The Balloon Needlepoint Stitch is a decorative stitch used in needlepoint to create textured or dimensional effects. This stitch creates a charming and textured effect, particularly when used in decorative stitching.

Stitch Details

• Stitch Structure: Flat, Parallel, Straight, Condensed
• Recommended for: Large areas, Mountains, Skies 

Balloon Stitch Instructions

Horizontal variant:

• Secure the thread at the back of the canvas by making a small knot.
• Insert the needle from the back of the canvas to the front at the starting point.
• Make a small vertical stitch from the bottom to the top skipping one row, then bring the needle back down behind the canvas and repeat this step one more time, then you'll have two stitches with the same length side by side.
• Then, from there you go out diagonally increasing one row up and down, now you should be skipping 3 rows. Remember that the stitches will all be in the same direction (in this case they are from the bottom up).
• We repeat the previous step by diagonally increasing one row up and down, but this time we'll do one stitch skipping 5 rows and then two stitches skipping 7 rows.
• It will then start again in the opposite direction, diagonally decreasing one row up and down. One stitch skipping 5 rows, one stitch skipping 3 rows and two stitches skipping 1 row.
• At the end of the two shortest stitches, you must repeat the process from step 4 onwards.

Vertical variant:

The steps are the same as for the horizontal variant, except that the orientation of the stitches must be from left to right or vice versa.

Stitch Guides where Balloon Stitch is used