Dina

I am just starting a quilt that is sort of a Bargello quilt (called Navajo from a book called Tradition with a Twist by Blanche Young & Dalene Young Stone).

In the front of the book is the best hint ever for figuring out if the fabric selection is "just right." It says to cut one inch strips, and then cut ten inches off of each strip. Glue those onto paper in the order you want, and then cut those into inch strips and play with them and see if you like what you have.

I love this idea. I sure wish I had known to it fourteen months ago when I started my first Bargello.

I don't have a picture of my fabric glued to the paper before I cut it, but I have a picture of those strips cut into one inch strips in an arrangement. It is enough to let me know that I am ready to go....and the other five fabrics that are rejects can go back in my stash...

In my picture, you can see one inch strips side by side, where I was trying to decide if I liked them, but in the "design" to the right, you can see what it might look like. Now....that is not the design of my pattern, but it is close enough that I am confident to move on!!!

Maybe this is new to someone else and it will help them? The rest of you probably already do this, right?

Dina

Snooze2978

That's a great idea. What I did for my 1st and only bargello (so far), was lay the fabrics in a long pile showing about an inch of each fabric one on top of the other onto my cutting table. Then leaving them for a couple days to a week so every time I pass by them I can look at them and see if I still like what I see. I do this to most of my quilts. There's been times I've changed the order or the fabrics umpteen times before I'm finally satisified.

grammysharon

Great idea

meyert

that is a great idea.. color selection is what is keeping me from making a bargello... I really want one for my bed but I want the colors to be right. I am going to remember this......thank you

tessagin

Put this in my favorites.

Mariposa

Thanks for sharing this. Great idea!

GingerK

What a great idea! Thanks so much, for sharing this hint with us. I have also been held back by the daunting task of fabric selection.

Onebyone

I have the book and it has been a go to book.

QuiltnNan

thanks for sharing, great hint

joy

4 meyert... I did a bargello class and was told to have two dark and two light with others inbetween... hope that helps you in your selection. I had 12 colours...my friend had 14... the quilter did the most dreadful job on hers... you just wouldn't believe... it is being unpicked...