Three-Quarter Stitches

What you will learn

• Combining a quarter stitch and a half stitch
• Choosing which diagonal goes on top

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. Look at the chart symbol to see which corner of the square is left empty. The quarter stitch goes in the opposite corner.
2. Make a quarter stitch from that corner to the centre of the square.
3. Add a full diagonal half stitch between the other two corners, crossing over the end of the quarter stitch.
4. Where it fits your stitch direction, make the long diagonal your top leg so it matches the full crosses nearby. Some stitchers always work the quarter first. Either is acceptable if you are consistent.
5. When two colours share one square, the chart shows two small symbols. Stitch one colour as a three-quarter stitch and the other as a quarter stitch in the remaining corner.

Tips for a neat result

• Backstitch is often worked along the diagonal afterwards and hides the join between colours.

Common mistakes and fixes

Check your result

• The stitch fills three corners of the square and leaves one empty.