The crochet Afghan stitch, especially basic Afghan stitch, is an ideal base for adding cross-stitch. Cross-stitch a delicate or elaborate color pattern on Afghan stitch instead of working color changes within the crochet — and you don’t have to deal with changing colors in the middle of the row while crocheting.
To cross stitch, thread a length of the designated color yarn onto a yarn needle.
Use a length of yarn that’s comfortable to work with. An 18-inch length is about average.
Insert the needle from back to front at the bottom-left corner of the designated stitch and draw the needle up.
Leave a 4-inch length of yarn on the back (which you’ll later weave in).
Insert the needle at the top-right corner of the same stitch, angled vertically down.
Position the needle behind the two horizontal threads.
Bring the needle out at the bottom-right corner of the same stitch and draw the yarn through.
![Bring the needle out at the bottom-right corner of the same stitch and draw the yarn through.](https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/108624.image0.jpg)
Pull the yarn through until it stretches neatly across the stitch.
Repeat the two preceding steps across the row in the stitches where the chart calls for cross-stitching.
The first half of the row is now complete.
Insert your needle at the top-left corner of the same stitch you ended the first half with, angled vertically down.
Position your needle behind the two horizontal threads. The thread should form an X with the already-completed first half of the stitch.
Bring the needle out at the bottom-left corner of the same stitch and draw the yarn through.
![Bring the needle out at the bottom-left corner of the same stitch and draw the yarn through.](https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/108626.image2.jpg)
Pull the yarn through until it stretches neatly across the stitch.
Repeat the two preceding steps across the row, completing each cross-stitch.
![Repeat the two preceding steps across the row, completing each cross-stitch.](https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/108628.image4.jpg)
When you finish working cross-stitches with a particular color, weave the ends through the Afghan stitch background for several inches to hide the strands, and then clip off the excess yarn.