This won't make a lot of sense to anyone but a needlepoint designer - or a needlepointer who has purchased a canvas that was so badly painted that it was difficult to stitch. My grand daughter, Madeline, at age 12, decided to be Granny's apprentice during her last visit - and if I could find a copy painter who learned as quickly, I would hire help again and do markets!! I didn't want to mix oils for her, so just used some acrylics that I had on hand ( difficult to cover without clogging holes, and usually pretty streaky). I only told her once how to draw on needlepoint canvas - i.e., on the thread and not in the groove between the threads. She used a very light touch, as I instructed - and then drew her own designs. I have kept them in hopes of her learning some more textured stitches, my beading techniques, etc., and doing them for herself. She did a remarkable job!! The pieces are a bit streaky, but bear in mind this was her first attempt - and acrylics are hard to handle on needlepoint canvas.

The pink cross was her second drawing and painting after I showed her one time only how to make the cross symmetric on the canvas, and how to make the divisions in the center exactly on the 45 degree angles. I already had the pink paint mixed - I store it in the freezer of my refrigerator - so she used it instead of the acrylics, and did a lovely job of covering the background and keeping her edges neat. A bit of bleeding is there, but to be expected on a first attempt. This Granny is proud - and soooo grateful to have someone, at last, who is interested. She is a very busy girl, tho' - so it will be a while before she becomes a producing designer. Says she would rather be an archaeologist - her granny's clone indeed, as that was my first choice.