Criss-Cross Hungarian Stitch: A Beautiful Textured Needlepoint Stitch
If you’re ready to venture beyond basic tent stitches, Criss-Cross Hungarian is a wonderful decorative stitch to add to your needlepoint repertoire.
This stitch creates a beautiful woven-looking texture using groups of diagonal stitches that change direction. It can look quite intricate when finished, but once you understand the repeating pattern, it is surprisingly manageable.
It is especially pretty when you combine two coordinating colors or two different types of thread.
What Is the Criss-Cross Hungarian Stitch?
Criss-Cross Hungarian is a variation of the traditional Hungarian stitch. Instead of all the stitches traveling in the same direction, groups of diagonal stitches alternate direction, producing the distinctive “criss-cross” appearance.
The basic pattern uses diagonal stitches worked over two and three canvas threads. As the pattern develops, small open canvas intersections appear between the larger stitches.
Those little spaces are part of what makes this stitch so much fun—you can leave them open or fill them with another thread, a small tent stitch, a French knot, or even a bead.
Why I Like This Stitch
Criss-Cross Hungarian gives you a lot of visual interest without requiring an enormous number of complicated stitches.
It works particularly well for:
- Backgrounds
- Clothing and patterned fabrics
- Water and sky
- Geometric areas
- Borders
- Hearts and other larger shapes
- Areas where you want texture without overwhelming the main design
Because the stitches change direction, the finished area has movement and catches the light differently across the canvas.
Using Two Colors
This may be my favorite way to use Criss-Cross Hungarian.
Work the main diagonal pattern in one color and fill the small open intersections with a contrasting or coordinating color.
For example, imagine navy with pale blue, pink with cream, or aqua with soft green. You can also use the same color in two different thread types—perhaps a matte thread for the main stitches and a silk or metallic thread for the accents.
It gives a simple needlepoint area much more depth.
Thread Choices
One of the advantages of this stitch is its versatility. Wool, silk, cotton and overdyed threads can all work beautifully.
An overdyed thread is particularly interesting because the changing colors emphasize the movement of the diagonal stitches.
For 13- or 14-mesh canvas, choose a thread that gives comfortable coverage without making the longer stitches bulky. On finer canvas, use a lighter thread or fewer strands.
As always, make a few test stitches along the edge of your canvas before committing to a large area.
A BeeBee Tip
Pay attention to your tension and stitch direction.
Longer decorative stitches should lie smoothly on top of the canvas rather than being pulled tightly into it. Keeping your tension consistent will make the repeating pattern much prettier.
A laying tool can also be helpful when working with stranded silk or cotton because it keeps the strands smooth and parallel.
And don’t wait until the very end to compensate around the edges of your design. Work those partial stitches as you go so the pattern continues naturally into the surrounding area.
Give It a Try
Criss-Cross Hungarian is one of those stitches that looks much more complicated than it really is.
Start with a small area and practice the repeating sequence. Once you see the pattern developing on your canvas, it begins to make sense very quickly.
Then experiment. Change the colors. Add an overdyed thread. Fill the open intersections with tiny contrasting stitches. Add an occasional bead for a li
That is one of the things I love most about needlepoint: a single stitch can look completely different simply by changing the thread, color or placement.
Happy Stitching !
BeeBee Designs
Needlepoint made a little more creative, one stitch at a time.
