Also known as cross stitches.
Tunisian crossed stitches are made by crossing 2 stitches, one over the other. And the stitch that is most used in crossed stitches is the Tunisian simple stitch.
To cross 2 stitches, skip the next vertical bar and make a simple stitch in the second next vertical bar. Then go back to the skipped vertical bar and make a simple stitch in it.
Singular or plural?
In old and new books as well as on internet, you’ll come across the description of the crossed stitch. Used with the singular form. The idea is that, even if a crossed stitch is made of 2 stitches, it becomes a new unit. In other words, a row made of 20 stitches (20 loops), all crossed, counts 9 crossed stitches and 2 edge stitches (at the start and end of the row).
In my humble opinion (and this is my personal perception), one crossed stitch, that’s weird. You always need at least 2 stitches to cross stitches. Like crossed legs. You cannot just cross one leg. You need at least a second leg, yours or the one of someone else. So I prefer to talk about 2 crossed stitches (as in “2 stitches that you cross”). In other words, a row made of 20 stitches (20 loops), all crossed, counts 9 * 2 crossed stitches and 2 edge stitches (at the start and end of the row).
Singular or plural, actually, it does not matter much! As long as the stitch description in the pattern is clear. But think about it next time you have an issue with your stitch count. Ask yourself the question: are crossed stitches counted as one unit or by the number of its constitutive elements?
Aligned crossed stitches
Crossed stitches are aligned when they are crossed in the alignment of crossed stitches in the previous row. Let’s say you make a full row of crossed stitches. You’ll repeat that same row again and again. You’ll get this texture.
Unaligned crossed stitches
Crossed stitches give a totally different texture when they are not aligned. Let’s say you make a full row of crossed stitches. You will start the next row with a stitch that you will not cross, then you’ll cross all following stitches in the row. You will alternate these 2 rows to get this texture:
