How to Do a Half Cross-Stitch on Evenweave Fabric
Experienced cross-stitchers often create projects on material called "evenweave fabric." This fabric has fine vertical and horizontal threads woven together. As you cross-stitch over these threads, you create the stitches over two threads each time. Although evenweave fabric does not have the standard holes many cross-stitchers expect in cross-stitch fabric, by working the cross-stitches over the threads your work will look even and uniform. You also can do half cross-stitches on evenweave fabric with attractive results.
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Instructions
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Select an embroidery floss color and cut a 12-inch length of floss. Examine the floss carefully to see the six separate strands that make up the floss. Separate the floss so you have two strands, then thread the needle with the two strands of floss.
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Insert the needle up through the underside of the evenweave fabric in the location where you want to create the half cross-stitch. Consult your project diagram, if necessary.
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Pull the needle all the way up so approximately 1 inch of floss remains on the underside of the evenweave.
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Insert the needle diagonally across two threads to create a vertically diagonal half cross-stitch and pull the floss all the way back to the underside of the evenweave to create a taut stitch.
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Catch the 1-inch tail on the underside of the evenweave by positioning it under the floss as you insert the needle back up to the top side of the evenweave. This will secure the floss on the underside of the fabric and prevent it from pulling through. The point where you insert the needle back up is two fabric threads to the right of the first insertion point. Pull the needle all the way up to make the floss taut.
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Insert the needle diagonally again across two fabric threads in the same fashion.
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Continue making a line of half cross-stitches using the same technique. You can make as many rows of half cross-stitches as you desire. This stitch makes an ideal background stitch for cross-stitch projects.
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References
- Photo Credit cross stitch embroidery image by vnlit from Fotolia.com
