This being my third build I figured I would try a simple diamond pattern crosswrap. The design and colors came out great but i had wicked trouble getting the threads to pack together. In the end after finish I noticed more gaps then I would like. Hopefully I either did something wrong or there is a technique i'm missing.

Here was my process.
1. After roughly determining the length I wanted I then used tape to measure the Circumference of the rod at the center point of the wrap.
2. I wanted a double so on my 0 and 180 degree axis I marked the circumference measurement out about 5-6 marks(1 1/8" was circumference)
3. On 45 and 270 I measured the first mark at half the Circumference and then the other marks were the full Circumference.
4. I wrapped my threads to create a diamond pattern( equal wraps on both sides.

The wrap was elongated, which was nice, but extremely hard to pack. Almost like it was to long a distance on the points.

Also when laying down the thread it was obviously easier to get the thread close on the runs where the thread was being picked up by the other threads rather then when I had to chase the other threads, If that makes sense.

In the end I tried to pack everything close and use cp before finish but it didn't help much.

Was the pattern simply to elongated?

The more the pattern is elongated the more the thread wants to slip off and away from the center crossing points. It sort of rolls downhill. I find that on these type wraps you need to back off the tension just a tad so there is less tendency for the thread to be pulled away from center. Still takes some care in packing, but it'll help somewhat.

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Ah okay so you want less tension the longer the pattern? makes sense because your right the outer threads with no other threads pinning them down where the worst ones.

A under wrap of an appropriate color below the crosswrap design also helps to keep the design threads from slipping on the outside of the pattern.

Hindsight being what it is I should have underwrapped black A under the wrap. It would of helped to hide any errors i'm sure.

Another point that might help you is to pack multiple threads at one time rather than individual threads and pack at the crossing points

Another point that might help you is to pack multiple threads at one time rather than individual threads and pack at the crossing points

I did in fact find it easier to pack everything at the end but they still would move slightly .

Wrapping in bands of multiple threads reduces the number of overlaps making it easier to pack. Having marks on the 90 and 270 can be helpful if they are spot on, but will confound packing problems if off even a small amount. Given you are not laying out a taper offset spacing, the accuracy of having marks half way on the 90 and 270 is actually introducing a small amount of locational error, the effect is that your thread is bending left and right from mark to mark as you spiral it on. Having more marks to hit, if not precisely located, is more difficult than hitting fewer marks just on the top and bottom axis. Thread tension is not the problem, accuracy in locating your centers is the problem your experiencing. If your center locations are highly accurate, you don't have to lessen tension because the thread will want to naturally lie where it should. Of course, you can have too much tension and experience threads crossing problems, that's why wrapping in bands is helpful, to lessen the number of crosses.

Outside threads on open wraps give everyone trouble because there's nothing next to them to hold them in place. When I experience this I wrap a few temporary sacrificial threads outside the pattern, pack, color preserve, then remove the extra threads. Then I follow up with 1-2 more applications of cp as needed.