Learn to work two versions of a basic laid filling stitch - the square laid filling and the diagonal laid filling.
These two stitches can be used to create a light, airy filling for a flower or leave in surface embroidery or crewel embroidery.
The example on this page features a plain, square filling stitch. Directions for working the same stitch on the diagonal can be seen on the next page.
To work the stitch, lay a groundwork of criss-crossing long stitches, as shown here using the orange thread.
Next, work a single diagonal stitch (or cross stitch) over each section along a row, as indicated by the green thread. These stitches hold the ground threads in place.