![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_72l8lSazS_Q/S32H5B8HJcI/AAAAAAAAAjc/g_hzSrSojNQ/s400/vandyke+stitch+final.jpg)
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Next, go back into the fabric to the right of the stitching line and at a point diagonally above where your thread first came up. Just make a straight horizontal stitch here.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_72l8lSazS_Q/S32HoVWkwBI/AAAAAAAAAi0/cA7P0h3wc-g/s400/vandyke+stitch2.jpg)
Now cross over to the right hand side of your stitch line and go back into the fabric even with where your thread first came up.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_72l8lSazS_Q/S32HpoJmFZI/AAAAAAAAAjE/GMDYcWQ2FOE/s400/vandyke+stitch+3.jpg)
Pull the thread through to the back and then come up - this forms a loose x shape. Come up again on the left side, directly below the spot your thread first came through.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_72l8lSazS_Q/S32H4GM6RNI/AAAAAAAAAjM/6mFvZfUtvgI/s400/vandyke+stitch+4.jpg)
Now bring the needle under the x shape with out catching any fabric and carefully pull it all the way under the x shape.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_72l8lSazS_Q/S32H4q8QKHI/AAAAAAAAAjU/chwV4OHOlMI/s400/vandyke+stitch+6.jpg)
This draws the bottom half of the x together a bit - now go back down into the fabric on the right side below the previous stitch and thats it!
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_72l8lSazS_Q/S32H57LJ2LI/AAAAAAAAAjk/HsbwwcOgasY/s400/vankdyke+stitch+5.jpg)
Just continue these steps and you will make a nice complicated looking line of stitches! 100 Stitches suggested not pulling any of the stitches too tightly. This takes a little practice, if you pull the stitches too tightly, the center braid line will look uneven and wavy.
I used 6 strands of dmc 907. This is stitch #34 and is in the looped stitches section of the 100 Stitches book.