Tent stitch variants

Tent stitch is a small, diagonal needlepoint stitch. There are three types of tent stitch, all producing the same appearance on the front of the canvas but completely different appearance on the reverse side. Inevitably, each stitch is worked in different way. 
These variants of tent stitch are known as continental, basketweave and half cross tent stitches. 

Continental tent stitch (more info here)

Working direction: Continental stitch is normally stitched from right to left both in horizontal and vertical rows.
Appearance on the reverse side: The diagonal stitches appear elongated across two threads. 
Advantages: 

• Good coverage both in front and back side of the canvas. 
• Ideal when strength and durability are required.

Disadvantages:

• Requires more yarn or thread that half cross stitch.
• Distorts the canvas.

Continental stitch: The front side

Continental stitch: The back side

Basketweave stitch (more info here)

Working direction: The stitching starts normally from the top right-hand corner and it is worked in dagonal rows up and down the canvas. 
Appearance on the reverse side: The back of the canvas resembles a basketweave pattern with alternating horizontal and vertical stitches 
Advantages: 

• Distorts the canvas less than other stitches due to the horizontal and vertical stitches on the back. 
• Basketweave gives good coverage on the canvas front and it creates a padded wrοng side.
• It is ideal for rugs, cushions, upholstered projects and generally when strength and durability are required. 
• The needle is always brought down into an already stitched hole (or dirty hole) and brought up in a clean or unoccupied hole. 

Disadvantages: 

• The stitch can not be applied on small or complicated areas. It is only suitable for background and for large areas. 

Basketweave stitch: The front side

Basketweave stitch: The reverse side

Half cross stitch (more info here)

Working direction: It is worked horizontally or vertically across the canvas from left to right.
Appearance on the reverse side: On the reverse side, there are vertical or horizontal small straight stitches. Each straight stitch crosses only one thread. 
Advantages: 

• Requires less yarn or thread that other stitches.

Disadvantages:

• Does not cover the reverse side at all and sometimes does not cover the front side well.
• In comparison to continental stitch and cross stitch, half cross-stitch does not produce a padded canvas. 
• It is not suitable if strength and durability are required. However, if the project requires a minimum bulk, then half-cross stitch is suitable.

General notes: 

• It is not recommended to mix in the same work different tent stitches. Even if, on the front view all tent stitches appear the same, the back side is different. This means that the overall result might look uneven.  
• Many stitchers, prefer to turn the work upside down when they need to start a new row.
• Generally, it is preferably to come up in an empty hole and going down in a dirty hole.