100 Stitches - Star Eyelet Stitch

This is the Star Eyelet Stitch, the latest stitch I have learned from 100 Stitches.  Isn't it beautiful?  Notice the open center? 

I stitched this on medium weave linen fabric because the weave is loose enough that I can count the threads.  According to the instructions, this stitch is worked in a square over eight threads horizontally and eight threads vertically.  The floss I chose is this gorgeous color variations perle cotton.  This is DMC #4190:

The first step I did was to count eight threads each way and put a mark on each end.  The  point of this stitch {from the drawn fabric embroidery section} is to do eight straight stitches, with each stitch going through the same hole in the center of the square.  I made a mark in the center and since there are eight stitches, I put a mark half-way between each line.  I made these marks with my water soluble transfer pen.

I first came up through the fabric on the upper left corner.

Then I went back into the fabric at the center hole mark:
 

That is the first stitch.   

Then I came up through the fabric in the upper center mark

Then back into the fabric in the center hole mark.   Pull through and that makes the second stitch.

I just continued making straight stitches from each mark and then through the center hole.  I had to pull pretty firmly to start "drawing" the fabric to make the nice open center hole:

Here it is completed:

Then I washed out the pen marks:

The underside looks really neat and tidy:

This is an easy stitch to do and it is so beautiful! 

This is stitch #89 and is in the Drawn Fabric Embroidery category of 100 Stitches.