What’s the sitch about the criss cross Hungarian stitch? Hungarian embroidery is an important part of the country’s culture and folklore, full of decorative motifs and rich tradition. Just like needlepoint, it is a beautiful art, rich in design, color combination and stitches.
The criss cross Hungarian stitch is an eye-catching combination pattern, joining a traditional criss cross stitch and the Hungarian stitch. Although stitchers often overlook it due to its complexity, this decorative stitch is worth learning for its versatility.
While this stitch looks intricate, it is relatively easy to pick up once you get the knack for the technique. The stitch is made up of two parts, the Hungarian stitch worked on a diagonal slant and a cross stitch. The first part is a group of three stitches worked horizontally and alternating direction by row. The second part is a cross stitch placed in the canvas intersections between the groups of three stitches. Watch our video for a tutorial.
Using the same thread for both parts of the stitch will create a uniform texture or you can choose to embellish the cross stitch with a different type of fiber, a different color thread or even a bead or french knot to create different effects.
Criss cross Hungarian is a medium sized stitch and should be worked in an open space to allow the pattern to develop. Since this is a diagonal stitch, it is easier to compensate, and because the groups of stitches point in two different directions, it does not pull the eye in any direction or take away from the canvas design.
Pro-tip: Complete the decorative stitched area first and compensate at the end.
We love to use this for a background stitch, adding texture and interest to a canvas, or as an accent stitch to enhance areas such as clothing, grass, sand, water, flowers, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Check out our video library today to learn new decorative stitches on your next project.
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