret Boyles.
To work the border, stitch the outline of the heart motifs first; and then fill in the centers.
Add a plain 4-1 step background in one color in the same long and short stitch pattern for a brocaded effect.
Four monochromatic colors were used to fill in the heart motifs; although if I were to stitch the design again, I would use overdyed floss and one solid color instead.
The designer suggests a combination of wool, cotton embroidery floss, silk floss and gold metallic for the pattern. I used Madeira’s Cotton and Silk hand embroidery threads , as well as Kreinik gold metallic.
Hello Ann,
This was one of my favorite designs to stitch. To make corners, you would most likely have to “miter” the design. You will need to chart out a section of the border in both directions of the corner; then play around with mitering the edges–like you do in four-way Bargello. This will sure pose an interesting challenge. Good luck! Althea
This one is sooooo pretty! I can imagine it as a border on a tea table coaster … But how do you make corners?
Greetings, Ann