Lilian Nichols, Polymer Class About Bargello Effect

Karen brought projects she has been working on, lots of them made from scraps from the two classes I missed in January and February.  It's fun to play with the scraps.

The reason I've started with this photo is because we only made the bargello cane in the March class.  I expect that next month, all of us will bring projects we have completed using the cane.  I'm sure we will find uses for the scraps, too.

Here are some sample pieces Lilian brought.  The two small blue and green pieces are baked and ready to become brooches or earrings.

Lilian gave us a handout describing three ways to make the bargello cane but we spent the entire time, using just one of the choices.  I can see using the first steps when making other types of canes as well.

If you have a graph, it is easy to cut the fifteen squares of each of three colors in equal quantities.  Be sure the starting slabs are of equal thickness by running them through the pasta machine at the same setting.

Here are all of my measured squares.  There are 15 of each color and 45 of the white which will be mixed with the colors.

Here is the first mixing array set up.

Stack each row from left to right so there are five stacks, each stack with a different number of color and of white.  The first stack is five orange and one white, the second stack is four orange and two white.  Continue stacking the other rows.

Here are Mary Ann's  stacks after they have been blended using the pasta maker.

The different color selections make a wide variety of canes.

After stacking the three layers of colors, Lilian cut off two thin slices and laid them side by side.  Another way to get this effect is to cut the entire stack of three colors in half and laying the two stacks on top of one another.  Here are some resulting stacks.

                                       Karen's stack.

We have two Karen's in the class.  Here is the second Karen's stack.

Below, Lilian shows us how to use the straight blade to make a staggered pattern.

                                      

Some designs using the straight blade.

Then she showed us what can be done with a zigzag blade.

A combination of straight blade and zigzag blade cuts.

All zigzag blade cut.

I am eager to see what we create with our little stacks.

Update...April 26, 2014

Karen brought the results of her Bargello experiments to class.

The circles are left over scraps that Karen rolled with the pasta maker.

These circles and squares were cut from bargello effect left unrolled.

Most of these will become pairs of earrings.

This is a pair I especially liked because of they feature raised strips and twists.

Karen is wearing a pair of the earrings she made.

Close view of the earrings.