Cross-stitch

I've always liked backstitching. It's when the project comes alive for me. I usually save it all for the end, unless it makes sense to do it as you go (i.e. it's a solid block).

There must be people out there who don't like it, as I see patterns in magazines that state "only cross stitches!" and no other types of stitches (like a half cross-stitch is so hard!).

Here is a cross-stitch before the back stitching:

And after. Behold the power of backstitching!

There are now expressions on the snow people, the scarves, mittens, etc, as better defined, and the whole design just pops now.

What a difference one strand of DMC 310 makes.