Today's #smallspacesunday is going retro.  Allow me to re-introduce you to the Upright Cross.

It's clean, straightforward, and perfect for virtually any small space.  The ONLY thing to remember is to do the vertical stitch for each pair first, ending with the horizontal stitch on top.  And, before you ask...yes.  That annoying single over one on the vertical or horizontal compensation stitch is essential for a complete and clean stitched area.

Based on what thread you select this stitch can add texture, resulting in a wide variety of uses.  The most obvious uses are small space clothing, baskets, and food.  That said, with a "thicker" thread, it's a fantastic stitch for nature, including trees, bushes, leaves, and small flowers.  

You can dress it up by alternating matte and metallic threads on rows or alternate colors on rows.  Again, the only limit is your imagination.

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here. Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

IIf you like what you see on this blog, there's more: Mary’s Whimsical Stitches Volume 1 is a contemporary how-to collection of more than 250 stitches for stitchers regardless of skill level. The book includes updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog, all-new stitches, and a chapter on the basics of needlepoint; Mary’s Whimsical Stitches Volume 2 features chapters on Balanced, Beading, Diagonal, Layered, Oblique, Small, and Straight stitches.

Also, you can download for free the first chapter from my first book which covers basic needlepoint stitches and stitch compensation techniques along with new top-line information on needlepoint materials and tools, how to handle threads, and other helpful needlepoint resources.

whimsicalstitch.com also sells Stitch Guides and Stitch Concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, Sandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and Penny MacLeod, and many more. Click here to see the newest guides and click here to see the entire collection.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy! Have a wonderful #whimsicalwednesday!

A Note about Diagrams
I use color in diagrams to make them as clear as possible.  The primary function of different colored lines is to illustrate a stitch sequence.  For example, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on how to integrate additional threads (one line for each color).  Or, you can use the same thread for all color lines.  That's where I encourage you to use your imagination for the space you are stitching!