Friday Homework for Lesson 353: Brick and Cross Filling Stitch

The Brick and Cross Filling Stitch is not only attractive but also airy, as there is a bit of space around each cross, them being smaller than the block of bars. 

Like all canvas stitches, the Brick and Cross Filling Stitch is difficult to work on plain weave if you aim for a neat and tidy look. I used waste canvas to make the job easier. Unfortunately, I marked the waste canvas incorrectly, so on the Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart, the stitches are packed like sardines in a can.

I also filled a square on my Canvas Sampler and made a wonky version, on purpose, for a wild look.

Aida Sampler

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart (the can of sardines)

Red Kimono Silk Scribble Cloth

It looks like the waste canvas did nothing to help make the stitches even. The truth is, rather, that many of the stitches were forcefully tugged out of place. Why? 

Well, as you know, the way to remove the threads of the waste canvas, once the stitching is complete, is to spray water on the canvas. The more water, the easier it is to pull out the threads. 

Unfortunately, the red fabric I stitched on is SILK and should not be exposed to water. The mist I sprayed on was just a small dose, and it wasn't enough to remove the starch from the waste canvas weft and warp threads. So I tugged and tugged, but the starch was stronger than me until I put in more force, and as a result, the stitches look ruffled.

Canvas Sampler

Wild and Wonky Freehand Bricks and Crosses

WIPW - Mount, Spur on and Gallop Away

 Work In Progress Wednesday's report for the first week in February 2026.

The Year of the Horse

Here he is, the Dalecarlian Horse, ready to be mounted and spurred on, and then he'll walk, trot, canter and gallop away with you to greener pastures.

I like the fabric I have stitched on - it reminds me of a dull November day in the Dalarna region of northern Sweden. Maybe it is to beat the sunless November gloom that these horses are always painted in bright colours.

The Japanese Post has obviously been drawn to these horses. Look at the New Year's cards; they all have printed stamps on them, and some of them feature a Dalecarlian horse.:

Look at the bottom of the cards. Can you see numbers printed in black? They are lottery numbers.  If your cards had the right number, you could win a very nice prize. I got number 3 as the last number on two cards and was given a small consolation prize - four postage stamps. Two of them can be seen on the right of the postcards. One stamp is for a letter (110 yen) and the other for a postcard (85 yen) to be delivered within Japan's borders.

Hexablooms

More blocks were prepared with placements and notes.

Lucky me!

I am so lucky to have good friends. 

Last month, I celebrated my birthday and was given this lovely pouch. It is colourful, very Japanese and will come in handy. 

THANK YOU!

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 353: Brick and Cross Filling Stitch

Let's add another Canvas stitch to Sunday Stitch School's collection of stitches. Today I have a stitch from the Royal School of Needlework's Stitch Bank - Brick and Cross Filling Stitch.  See it here. You can also find instructions in Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches.

It's an easy stitch, made up of straight and crossed short lines.

Have a look at my photo tutorial:

Please notice the spacing, 

6 holes for the horizontal stitches.

The spacing for the crosses is 4 holes 

leaving a little gap on either side.

When you fill in the next set of Bricks and 

Crosses underneath, don't forget the spacing.

The crosses are a little smaller than the sets of

horizontal bars.

You have all sorts of possibilities to play with 

colour combinations and choices of threads.

Homework: These three samplers want some Bricks and Crosses!