Jan's Stamp Room: Bargello paper piecing technique

Hello Stampin' Friend!

This post will show you how to create the fabulous Bargello background as shown in this photo. Don't stop reading because it looks too complicated! It's quite simple when you know the secret and I am here to let you in on it.

This is a useful technique for all those long skinny strips of patterned paper that we seem to accumulate and can't bear to throw away.

Start by choosing 5 patterns from your skinny scraps that will more or less work together. Have some contrast between the lighter and darker colors for a bold look, or choose similar colors for a more peaceful palette.

I started with these strips from a Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper set called Trusty Tools. Cut the paper into 6 x 1/2 inch strips. You will need 2 or 3 of each pattern.

Take a piece of 6x6 cardstock. Any color will work but as there will be several layers on this card, it is best to select cardstock that is not too thick.

Starting attaching the colored strips to the 6x6 piece, positioning each strip directly up against the previous one.

As far as which adhesive to use: I prefer the Tombow white liquid glue because it allows me to slide the pieces if I don't happen to get them down perfect on the first try. You can use whichever adhesive you prefer, as long as there is a continuous line of adhesive on the back of each strip. You may like to use an adhesive sheet to cover the entire 6x6 piece to make sure there is good coverage.

Here is what your project will look like as you go.

And here is the entire 6x6 piece covered with the strips. Don't worry about the different lengths of the strips at the bottom, if you are like me and didn't cut all the scraps to exactly 6 inches. The next step will take care of that.

Now you will trim the 6x6 inch piece down into 1/2 inch wide strips, going across all the patterns, like this:

Now you need another piece of cardstock to glue these strips on. It will be 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inches and should be not too thick, same as the 6x6 piece you used.

Begin at one of the edges on the long side. Take one of the 1/2 inch strips you just cut and glue it to the edge of the 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 piece, lining up the top and one side of the strip with the edge of the cardstock.

I had already trimmed the end of the strip before I took this photo. You don't need to trim each piece as you go. Just wait until the end to do them all at once.

And you can work from either left-to-right or right-to-left - it won't make any difference in your finished design.

Here is where you apply the "secret sauce" - Position the next strip up tight to the first BUT slide it up so the second square from the top of this strip is next to the top square of the first strip.

Observe how each pattern in the 3 strips is moving up.

Now for the next 2 strips, you will move those patterns back down toward the bottom of the cardstock piece, one square at a time. Alternate up 2, down 2, to fill up the cardstock with the patterned strips.

Here is what the front and back will look like when you complete this step.