How the Thread Lies on the Back of the Canvas Affects How the Stitch Looks on the Front

Consider two different ways to stitch a vertical gobelin stitch.  The first way (Version 1) the thread wraps around the canvas threads on the back of the canvas and you always bring the needle up in the bottom hole.  The stitch diagram looks like this:

And the stitch looks like this:

18 ct canvas, 2 strands Impressions

Now, if you stitch the vertical gobelin stitch to use the least amount of thread possible, where the thread comes up in the hole next to where the thread went down into the canvas, the stitch will look different (Version 2).  Not only will it look different, it is harder to stitch it because the thread always twists when you bring it to the front of the canvas.  I had to fiddle with it much more to get the two strands to lie next to each other neatly.  The stitch diagram looks like this:

And the stitch looks like this:

18 ct canvas, 2 strands Impressions

The pull on the back actually causes these stitches to slant a little, like this diagram shows:

Which do you think looks nicer?

Not only does the first version look nicer, but the way the thread is lying in the holes will make it easier to stitch another stitch into the same hole.  In fact, you probably have heard somewhere that you should always come up in a clean hole (i.e. one in which no stitch is stitched, therefore, no thread.)  In general this is a good practice, but not always practical.  With the way the vertical gobelin has been stitched in Version 1 - if you bring a thread up in a hole already shared with this vertical gobelin stitch, you most likely will not have any trouble keeping the next stitch out of the thread of this vertical gobelin stitch.  The same can not be said for Version 2.

Have you ever stitched in the Version 1 way and have just a little more to go and you are running out of thread and so you switch to stitching the Version 2 way?  I must admit I have, and the results are different and not as satisfying.

The Version 2 way of stitching is typically seen in laid fillings or trame work, in which the long laid threads are placed vertically or horizontally.   In this type of work, the threads are typically placed wider apart and are much longer in length and the shortest path is sought between these long laid threads.