Cross stitch, Needlecraft and Embroidery Glossary: Zigzag Backstitch to Zigzag Palestrina knot

Work backstitches each at 90 degrees to the one before as illustrated.

Work as for chain stitch but instead of working in a straight line, slant the needle first to the left and then to the right.

This is a variation on coral stitch worked between two parallel lines. It is best to mark the lines on the fabric before beginning to keep the spacing even. Work as shown with the upper stitch worked downwards and the lower stitch worked upwards.

Draw out two or three threads from the fabric and then turn up the hem to one thread from the withdrawn thread. Fasten thread at left and then pass thread from right to left under an even number of the border threads bring needle out turning the needle to face horizontally and then make a second stitch over the same number of threads at right angles to the first. A second row of stitches is worked at the other edge of the border by taking half the threads from one group and half from the next as shown.
See also ladder hemstitch, tied hemstitch, somersault stitch and beaded somersault stitch.

A row of small upright evenly spaced stitches are worked and then joined by diagonal stitches. As a single row it can be used for a border but it can also be used as a filling stitch when rows are placed above each other in straight lines. When the slanting stitches are from bottom right to top left it is known as barrier or fence stitch and when from bottom left to top right it is known as Bosnian stitch or yugoslavian border stitch.

This stitch consists of a series of knots used to make a textured zig zag line. Work the first stitch from 1 to 2 and then coming up at 3, pass the needle under the first stitch without passing through the fabric. Make another loop and pass under first thread again and pull through. Start new knot at 5 to 6 and continue until the required length is made.