Quarter Stitches

What you will learn

• Piercing the centre of an Aida block
• Reading corner symbols

Materials and tools

• 14-count Aida cloth, white or cream
• Tapestry needle size 24 (blunt tip)
• Six-strand embroidery floss
• Embroidery scissors
• 4 or 5 in (10 or 13 cm) hoop (optional on stiff Aida)

1. On the chart, a quarter stitch appears as a small symbol tucked into one corner of a square. That corner is where the stitch goes.
2. Come up through the hole at that corner.
3. Go down in the exact centre of the square. On Aida there is no hole there, so you must push the needle through the middle of the woven block.
4. A sharper needle helps. Many stitchers keep a size 26 tapestry needle or a fine embroidery needle for fractional stitches.
5. Pull gently. The stitch is short and easy to overtighten.

Tips for a neat result

• On evenweave stitched over two threads there is already a hole in the centre, which makes quarter stitches much easier.

Common mistakes and fixes

Check your result

• The stitch runs from the corner and stops at the centre of the square.