Half Stitch laying direction???

[fgalvez]

Sorry for posting a basic question, but I'm a newbie and can't find this answer anywhere. I'm beginning a dimensions stocking kit that includes full and half cross stitches among others.
My question is, what direction do I lay the half stitches? All of my top stitches on the full crosses goes from bottom right to top left, should my half stitches all go that same direction or opposite. Does the chart typically inform you which way to go? I couldn't find that info on the chart. Any advice would be helpful...
Thanks so much!

[rcperryls]

Good question! I think what is most important is to be consistent. When stitching a project that uses half stitches, I think I have generally gone the direction of my bottom stitch which is bottom left to top right, probably because it is the first half of a full cross. Unless the pattern is specific about the direction. I don't stitch many projects now that use half stitches, but I don't remember very many charts specifying the direction nor any information elsewhere in a chart. If it is important to the design, I would think that it would specify. Either with an * next to the symbol for that specific color/stitch or somewhere in the general instructions. Consistency, as with almost everything in cross stitching, is what matters the most.

Hope you will post pictures for us to see your work. A lot of Christmas stockings get stitched around here every year!

Carole

[Allyn]

Everything Carole said.....

Unless the pattern specifies, I can make an argument for the half stitch going in the same direction as the top leg of the full stitch. However, on the last piece I did that had full and half stitches, the half stitches were in the sky. Having the half stitches go the same way as the bottom leg of the full stitches really set the sky in the background off from the things (in this case, it was boats) in the foreground. I was very happy with the results.

So to answer your question, they can go either way. Whichever way you decide the half stitches should be, do them all that way.

[wendywombat]

I did an aeroplane which specified the direction of the half stitches and they went in different directions on each row! Most confusing! The effect in the end was good but normally I'd go with the direction of the bottom part of the cross stitch.

[richardandtracy]

My current cat project is all half stitches. I'm doing the 'cross country' method (one colour at a time) and I'm doing them whichever way is convenient. Did the same with a 44000 stitch picture of my wife and at 28ct it makes not one iota of difference that I, or anyone else, can see.

Regards

Richard

[LadyS]

I tend to make it match my top leg on the full stitch, which is usually ///. If I see on the mock up that the half stitches are leaning \\\ I change my usual top leg to \\\ to still make the half stitch match the top leg of my stitch.

[fgalvez]

Thank you so m ugh for the informative answers! This has been a ton of help and I feel like I can tackle those areas with confidence now. I was very worried about beginning them and making a huge mistake.
Much thanks,
Frankie

[cairee]

every dimentions kit I have done have half stitches going / / / same as the bottom leg of the cross stitches. it works out nicely in the end

[fgalvez]

every dimentions kit I have done have half stitches going / / / same as the bottom leg of the cross stitches. it works out nicely in the end

Thank you so much! After reading all the great responses, I'm going to do just that, follow the bottom leg.
Thanks again!
I will share pics soon!