Stitchers' Forum
Katerina
Member
Can someone help me please.
I thought that half stitches were exactly that, half of a cross, and quarter stitches were half of that again, but now I've been completely confused by a certain website and company who show half stitches to be full crosses but narrower and quarter stitches are again full crosses but tiny ones.
How do I know when doing a pattern which type to use?
This isn't as easy as I first thught it would be!!!
Kat
Andrea Thompson
Moderator
Those websites sound very confusing.
When in doubt I usually look at the picture :-)
If it looks like the "square" has been diagonally sliced through, one side in one colour, the other side in another, then I think that's technically what's known as quarter cross stitch and a three-quarters cross stitch (with one part being 3/4 and the other being 1/4.)
I was always told to use the strongest colour for the three-quarter bit and the weaker colour for the quarter. But that isn't always easy to judge in some patterns.
If it looks like the square only has one stick of the cross in it, then that is technically a half cross stitch. So it looks like someone has only half completed the stitch.
I found a great diagram on google images, but I think that Jane's Cross Stitch Bible will probably have it in as well... but that's at home, and I'm currently at work :-)
Brigitte Gant
Member
Numbers confuse me anyway, but fractions only partly (bad joke, I know, but I had to laugh). I recently stitched a design, where two complete crosses of different colour had to be stitched in one square, so they ended up either full height, half width or full width and half height. With fractional stitches I decide which one is the 3/4 and which one the 1/4 which bit of the design would be in the foreground irrespective of colour. So far that seemed to work for me.
Barbara Stone
Member
If you look in the Bible, (the cross stitch one, not the Holy one) Jane shows you how to do three quarter stitches, and a half cross stitch, is exactly that. I don't think much of a site that tells you to do it differently to how every other site tell you. Hope you can sort it out, and good luck.
Christine Berrett
Administrator
I usually do two 3/4 stitches back-to-back, rather than a 3/4 and 1/4 stitch, then I don't have to worry about which half to do as what (if you see what I mean).
Helen Hawkins-Ainsley
Member
If you were looking at a Heritage Stitchcraft kit you will find they do the funny 1/2 & 1/4 stitches you are on about. These need to be done evenweave (28, 30 or 32 count fabric) to work properly
Helen
Flee
Member
Will admit I don't do kits or anything with part stitches ...............
Brigitte Gant
Member
We know, Flee, you never do things by half. That's why we love you.
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