Railroading in cross stitch: flatter, neater stitches
Pass the needle between the two strands before each stitch and they lie side by side like rails instead of twisting.
How
After bringing the needle up, lay the two strands flat across the square and push the needle down between them, not beside them. The strands cannot twist around each other, so they sit parallel and the X looks like two flat ribbons. Most people railroad only the top stitch; some do both legs.
Why
Twisted strands bunch and leave fabric showing at the edges of the square. Flat strands cover the square fully and reflect light evenly, so a block of colour looks solid. On black aida with pale floss, where every gap shows, it makes a visible difference.
The cost
It adds a fraction of a second to every stitch, which over a 7,000-stitch chart is an hour or two. A laying tool or a large needle held in the other hand does the same job faster once the habit is formed.
