Embroidery ~ Burden Stitch via

Basic Stitch ~ 1st make rows of horizontal bars. Then make straight stitches going over the horizontal lines going across.  The stitch is started at the top of the lower horizontal bar and extends all the way up to the bottom of the next higher bar. Continue filling in the space with the straight stitches over the horizontal bars.  Note that the colors can be changed to give contrast or add shading.  They can be varied across the rows too!

1. The first variation, is the length of the vertical stitches. They can be placed so that the horizontal bars end up completely covered if the stitches are placed so that go over two horizontal bars instead. Fill in the area. At the top, you can make half stitches so there is a nice, finished edge.  (You can do this at the bottom too).

2. Try spacing out the stitches some.  They can be very close, or spaced out a bit, depending on how much fabric and horizontal stitching you want to show through.

3. The vertical stitches can be made double.  This allows for more of the horizontal bars to show.  Note that you can have differing thread thicknesses for the horizontal and vertical stitches.

4. The horizontal bars can vary in color too.

5. Use some metallic thread for a bit of glitter!

6. Fill in other shapes too.  The diamond shape is well suited, but round shapes can work too, just alter each stitch’s starting point as you move down the curve.