Quilted Tapestries: the Bargellos of Dereck Lockwood

Here is part 4 of our four-part series on bargello quilts. Today we're featuring the intricate and colorful designs of Dereck C. Lockwood. His designs incorporate zig zags, spheres, medallions and diamonds in geometric patterns that often include mirror-image and other kaleidoscopic effects. His distinctive and elaborate bargellos bring to mind the 17th century tapestries that inspired the genre.

Lazy Lagoon, 50" x 64" or 90" x 117", by Dereck C. Lockwood at Lockwood Quilts

Here is a new style Bargello quilt forming a medallion in the center of the quilt; the curved bargello radiates away from the center like ripples in a pond. The fabrics are from the Shadow Play Collection by Maywood Studio.

Lavender Blue, 78 x 87", by Dereck C. Lockwood at Lockwood Quilts

"Lavender Blue" was designed using analogous hues of Lavender, Blue and Green. It is easily made by sewing panels in specific color sequences and then re-cutting them into specified strip widths which are sewn together to make a row of the quilt following a printed color chart. It is surrounded by a border of strip-pieced blocks that adds to the dimensional appearance of the quilt. 

Night Lites, 89 x 96", by Dereck C. Lockwood at Lockwood Quilts

In this bed size quilt, the interlacing of the colors creates a striking and contemporary effect. Dereck says that it is easy to make with his strip piecing technique. We first came across this great design, in a smaller size, at a quilt show last year (shown below).

Bargello Quilt by Beverly Hasslinger, Arizona Quilters Guild 2011, photo by Quilt Inspiration

This beautiful quilt by Beverly Hasslinger won honorable mention for a First Time Entrant.

Disco, 59" x 63"by Dereck Lockwood at Lockwood Quilts

We love the bright colors and interesting patterns in "Disco", which is the third pattern in Dereck Lockwood's series of strip pieced Bargello Designs. This vibrating design is made with the Shadowplay line of fabrics by Maywood Studio or you can use up some of your stash to make it more personally yours.

For these patterns and more, see the Bargello quilts page at Lockwood Quilts. You can also see Dereck's newest bargello, Mystic Nites, on his New Quilts page.  It is fun to browse his galleries of applique and pieced patterns; check out the beautiful appliqued quilt called Swans.

Image credits:  Images are shown with the generous permission of Dereck C. Lockwood.