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.
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.
Pull the yarn through until it stretches neatly across the stitch.
Repeat the two preceding steps across the row, completing each cross-stitch.
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.
