This is one of a group of stitches that creates a star shape and because of the isolated points it can be tricky to make it look even. Drawing a two guides circle may be useful if you want a perfect star shape, but I tend to stitch by eye and use the needle to help measure the length of each point.

• I find it easier to work by stitching from the outside edge to the inner edge

• Bring the needle up through the fabric at the appropriate starting point

• Create the first arm of the star shape (A), then work across on the opposite side of the star (B) so there are two stitches of even length in a line, wth a gap in the centre

• Work the next two stitches at right angles to the first (C & D)

• Then fill in the third and forth lines in between the first two lines (E & F, G & H)

I used Algerian eye stitch in my floral sampler kit as the centre point for one of the flowers, but I also like combining it randomly with other star shaped stitches such as in this sampler.

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