THE BACK.]

[Illustration: E F G H FIG. 299. SQUARE STITCH FORMING THE BACK OF THE
CROSS STITCH.]

TWO-SIDED ITALIAN STITCH (figs. 300, 301, 302, 303).--Two-sided
Italian stitch consists of cross stitches, alike on both sides, divided
from each other by horizontal and vertical stitches. The upper and lower
stitches should all slope one way, as in plain cross stitch.

Italian stitch is worked in one journey, to and fro. Fig. 300 shows how
to fasten in the thread, and place the needle for the first stitch, from
right to left; fig. 301, the position of the needle from left to right,
to form the cross at the back, and the vertical stitch to the left, on
the right side; fig. 302, the position of the needle, for a two-sided
horizontal stitch at the bottom of the cross, where upon you proceed as
in fig. 300. Fig. 303 explains the return of the thread, which completes
the double crosses and the lines between.

The horizontal lines, not made on the first journey, are added on the
way back. In conclusion, pass the needle back, horizontally, from left
to right, to make the final stitch over the cross, and then make the
stitch between, as shown in fig. 303. On a thin stuff, this stitch
produces an extremely pretty effect, resembling lattice-work, provided
the thread be tightly drawn in the working.

[Illustration: FIG. 300. TWO-SIDED ITALIAN STITCH. INTRODUCTION OF THE
THREAD AND POSITION OF THE NEEDLE FOR THE FIRST STITCH.]

[Illustration: FIG. 301. TWO-SIDED ITALIAN STITCH. POSITION OF THE
NEEDLE FOR THE 2ND AND 3RD STITCHES.]

[Illustration: FIG. 302. TWO-SIDED ITALIAN STITCH. POSITION OF THE
NEEDLE FOR THE 4TH AND 5TH STITCHES.]

[Illustration: FIG. 303. TWO-SIDED ITALIAN STITCH. RETURN JOURNEY, WHICH
COMPLETES THE CROSS STITCH.]

MONTENEGRIN CROSS STITCH (figs. 304, 305, 306).--The Slavonic tribes
of the southern districts of E. Europe, especially the Montenegrins,
have a great partiality for this stitch, which has been rarely noticed,
hitherto, in books on needlework. The right side shows cross stitches
with a double thread underneath, and divided by vertical stitches; the
wrong side, regular cross stitches, also divided by vertical stitches.
Coarse cotton should be used for this stitch; it produces a richer
effect and not only covers the stuff better, but also the underneath
stitch which in the Slavonic work, is entirely hidden by the cross
stitches.

Begin, as letter A indicates, with a long, slanting stitch, ac