Cross Stitch loves Four-Sided Stitch

Using four-sided stitch to frame my cross stitch project​ 

using color with four-sided stitch

I put the last stitch to a Home Sweet Home sampler about 2 months ago.  In fact, it's still in the stretcher bars, waiting to be dated, initialed, removed and framed.  Poor thing.

I added my own border with four-sided stitch, but the charted words and lovely garland came from Leisure Art's Spirit of Christmas Book 3.  (This is a great series, and I am slowly collecting each one.)  
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My one big change was to use four-sided stitch for the border.  I've used four-sided stitch to finish hems, and wanted to see if this very useful and easy stitch would be happy with cross stitch.  I actually loved the way it turned out, the crispness of the stitch is a nice contrast to the curving vines and the heavy letters.

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I have a wonderful needlework book in my library, called The Open Canvas, by Carolyn Ambuter.    Filled with great instructions on many counted thread embroidery stitches, this is what I used to jog my memory on how to work the four-sided stitch. ​
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This book includes all kind of fancy needlework, including pulled thread stitches, hardanger of course, and even reticello lace. I especially like the teaching samplers; they are a great way to learn new techniques.  

​Someday, I  hope to work each sampler...

almost done - needs date and initials