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Fractional stitches in cross stitch: quarter, half and three-quarter
Fractional stitches are parts of a full cross that make curves and fine detail. A half stitch is one diagonal across the square, a quarter stitch runs from a corner to the centre, and a three-quarter stitch is a half stitch plus a quarter. On Aida you pierce the centre of the square; on evenweave stitched over two, the centre is a real hole.
On this page
A full cross fills one square of the fabric. That makes every outline a staircase. Fractional stitches cover only part of a square, so a curve can cut across it, an eye can be a single small point, and two colours can share one square.
The four you will meet
| Stitch | What it covers | How it is made |
|---|---|---|
| Half stitch | Half the square, along a diagonal | One diagonal, corner to corner |
| Quarter stitch | A quarter, from one corner | Corner to the centre |
| Three-quarter stitch | Three quarters | A quarter, then a half stitch over it |
| Petite cross | A quarter, as a tiny full cross | Two small diagonals in one corner |
How a chart shows them
Designers draw fractional stitches in different ways, so check the key, but these are the usual ones:
- Half stitch: a diagonal line through the square, or the colour’s symbol with a slash. Some keys list half stitches as their own column.
- Three-quarter stitch: the square split along a diagonal, with the colour filling the larger part, or a symbol drawn smaller and pushed into one corner.
- Quarter stitch: a small symbol in one corner of the square.
- Two colours in one square: the square divided along a diagonal, a different symbol on each side. That means a three-quarter stitch in one colour and a quarter in the other.
- Petite cross: a small symbol in one quarter, often on charts for evenweave.
For the rest of the chart, see how to read a cross-stitch pattern.
Half stitch
One diagonal leg of a cross, from corner hole to corner hole. Work it in the same direction as the bottom leg of your full crosses unless the chart shows it leaning the other way: / and \ are two different stitches. Half stitches give a light, flat cover for skies, shadows and backgrounds, and whole kits are made of them.
Quarter stitch
A short stitch from a corner of the square into its centre.
- On Aida there is no hole in the middle of a square, so you push the needle through the woven block. Aim for the exact centre; a firm, straight push works better than a slanted one.
- On evenweave or linen stitched over two, the centre of the square is a real hole between threads, which makes quarter stitches easy.
A quarter stitch on its own is rare. It is usually the small half of a square shared by two colours.
Three-quarter stitch
A quarter stitch plus a half stitch:
- Make the quarter: come up at the corner the chart shows and go down at the centre of the square.
- Make the long diagonal across the whole square, between the two corners the quarter did not touch.
- The long diagonal passes over the end of the quarter at the centre and holds it flat.
This is the fractional stitch you will meet most: it rounds off curves on leaves, petals, faces and lettering.
Two colours in one square
When a square is split between two colours, one colour gets the three-quarter stitch and the other gets the quarter that fills the rest.
- Give the three-quarter to the colour that should look in front, such as the outline of a flower against the sky, or follow the chart if it shows which.
- Stitch the quarter first if it pierces the centre, then the three-quarter, whose long leg locks both ends down.
Petite cross
A tiny full cross in one quarter of the square: four of them fit in one square. Petites give double detail for eyes, lettering or small highlights. They are easiest on evenweave, where the centre of each square is a hole; on Aida you pierce the block twice.
Tips
- Use the strands of your crosses for fractional stitches, unless the key says fewer; see how many strands.
- Stitch them as you go, with the colour already in your needle, rather than coming back for all of them at the end.
- Can’t pierce cleanly? A sharper needle for the fractional stitches alone, or a smaller tapestry needle, helps on Aida.
- Short on patience? A full cross can stand in for a three-quarter, but it changes more than the edge. The outline becomes stepped, and where two colours shared the square, one of them now fills it, which can tip the balance of a small area such as an eye. Where the shape matters, follow the key.
Marking fractional stitches in an app
On paper it is easy to miss a quarter stitch hiding in a corner. In Crosstela, open the Palette and tap Stitches: every kind of stitch in the pattern has its own row, such as Half stitches, Quarter stitches, Three-quarter stitches or Petite stitches, with how many are left. Tap a row to see only that kind on the chart.
- 1Each kind and how many are left
A tap marks the stitch in a square, whatever its kind, and every kind counts in your progress. Press and hold a square to see each of its stitches as a row, such as the three-quarter and the quarter of two colours. See Half stitches, knots and beads.
Crosstela is free, for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Questions people ask
What are fractional stitches in cross stitch?
Parts of a full cross: half, quarter, three-quarter and petite stitches. They make curves smoother and let two colours share one square.
How do you do a three-quarter stitch on Aida?
Make a quarter stitch from the corner into the centre of the square, piercing the Aida block, then a half stitch across the whole square over it. The long leg holds the quarter flat.
Is a half stitch the same as a half cross stitch?
In cross-stitch charts, yes: one diagonal leg of a cross. In needlepoint, half cross stitch and tent stitch look the same on the front but are worked differently on the back.
Do I have to stitch quarter and three-quarter stitches?
No, but the design will look more stepped without them. Many stitchers replace a three-quarter with a full cross and leave lone quarters out.
