Smyrna cross stitch — also called double cross stitch or leviathan stitch — is a full cross stitch with a second, upright cross stitched directly on top of it, producing an eight-pointed, star-like or asterisk shape. It sits noticeably higher off the fabric than a plain cross stitch, giving it a raised, textured look that reads as a deliberate accent rather than fill.
How to work it
- Work a complete full cross stitch as normal (diagonal corner to corner, both directions).
- Bring the needle up at the center of the left edge of the same square.
- Insert the needle down at the center of the right edge, forming a horizontal stitch across the middle of the X.
- Bring the needle up at the center of the top edge.
- Insert the needle down at the center of the bottom edge, forming a vertical stitch that completes the star.
The order of the upright cross relative to the diagonal one is a matter of preference — some stitchers work the upright cross first and the diagonal on top, which gives a slightly different texture. Either is correct as long as it's consistent across a piece.
Where it's used
Because it uses roughly twice the thread of a plain cross stitch and produces a visibly raised texture, Smyrna stitch is almost never used to fill a whole design — it's a border stitch, a corner accent, or scattered sparingly as a decorative highlight. It has deep roots in Berlin woolwork (see Berlin woolwork), where raised, textured stitches were prized for their tactile, opulent effect on wool canvas work.
A tip on tension
Keep the upright cross slightly looser than the diagonal cross underneath it — pulling both equally tight tends to distort the square shape and flatten the texture that makes the stitch worth using in the first place.
What it's used for
Textured accents, borders, and focal points — a single Smyrna stitch reads as a small raised star and stands out clearly against surrounding plain full cross stitch.