TENT STITCH

Tent Stitch is a foundational stitch in needlepoint. It is the simplest and most frequently used and often forms part of more complex stitches.

Because of its simplicity and pleasing results many needlepoint designs use just Tent Stitch.

There are 3 different methods for working with this stitch, each with a different name. Visually the front of the canvas looks the same for all 3. The difference is how the stitch is worked on the back and the overall robustness of the final piece. Don’t worry, they are all quite easy.

1. CONTINENTAL
Continental is worked in horizontal rows and is reasonably hard wearing. It is best used for smaller areas as it can pull the canvas out of shape when used over large sections due to the multiple rows of right slanting stitches.
step by step guide
2. BASKETWEAVE
Basketweave is the most hard wearing version of Tent Stitch and should always be used for large areas as it’s less likely to warp the canvas. It is worked in diagonal rows either from the top right hand corner down or bottom left hand corner up.
step by step guide
3. HALF CROSS
This is the final of the 3 Tent Stitch methods. Like Continental, Half cross is worked in horizontal rows but the back looks very different with small vertical stitches instead of dense rows of diagonal stitches. The main advantage of using Half Cross is that it uses less yarn and is therefore more economical.
step by step guide