The Margaret Boyles Bargello Workbook: A Collection of Original Designs

I have all the currently available Margaret Boyles Needlepoint & Bargello books, the whole out-of -print gang of them. This book is as great as any of them. Margaret Boyles has taught me bargello with her books. I have gone from the level 1 patterns to level 3 (really hard stuff) in 6 months using Margaret Boyle's books. If you can find them, buy them. You will not be sorry. Clear graphs, clear directions, lots and lots of color pictures. Her designs are first rate and her color use is superb. I am writing a lot of these reviews. As a buyer of these out-of-print books, I always wish there was more information about them out there.

If you like bargello and needlework, this is a must-buy! Warning: the graph-paper technique of showing the pattern is very hard to follow, especially for a beginner. Once you've done a little needlework, you should be fine with it. The book does have a large "how-to" section at the back, but if you've never done bargello, get a different book for your first book. Now, criticism finished, let me discuss why I love this book and use it all the time: incredible mixes of patterns and borders, masterpiece panels, and great colorways. First of all, this book shows how to combine patterns in creative ways. Classic Margaret Boyles patterns involve working various frames with a large border of a traditional pattern done four-way, and a center section with a different pattern done either one way or four-way. If this doesn't make sense, don't worry--buy the book and start with the easy patterns. You can build up to the great masterpieces at the end of the book. The five final patterns are vibrant panel, Moorish panel, interlocking squares, bargello squares panel, and art nouveau panel. They are all stunning. When I saw the color pictures of these, I felt like I had gone from the horse to the car. These patterns revolutionized the way I thought about putting together a needlework piece. Boyles takes all kinds of borders and patterns and combines them in combos that are just so well thought out. This is a book that just gets me itching to pull out all my yarn and start planning something amazing. I've since done two pillows that are very "Margaret Boyles"--one a variation of her art nouveau panel and the other, a combination of three frames and two four-way panels. Let me try to explain "Vibrant Panel": three upright Gobelin frames are the outer rim. Then there is a partial row, a complete row, and another partial row of the classic pattern of fish scales--sometimes called peacock eye. This is worked in four-way around the edges of the piece. Next there is a frame of upright Gobelin around rows of four-way stars, worked four-way. (I know; it makes my brain hurt.) Finally, the center is also four way--a sort of heart or petal pattern, with basically four big hearts or petals. I think it is a variation of the classic hearts and diamonds, but there isn't enough of it to tell. All of the three main patterns are worked in four related greens, two yellows, and an orange. Two other color options are also given (three greens & four pinks OR 3 greens, blue, red, orange, & yellow). Ok, enough--as you can see, the patterns are complex! Also, the multiple color options really help you to visualize how you can alter the pattern to make it your own. Almost every pattern is shown in a few colorways--mostly photos of worked on canvas. The photos sometimes show the colorway at life size, which makes it easy to see each stitch. Not a great beginner book, but even a beginner might want this because it will make them see the great potential of bargello--pl