Beauty of Bargello

My first, finished quilting project: 

 

My quilted Bargello Wall Hanging!

Note:  I don't consider myself a quilter.  I'm not terribly interested in quilting as I'm a passionate garment sewer.  However, once I started working in the sewing & quilting industry, I found there were different types of quilts and quilting techniques that were very beautiful, one being bargello quilting.  It looked like a beautiful, moving wave in a rainbow of colors.

 

Originally, it seemed to be a very tedious and time-consuming type of quilt--all those little tiny squares sewn together..."sew" NOT for me.  Fast forward to the day when I was discussing bargello quilts with a coworker, and she explained how easy it is to make one.  She must have explained it to me 5 confusing times lol, and then I got it!  Head smack--yes!  It is VERY easy to do!!  Wow.

 

After finishing one of my embroidery projects, my table was filled with jelly roll remnants from a Hoffman Batik packaged roll.  What to do...a small, Bargello wall hanging.  I didn't need any directions, I already had been explained the concept.  Not only that, I free motion quilted the border, ditch stitched the bargello design, and applied the binding the Missouri Star Quilt Company way.

 

Close up of the free motion quilting in progress.  Not perfect, but one of my first attempts on a project that actually got finished.  Unseen is the stitch in the ditch quilting because...it's in the ditch!  :)

I really like the result, and my wall hanging is now hung decorating the wall in my bathroom.  It was a very worthwhile endeavor.  My goal is to learn more about quilting in order to help my customers in a more knowledgeable way.  There is ALWAYS something to learn in the industry, and broadening my horizons in the area of quilting is a big plus.  Why?  I've learned an exactness that didn't exist in my garment sewing world because much of the time being a little off is not a big deal.  In fact, I consider myself a better garment sewer now because of the preciseness required of a quilter, albeit a novice one.

 

Final analysis:  This was a learning project, and I love the result.  My love will always be garment sewing, but there is room for occasional quilting projects.  There are times when I'm tired and simply want to sit and sew.  Quilting lends itself to this, because garment sewing is an up and down thing.  The actual time spent at a machine is much less than a quilter working on a quilt. 

 

Time and place.  There is room for both in my life.  Never say never!

 

Happy Stitching,

 

--Kat