Herringbone stitch is a variation on a cross stitch - the point of the cross is off centre so that there are two long legs and two short legs off the cross ie it’s a cross stitch at a jaunty angle.
If you are stitching this as a border then you might want to draw two parallel lines to guide your stitching. If you are using it as an isolated or textural stitch then this is not necessary.
Bring the needle up though the fabric and then take it at a diagonal and pass the needle down through the fabric and then up a little further along (you can do this in one motion or up and then down).
To complete the stitch take it diagonally down to create a (wonky) cross.
Most commonly you’ll see this stitch worked in a line to create a border, but I prefer to use it as isolated stitches, varying the size and point of cross. Layering the stitches using different thread gives a great textured look.
Want to try this stitch? It’s one of the stitches I suggest in my sunflower sampler kit.
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