I was simply positioning the motifs so they would line up with the top row *and* be the same distances apart as all the other motifs. The outlines are currently only half-crosses but that will be remedied when I start stitching in earnest.
Here is how the piece looks now, complete with my toes for scale (actually, I missed that when dropping!):
With husband's high school reunion taking up the entire weekend to come and a house guest (totally unrelated to the reunion) arriving Monday, I suspect I won't be getting in a lot of stitching time this week. But I can at least get the outline for "Return" started so I won't have to worry about any more counting!
Happy Labor Day weekend to all (in the US, at least)!