1880 L. Higgin iii. 22 Split Stitch is worked like ordinary ‘stem’, except that the needle is always brought up through the crewel or silk, which it splits.
1882 S. F. A. Caulfeild & B. C. Saward 194/2 Split stitch, a stitch much used in ancient Church Embroidery..to work the faces and hands of figures.