TENT STITCH / CONTINENTAL STITCH / HALF CROSS STITCH
 
This is the simplest and most fundamental of all canvas stitches. Most traditional needlepoint uses this stitch exclusively. The Tent Stitch is merely a small stitch made between one canvas "hole" and the one diagonally adjacent to it.

When stitching a line of stitches, follow the stitching order as shown in the diagram. When you use this stitching order, it's called the Continental Stitch.
 
 
When you want to use this stitch to cover an area, use a variation called the Tent Stitch, executed in diagonal passes. The first pass makes a series of stitches down the canvas, following a diagonal pattern (Step 1). Notice that the yarn in the back (shown as a dotted line) makes horizontal stitches. The second pass then comes back up, stitching so that the yarn in the back makes vertical stitches (Step 2). The result is a neat area of stitching, with the back of the piece looking like a basketweave.
 

Step 1:


Step 2:
 
Traditional needlepoint uses the Tent Stitch to cover an entire area of canvas, which can the be made into a pillow, chair seat, etc. Of course, using just a single color would be quite boring, so needlepointers change yarn colors to make a pattern. Here is a simple example of 2 hearts on a yellow background. When following a needlepoint chart, one stitch is represented by one square.
 


Chart:
 
Hints:
  • You may be tempted to conserve yarn by stitching in the following order, a variation called the Half Cross Stitch:

    Don't do it. This stitching order makes the yarn wrap tightly around the canvas thread, taking fullness out of the yarn and leaving gaps. Trust me, this looks awful. If you need to use this stitch to minimize bulk on the back of the canvas, make sure that the stitching is fairly loose. You could also lay a thread across the top of the canvas, and stitch over it, a technique called the Traméd Half Cross Stitch.

    The Tramé thread, here shown in blue, raises the row of Half-Cross Stitches so that it makes a ridge.
  • A common mistake is to change the direction of the diagonal stitching. Although at first glance it doesn't make much difference, it changes the nap of the yarn, so that it will catch the light differently. Just pick a diagonal direction and stitck with it.

 
Uses:
  • Needlepoint images
  • Needlepoint backgrounds
 
See Also: