Basketweave stitch

Basketweave stitch is a member of the tent stitch family. It is called basketweave because the woven pattern it forms on the back of the canvas resemble a basketweave pattern. However, the right side is almost indistinguishable from than of continental stitch and that's why the stitch is called diagonal tent stitch.  

Basketweave stitch: The front side

Basketweave stitch: The back side

Instructions:
When you work the basketweave stitch you make a diagonal pattern starting normally from the top right-hand corner. Instead of working across the canvas like you do on the continental stitch, in basketweave the rows form in diagonal lines

1. Form the first stitch on the top right. Place the second stitch right beneath the first stitch. Place the third stitch adjacent to the first stitch.

2. After forming the small triangle, start the third row. The direction is from top to bottom.

3. After finishing the third row start the fourth diagonal row, working from bottom to top.

4. Stitch the fifth diagonal row. The diagonals are growing bigger and bigger.

5. Continue working the diagonal rows alternating the direction. When you finish off a thread, start the new thread in exactly the same place as you finished. 

How to start and finish

How to start without a knot

1. Position approximately 3 cm before the starting hole, in the direction that the stitching will progress.

2. Begin stitching, covering with stitches the thread, underneath. Turn the work over and cut away the remaining thread. 

How to finish without a knot

1. Turn the work over and slide the thread under a few back stitches in horizontal or vertical direction.

Uses of basketweave stitch

• Basketweave stitch is ideal for background and for large areas or large blocks of colors. The stitch can not be applied on small or complicated areas. 
• When strength and durability are desired, such as in basketweave is a suitable stitch. Basketweave gives good coverage on the canvas front and it creates a padded wrong side with a woven pattern. So, basketweave is suitable for rugs, pillow covers, upholstered projects and generally when strength and durability are a basic requirement.  

Advantages

• Distorts the canvas less than other stitches due to the horizontal and vertical stitches on the back. 
• The needle is always brought down into an already stitched hole (or dirty hole) and brought up in a clean or unoccupied hole. 
• It covers the canvas well in both sizes.