Straight
rice stitch, also known as Jerusalem stitch or Jerusalem cross, has an unusual
pattern with strong, distinctive texture when stitched in a solid color. It
is made up of an upright cross over four threads, with each leg crossed with
a straight stitch.
This stitch has good texture for a small stitch, and the diamond pattern is a good contrast to some of the more square stitches in small or medium areas. I've stitched a sample in a solid color, and two others in different colors, one in two pale colors, very similar in value and one with a strong value contrast. If you do use two different threads, I would recommend using a slightly thinner thread for the tie downs.
This stitch works well in geometric or architectural designs. It also looks surprisingly good for background foliage when worked in an overdyed thread. I've had good luck using overdyed #8 pearl cotton in a mixture of greens. This stitch also makes a nice background for a smaller piece, but it is slow to stitch, so you wouldn't want to use it for a larger background. You can expand this stitch and make the upright cross over 8 threads for an open look; it won't cover the canvas. Try this in #8 braid over a painted area, and let the paint show through as a shadow.
I've made one stitch unit different colors on the chart below so you can more easily see how the stitch is constructed.
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