Bargello Needlepoint

I’m feeling a new trend coming on in pillows. Twice this week I’ve seen the Bargello style pillows popping up, once in the current Martha Stewart Living and somewhere in the blogoshpere. When a design gets my attention and has me searching the internet to find out more about it, I feel pretty confident calling it a trend.

For those of you that haven’t heard of Bargello needlepoint before, here is the Wikipedia explanation: “Bargello is a type of needlepoint embroidery consisting of upright flat stitches laid in a mathematical pattern to create motifs. The name originates from a series of chairs found in the Bargello palace in Florence, which have a “flame” stitch pattern.” It is also called “Hungarian Point” as the Italians believe that the style actually originated in Hungary. It’s been around since the 15th century, and it’s last heyday was in the 1970’s, a time when the color combinations used were a bit wilder.

Here are some great samples of the Bargello style by Jonathan Adler:

Bargello Flame


Bargello Chevron (as seen in Martha Stewart Living June 09)


Bargello Waves


Bargello Diamonds


Bargello Zig Zag


Bargello Puzzle

There is no specific color combination that is required in Bargello. The colors can be as subtle or as bright as you prefer. More differentiation between the colors used shows off the pattern, while using varying shades of the same color creates more of a subtle shading effect. Because this type of stitching is quite sturdy, it is perfect for use on pillows, upholstery, and carpets. It was also sometimes used for wall hangings as well.

For more sources of Bargello needlepoint, just follow these links here for books, here for old and new products to buy, and here for lots of handmade variations.

images via Jonathan Adler