Peek-A-Boo 

Designed and hand painted by Sandra Gilmore - Once In A Blue Moon

Stitched by Dr. Barbara A - student at Newport Needlepoint, Costa Mesa, CA.

     ANG Seminar 1st Place-Special Judges Award, 1st Place- Amateur Painted Category Award

Our beautiful witch's hair was created with an overlapping long stitch.  I originally learned this technique by studying "string art" books.  Three colors (close in value) of Needlepoint Inc. silk were selected to shade the wavy curls.  Practicing this stitch on a doodle canvas will help you perfect your work.

The jack-o-lantern is worked in a single strand of perle coton #8 - #721 in the balloon stitch.  The balloon stitch is worked over the major part of the jack-o-lantern.  A little tip about this stitch - all vertical stitches on any two "balloons" will add up to the longest stitch.  The pattern of the stitch is 2,2; 4,4; 6,6; 8,8;10,10;12,12;12,12; 10,10; 8,8; 6,6; 4,4 2,2.  The glowing eyes, nose and mouth cut outs are created with Kreinik's Balger #4 - 091 in the 4 way continental stitch in a single strand.  The dark lines are tent in perle coton #8- #920.  Slant the tent stitches in the smoothest direction.

The wrap is worked in 3 colors of Petite Very Velvet in the basket filling stitch.  Outline the wrap in the darkest PVV color in 1 strand , tent stitch.  The stitch is not broken when changing colors-just change to the next color when the two "bars" of the stitch are complete..  No compensation is needed except where you stitch to the outline stitch.