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Extended long-armed cross stitch icon
Extended long-armed cross stitch

Extended long-armed cross stitch main image

This stitch is similar in structure to long-armed cross stitch, but, as the name suggests, the stitch length is considerably longer.  The modern version of long-armed cross stitch is normally twice as long as it is high, this version is six times longer than its height.  On the reverse, both versions show pairs of vertical stitches in the same holes.

The working method is based on a stitch which features on the bookbinding which covered an English medieval almanac dating from the early 15th century.  The book is now held by the Wellcome Collection (see the Examples section at the end of this entry).  The binding is completely covered in geometric embroidery; a version of this stitch forms a stitched layer underneath the other stitches.

Jacqui Carey has done extensive investigation into the structure of the original stitch and this version is a reconstruction based on the available evidence.  See the References sections for details of her book which describes her research into the stitches used on the bookbinding. N.B. the names used are descriptive names assigned by Jacqui Carey as historic records do not give us the names by which they were known.

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Crossed Filling Border Outline Counted Thread

Further Reading

MS.8932 - a medieval embroidered folded almanac by Jacqui Carey
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Extended long-armed cross stitch is generously sponsored by Jan Avent

Method

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1
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 1 illustration
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 1 photograph
1

Starting on the left, make a long diagonal stitch from bottom left to top right, across twelve and up two threads of the canvas.

2
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 2 illustration
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 2 photograph
2

Bring the needle back up two threads below.

3
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 3 illustration
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 3 photograph
3

Make a shorter diagonal stitch from bottom right to top left, across six and up two threads of the canvas.

4
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 4 illustration
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 4 photograph
4

Bring the needle back up two threads below and repeat the previous three steps.

5
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 5 illustration
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 5 photograph
5

Continue to work across the area from left to right.
You will notice that the start of the row could benefit from a short diagonal stitch and a half-length diagonal stitch.

6
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 6 illustration
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 6 photograph
6

Start a second row directly below the first.
The stitches will be in line with the row above and the top of the stitches will share holes with the bottom of the last row.

7
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 7 illustration
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 7 photograph
7

Continue to fill the space.

8
Extended long-armed cross stitch method stage 8 photograph
8

The underside of long armed cross stitch shows short widely spaced aligned stitches, notice how they share entry and exit points with the row above.

Extended long-armed cross stitch

Structure of stitch

Crossed

Common uses

Filling Border Outline

Embroidery Techniques

Counted Thread

Related Stitches

Long-armed cross stitch

Identifying Extended long-armed cross stitch

Like the standard long-armed cross stitch, this version also consists of alternating long and short diagonal stitches, each of which crosses the previous stitch to form a woven braid effect.  On the reverse, the thread forms pairs of upright stitches in the same holes.  In this version the long crossing stitches are six times longer than the height of the stitch; the standard version’s long crossing stitches are twice as long as the height of the stitch.

References