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Cross Stitch
The cross stitch is one of the easiest and most popular embroidery stitches. Each individual cross-stitch is made up of two diagonal stitches, a bottom stitch and a top stitch that together form an X. |
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 Working horizontally from left to right, stitch a row of bottom stitches. Form each stitch by bringing the needle up at 1, then down at 2, up at 3, then down at 4, etc. |
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 At the end of the row, complete the cross stitch by crossing the bottom stitches with a row of top stitches in the opposite direction, up at 9, down at 10 (same hole as 6), up at 11, down at 12 (same hole as 4), etc.
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Half Stitch
Half cross stitches are single diagonals. Usually they are listed under a separate heading in the color key and are indicated on the chart by a diagonal colored line.
Quarter Stitch
To obtain rounded shapes in a design use quarter and three quarter cross stitches. On linen and evenweave fabrics, a quarter cross stitch will extend from the corner to the center intersection of threads. |
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Backstitch
Backstitches define and outline the shape of a design. For most projects backstitches require only one strand of Embroidery Floss. |
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 French Knot
Bring the threaded needle through the fabric and wrap the floss around the needle tip as shown. Gently tighten the twists as you return the needle through the fabric just next to the place where your needle went in. The floss will slide through the wrapped thread to make the knot. |
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Smyrna Cross-Stitch
A Smyrna cross stitch consists of an x-shape stitch topped by astraight horizontal stitch and a straight vertical stitch. It's often worked over four, six, eight or more threads. |
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 Starting and Stopping
The easiest way to start a cross stitch piece is with the "waste knot" method. It is a temporary knot that will be clipped later, thus the name "waste knot". To begin, tie a knot at the end of the Floss on your needle. Pass the needle through the fabric from the front down, about one-inch away from the placement of the first cross stitch.
Bring the needle up through the fabric in the exact square you've selected as your starting point and work the first series of cross stitches over the thread to secure it on the back of the fabric. Carefully clip off the waste knot.
To continue stitching in the same area, re-thread your needle and simple run the needle under several stitcheson the back side to secure the Floss, then resume stitching. |
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