How to Work a Scotch Stitch

Scotch stitches are stitched with varying lengths of diagonal stitches and form a filled square shape. When worked in a grid-like pattern, this square-shaped stitch is useful for filling in large areas of canvas.

1. Determine the Scotch stitch size desired. Most are worked over a 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 area but can be larger.   
2. Work the first stitch diagonally across one bar like a continental stitch, coming up through the canvas at 1 and going down at 2.
3. For the next stitch, bring the needle up at 3, cross over two bars, and go down at 4. Bring the needle up at 5, cross three bars and go down at 6, up at 7 and down at 8; up at 9 and down at 10 to complete the stitch.  
4. Once the first Scotch stitch is complete, you can work adjacent Scotch stitches that angle in the same direction or in the opposite direction for added dimension and texture.