How to Get Started in Bargello Embroidery

First up, you'll need to plan your project. Using graph paper and a few coloured fine-liners, you'll be able to do a 'mock up' of your pattern, translating the squares into your patterns 1:1

Once you're happy with your pattern, we'll begin the basic Bargello stitch. Start in the bottom left-hand corner of the canvas and 'come up' slowly, catching around an inch of the thread before you pull it all the way through.

Be sure to leave around 1.5cm around the edge of your project to allow for fraying and/or damage

As you begin stitching your pattern, you're going to hold the end of the thread in place and manoeuvre your stitches over it.

For this example, each stitch is a 'count' of 6, this means your needle will come up through the canvas at '1' and go back down again at '6'.

As you do this, hold the tail end of the thread firmly in place and pull the needle gently through the canvas, be sure not to pull this tight, your stitches should sit evenly and neatly on top of the canvas.

Begin stitching your chosen pattern into the canvas repeating this method, as you move along the canvas, be sure to manoeuvre the thread until each stitch until its hidden under your stitches

As a basic rule, when moving up the canvas, ensure you come up the canvas at the bottom of your stitch and back down at the top, this will ensure you have somewhere to hide your threads as you go

You canvas should look something like the stitches pictures once you've covered the thread end

Continue with your pattern, 'stepping' up the canvas

Once you reach the 'peak' of your pattern, you're going to start moving back down the canvas, this time starting at the top of the stitch and coming back through at the bottom.

For this example, we've used 'Flame Stitch' a common pattern you'll see used a lot in Bargello, this variation is great for beginners as you may simply 'mirror' the stitches you did on the way up.

Continue across the canvas moving up and down

As you run out of thread, ensure you leave around an inch of thread so you can weave your needle back under your stitches.

To do this, gently push the needle under the stitches, you may need to wiggle this a bit to get them under

Once you've woven them under around an inch, pull the thread taught and snip the excess thread

This method keeps your stitches flat and even and also ensures that you don't stitch through any knots as you build your pattern up

To add more thread or to change colours, weave your needle under the stitches you just made pulling the thread gently thorough and catching the end

Do this in the direction of your next stitch so you'll be ready to pick back up where you left off

Once your thread is in place, turn the canvas back over and begin stitching your pattern again, but for the first few, be sure to hold the thread end in place just to ensure it is secure

Once you reach the edge – remember to leave a 1.5cm allowance so don't go all the way to the edge, use the same method you used when adding thread and gently push the thread under your stitches at the back of the canvas

Now you've completed one full pattern repeat on your canvas. For this project, we're going to keep stitching the same repeat in different colours.

Next, we're going to add a new colour, so thread your needle with your shade of choice

Similar to how we added more thread, turn the canvas back over and weave your needle under the stitches below pulling the thread gently thorough and catching the end

To continue your pattern, you're going to pull the thread up through the canvas in the same hole the stitch below finished in, this will ensure there are no gaps between the pattern on the finished piece.

Continue stitching the pattern, following the lines below for guidance

Continue adding colours to your desired palette until the canvas is full.