How to Stitch an Italian Cross-Stitch

The Italian cross-stitch is a traditional stitch that is enclosed on all four sides with embroidery floss, working all the time in a horizontal manner. Although more time consuming than a traditional cross-stitch, the Italian cross-stitch will add elegance to your projects.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Aida fabric
• Embroidery hoop
• Tapestry needle
• Embroidery floss
• Scissors

1. Secure the Aida fabric in a small embroidery hoop and thread a tapestry needle with a 12-inch length of 1 or 2 strands of embroidery floss.

2. Come up through the lower left-hand corner of the center square on your Aida fabric with your threaded tapestry needle and secure the embroidery floss in the back with a small knot.

3. Bring the embroidery floss towards the right and insert the needle into the lower right-hand corner of the square.

4. Come up through the original lower left-hand corner and bring the needle down into the upper right-hand corner.

5. Thread up out of the lower left-hand corner once again and insert the needle into the upper left-hand corner.

6. Bring the needle up through the lower right-hand corner and insert the needle into the upper left-hand corner.

7. Thread up out of the lower right-hand corner again and insert the needle down into the upper right-hand corner.

Tips & Warnings

• Find the center of a piece of Aida fabric, by counting the number of squares and then dividing that number by 2.
• The Italian Cross-Stitch is also known as the Two-Sided Italian Cross-Stitch and the Arrowhead Cross Stitch.