http://www.aristeianeedlepoint.com/index.html
It may or may not have been invented by her and I don't know the stitch's name since the July/August 2009 issue of Needlepoint Now where this stitch appears doesn't give it a name. Let's just call it Alternating Cashmere Pairs, ok? That pretty well describes it, after all.
The first thing you do for this stitch is three stitches in a vertical row, each a thread longer than the last (or a tent stitch followed by a stitch over two threads, then a stitch over three threads). Looks like a triangle balancing on its tiptoes, doesn't it? This is the starting point of each of the cashmere blocks that make up this stitch.
Then you repeat the longest row four more times, for a total of 7 stitches, the last 5 of which are identical. Then you finish with a stitch over two threads and then a final tent stitch to make this cashmere block.
Next you make a second cashmere block, identical to the first. Note that this block does not touch the first. There is one empty vertical row of needlepoint canvas threads between them. These two cashmere blocks are the first pair.
For the third cashmere block, start with the same three little stitches, this time under cashmere block number one. Note that the stitches for cashmere block three share holes with the bottom of cashmere block one.
Cashmere block three is oriented horizontally. Do the same stitches but working left to right instead of from top to bottom.
Cashmere block four goes under block three but this time you skip a row of needlepoint canvas threads. Each pair of cashmere stitches have an empty thread between them.
To continue the stitch, do horizontally oriented pairs next to vertically oriented pairs, and vice versa.
If you like, you can fill the empty spaces between pairs with tent stitches. I haven't decided if I will do this or not.
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
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