Another Bargello Ornament!

This is another of the ornaments made several years ago when I was trying to remember these skills from 30+ years ago. It's actually extremely simple in that the count is only over 6 and 3 threads. I was playing around with making shapes, and after making one small one, realized that by just repeating the count and interlocking the motifs, I could make a nicely sized and usable ornament. The measurements are: 5" high x 3 1/2" wide on 18 mesh canvas. Each little motif is 2 1/2" high x 1 3/4" wide.The ornament is stitched with RainbowGallery Frosty Rays for the red and green, and Kreinik metallic braid - size #12 for 18 mesh canvas. (015 green) The background is Splendor silk in white, stitched in basketweave on the warp only, and beads added in the weft stitches. Again - the Sundance #250 hexagonal for some glitter!. The raised spider webs were, of course, made before the beads were added.

I have made a habit since I acquired a color copy machine of making copies as I go to keep a record of the stitching in progress - without these, I wouldn't be able to re-create a piece done years ago without dissecting the thing. As you can see, the blank spaces could be decorated in many different ways - basketweave background with small silk ribbon flowers or perhaps a "jewel" or two for more sparkle. The outside was stitched with a line of gold braid in tent stitch for a nice edging.

If you haven't worked raised spider webs, they are done on TOP of the stitched background, and it's a simple matter of just making an 8 spoke wheel - (as opposed to the five we use for spider web roses.) Then, come up with your needle and thread as close to the center as you can, go BACK over one thread, and FORWARD under two threads of the spoke. Continue this way until the "web" is completely full. It's a great little decorative element - I use it often.