How To Do the Victorian Cross Stitch

The Victorian Cross Stitch creates a rich and sumptuous tapestry. It covers the canvas well and produces a thick, hard-wearing needlework.

 

The Victorian Cross Stitch is worked on an interlock canvas. This canvas is locked at the intersections, so it will not fray and you do not need to tape the edges.

The Victorian Cross Stitch is always worked "in hand" which means you do not need a frame or stretcher bars. It is very rewarding to see and feel the thick fabric being created beneath your needle.

How To Do The Victorian Cross Stitch

Start at the bottom right-hand corner of the canvas and work your way up. You can roll the canvas as you work your way up so that it stays clean and it is easy to hold.

It is easiest to work up in one color area for an inch or so before moving to another color area, gradually building up the canvas color by color.

The needle is always held horizontally to the canvas and the stitch is created in a darning fashion (rather than stabbing it in and out of the canvas like a regular needlepoint stitch).

So, thread your needle with your first color and follow the diagrams, below, to start working the Victorian Cross Stitch.

All rows are worked from right to left, so when you finish the first row, secure the thread, snip it off, and start again on the right-hand side of the next row above. This might sound like a lot of hassle, but you will adapt to it. When you are working in a highly patterned area, some of the color rows will be short so you can drag the thread to the end of the row if it is only a few stitches.

 

1. Secure your starting thread with a waste knot, placed on the front of the canvas a few stitches away. You will snip this off after you have stitched up to it.

2. Bring your needle up at the bottom of your first cross stitch.

3. Slide your needle under one canvas intersection diagonally up and across from where you brought the yarn up to start.

 

4. Pull the yarn through to complete the first "arm" of the cross.

5. Pass the needle under TWO canvas intersections as shown. This creates the second "arm" of the cross when you pull the yarn through. It also puts you in place to start the next stitch.

6. Create the first "arm" of the second stitch by passing the needle under one canvas intersection.

7. Pass the needle under TWO canvas intersections again, as shown. This creates the second "arm" of the cross and begins your next stitch. Continue...

Contact us with any questions on how to do the Victorian Cross stitch. With practice it will become second-nature.

See the Poppy Monk Collection of Victorian Cross Stitch needlepoint kits.