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Box and diagonal stitches · Beginner

Nobuko stitch

Alternating short and long diagonal stitches, over one intersection and over three, in rows that interlock. A favorite background stitch that works up quickly.

Nobuko stitch: the finished stitch on canvas, 25 stitches, all slanting up to the right, in two colors
The finished stitch on canvas. Every stitch runs from one hole to another; the two colors are only there to tell the stitches apart. In the steps, new stitches are red, and the numbers give the order: up at an odd number, down at the next even one.

How to work it

  1. Work the short stitch

    Nobuko stitch, step 1: the first stitch on the canvas. Numerals 1 and 2 mark its ends, in working order.

    Starting at the left, work a tent stitch over one intersection. This is the short stitch.

  2. Work the long stitch

    Nobuko stitch, step 2: two stitches on the canvas, the one this step adds in red. Numerals 3 and 4 mark its ends, in working order.

    Come up one hole below the start of the short stitch and go down over three intersections: three threads to the right and three up. This is the long stitch.

  3. Alternate across the row

    Nobuko stitch, step 3: seven stitches on the canvas, the five this step adds in red.

    Alternate short and long across the row. Each pair starts two threads to the right of the last.

  4. The row back

    Nobuko stitch, step 4: 14 stitches on the canvas, the seven this step adds in red.

    Work the next row back from right to left, two threads lower. Each long stitch ends in the hole where a short stitch of the row above began, and each short stitch ends where a long one began.

At a glance

Used for
backgrounds; sky; water; snow
Coverage
Full
Direction
Slanted up to the right
Stitch length
Over 1 or 3 intersections

Nobuko makes a soft diagonal ripple that reads as texture rather than pattern, so it sits back behind a design. It covers ground quickly and is one of the most used background stitches, especially for sky, water and snow.

Although the stitches are diagonal, Nobuko is worked in straight horizontal rows. Every stitch is made from lower left to upper right, which leaves long stitches on the back.

Tips

  • It is a full-coverage stitch when the thread is thick enough. If canvas shows between rows, add a strand.

Where to go next

Stitches

Guides