Stumped on French Knots

by Mary
(Saratoga, AR)

I am just beginning in cross stitching and I have had no trouble,until now. I am having a very hard time trying to make a French Knot. I have a guide book that I am using and I did everthing that it said to do to make a french knot yet it came out like a regular line,no knot at all. What am I doing wrong? Is there any way any one can explain it in a very easy to understand way so I wont mess up,or give me some tips that will make it easier? PLEASE,I AM DESPERATE!!!!!

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French knot pages on the site
by: Carol

French knots can prove tricky when you first come across them.

You may find the following pages on this site helpful when learning how to do them.

How to stitch french knots

and

embroidery stitches for flowers which has a short video on how to stitch them.

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Different Knot Methods and Needles
by: Debbie Rice

All stitches with "knot" in title like "French Knots" "Bullion Knots" etc. work better on a perfect straight needle. That is, most cross stitch or tapestry needles are thin at needle tip and widen as you go back to eye of needle. Switch to a straighter needle like a milliner's or a beading needle before trying the knot particularly if you have a lot of knots to do.

For thicker french knots, add more or thicker strands of threads -- don't try to add more loops. In fact, try french knot with only one loop instead of the two or three loops some directions tell you.

On evenweaves and linens those tips should help; but, definitely on aida and even on the linens -- you will be more successful with more uniform looking knots if you try colonial knot (and the durn things never flatten or disappear into fabric like the french knots).

A free animated/video of both colonial and french knots is at http://www.victoriasampler.com/StitchAnimations/Default.aspx (from dropdown menu box scroll past alphabetically past all the hardanger stitches and select "Surface Stitches Colonial Knot" and "Surface Stitches French Knot"))

Currently one of the knot experts in the needlework industry is Teresa Layman and her website has some very clear photos and detailed instructions -- for french knots at http://www.teresalayman.com/easy_frenchknot.htm and for colonial knots at http://www.teresalayman.com/easy_colonialknot.htm).

Another expert designer happy to answer questions or even create additional customized stitch diagrams for stitchers having difficulty with particular stitches is Catherine Strickland of Indigo Rose. I've had classes with her and she is good about having several methods of doing stitches until you get the hang of one.

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Tips for a perfect French Knot
by: Anonymous

I also found French knots difficult to do until I realized that not putting the needle down in the same hole where you came up helps. Just one or two threads to the side is enough. Also, using a needle with a small eye and keeping the thread taut after wrapping it around the needle and as you put it down into the fabric will hopefully give a perfect French knot!

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Stumped on French Knots
by: Valerie Kalyani

Most instructions tell you come up & go down in the same spot to do a French Knot, I usually move a thread to the side. I find it makes a more stable knot. I also wrap 3 times around the needle instead of 2.

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Stumped on French Knots
by: Julie

French Knots can be difficult to do. I can do French Knots but they never come out the same twice so now for easiness and quickness I use either a tiny stitch which I go over a few times till I get to the depth I want or tiny beads which look just as nice

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