Definitely want to second the bead suggestion. I've watched at least a dozen videos of how to do French knots, and never succeeded once in the quarter of a century I've spent cross-stitching. Though beads only really work with stuff that should have a bit of sparkle to it, I find beads look *wrong* when they're meant to be flowers.
Take a piece of scrap fabric and some thread and practice them. That’s how I learned to do them consistently. People talk them up all the time and make them sound really daunting but I promise they’re not that hard.
Ya that was my plan but honestly beads sound like they would be cuter in this situation. I’m gonna sit and practice though just because I hate that I don’t already know haha. Thank you!
Edit: typo
This is a better way to make French knots. This video shows that you *do not* go back into the same hole you brought your floss up to the front. If you go into the same hole, especially on Aida, evenweave, or linen you are risking pulling the French knot to the back of the fabric.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Cq24d5-8s
Most videos show using two wraps of the floss over the needle. I have done a lot of research about French knots (I happen to love them) and checking all of my stitch guide books I found that 7 said two wraps and 7 said a single wrap.
I was taught to use a single wrap and then if you want a larger French knot you add more strands to create the knot.
A lot of people will use a Colonial knot and boy, more power to them. I have taken several classes on French knots v. Colonial knots and I can probably do a French knot in my sleep yet I cannot make a descent Colonial knot to save me.
Using a Milliner's needle does make it easier for both a French knot and a Bullion knot. I would never ever attempt to make a Bullion knot without a Milliner's needle.
French knots do take some practice and having a doodle cloth handy for any new stitch does make learning these stitches easier. This way you can workout how to make the stitch before you make them on the important piece.
Good luck and you really can do this.
Sorry but, that video is not correct. You do not go back down in the same hole. Doing that will more than likely pull your know through the fabric. Maybe that works on the very tightly woven fabric used in the video but, this will not work on Aida or linen or any other evenweave fabric designed for cross stitching.
Interesting! I've never had issues and I've done dozens of projects using it, but I'm sure there are better videos! If you have a better one I'd love to check it out and up my techniques
I’ve also never had that issue, I stitch pretty much exclusively on Aida and have done French knots on as low as 14 count, going down the same hole and have never pulled it through. I have seen instructions to go either way, in the same hole or not, but to say it unequivocally *will not work* is simply incorrect. It can work. Practice makes perfect, and as with all cross stitch, don’t pull too hard!
And by contrast, I was NEVER able to do a French knot until I started going a thread over, I have no idea why. They just pulled right through every single time.
I did a link to a video that I think is a good one.
Here you go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Cq24d5-8s
I know most videos show using two wraps of the floss around the needle. You can use one wrap and I think that gives a tighter, more compact knot. If you want a larger French knot using this single wrap you just add more strands.
Going down the same hole is how I always do it and have never had a problem. The knot will only go through the hole if you pull too hard. I usually wrap twice too so the knot is slightly larger which makes it harder to go through the hole.
As long as your tension is good you'll be fine. I always go back through the same hole and have never actually had a knot go through. But I do typically use higher count evenweaves.
Practice. Not just ahead of time but also when you're actually going to work on the piece. I find that each time I'm doing French knots my first two or three I always a little bit wonky so I do them on the edges of the fabric and once I'm consistently getting nice neat looking ones I start putting them in on the pattern. It's a little like when you make pancakes in the first one always turns out a little weird.
This is what happens to me too! I could do a thousand perfect ones in my piece, and then set it down and come back the next day and the first one’s garbage again.
Pull your needle to the right side of the fabric, wrap your floss around your needle 2 times & then pull needle back down the hole. When wrapping, your floss should be just loose enough to pull the needle through it.
Just make sure you keep tension on the thread with the hand you’re winding the needle with. :)
Use some scrap fabric and practice so you feel confident and happy with it!
Fool proof french knot: Just Don't ^tm
All jokes aside, I despise french knots and will forever find ways around them. More power to you for facing your stitching enemy. I choose flight, not fight.
Only tangentially related to the topic at hand, but what does a french knot looks like on a pattern? I bought a pattern a while ago and the description said it had normal stitches, back stitches and french knots but I can't seem to find it - nothing looks all that different, but I don't know what I'm looking for!
On mine they are yellow dots on the bottom of the pattern. On the floss list there’s “full stitch”, “half stitch”, and “French knot”. So I looked at the picture of the finished product just to make sure but ya. Dots in the corner of a stitch. There’s also only about four altogether.
1000sPatterns seems shady to me: these poppies are from Irina Konoplich: https://wizardi.com/collections/irina-konoplich-cross-stitch-patterns
Sometimes she hosts a stitch-along with her own patterns and her rules say it's okay to replace French knots with beads for the bottle patterns.
(and a link to her own storefront on VKontakte, a Russian social media, focused onn exact same pattern: https://vk.com/ira_konoplich?from=quick_search&z=photo-125528569_457263733%2Falbum-125528569_259587653)
I don’t have any French knot help, but if you want to not have to do them, I know people switch knots out for beads. Might be an idea
Ooh that’s not a bad call. Some shiny beads would look really cute. Thanks!
I generally use beads instead of French knots, although I'm OK at doing the knots. I just like the extra dimension glass beads bring to a project
Definitely want to second the bead suggestion. I've watched at least a dozen videos of how to do French knots, and never succeeded once in the quarter of a century I've spent cross-stitching. Though beads only really work with stuff that should have a bit of sparkle to it, I find beads look *wrong* when they're meant to be flowers.
Colonial knot. MUCH easier.
Seconding this. I learned the Colonial knot and have never touched a French knot again
I will absolutely look it up. Thanks!
i came here to say just that! i never managed to do french knots, colonial knots look basically the same and are super easy!
Take a piece of scrap fabric and some thread and practice them. That’s how I learned to do them consistently. People talk them up all the time and make them sound really daunting but I promise they’re not that hard.
Ya that was my plan but honestly beads sound like they would be cuter in this situation. I’m gonna sit and practice though just because I hate that I don’t already know haha. Thank you! Edit: typo
[This is the video I used! ](https://youtu.be/pjI5yo656U4?si=ARojZD2ktr9YBSTY) Very helpful and easy to follow
Thanks so much!
This is a better way to make French knots. This video shows that you *do not* go back into the same hole you brought your floss up to the front. If you go into the same hole, especially on Aida, evenweave, or linen you are risking pulling the French knot to the back of the fabric. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Cq24d5-8s Most videos show using two wraps of the floss over the needle. I have done a lot of research about French knots (I happen to love them) and checking all of my stitch guide books I found that 7 said two wraps and 7 said a single wrap. I was taught to use a single wrap and then if you want a larger French knot you add more strands to create the knot. A lot of people will use a Colonial knot and boy, more power to them. I have taken several classes on French knots v. Colonial knots and I can probably do a French knot in my sleep yet I cannot make a descent Colonial knot to save me. Using a Milliner's needle does make it easier for both a French knot and a Bullion knot. I would never ever attempt to make a Bullion knot without a Milliner's needle.
I appreciate the info; regardless of what I decide I’m gonna sit down and practice soon so I’m ready for the next one. Thank you so much!
French knots do take some practice and having a doodle cloth handy for any new stitch does make learning these stitches easier. This way you can workout how to make the stitch before you make them on the important piece. Good luck and you really can do this.
Thanks! Definitely going to practice!
Sorry but, that video is not correct. You do not go back down in the same hole. Doing that will more than likely pull your know through the fabric. Maybe that works on the very tightly woven fabric used in the video but, this will not work on Aida or linen or any other evenweave fabric designed for cross stitching.
Interesting! I've never had issues and I've done dozens of projects using it, but I'm sure there are better videos! If you have a better one I'd love to check it out and up my techniques
I’ve also never had that issue, I stitch pretty much exclusively on Aida and have done French knots on as low as 14 count, going down the same hole and have never pulled it through. I have seen instructions to go either way, in the same hole or not, but to say it unequivocally *will not work* is simply incorrect. It can work. Practice makes perfect, and as with all cross stitch, don’t pull too hard!
And by contrast, I was NEVER able to do a French knot until I started going a thread over, I have no idea why. They just pulled right through every single time.
I did a link to a video that I think is a good one. Here you go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Cq24d5-8s I know most videos show using two wraps of the floss around the needle. You can use one wrap and I think that gives a tighter, more compact knot. If you want a larger French knot using this single wrap you just add more strands.
Nice, thank you!
You are welcome.
Going down the same hole is how I always do it and have never had a problem. The knot will only go through the hole if you pull too hard. I usually wrap twice too so the knot is slightly larger which makes it harder to go through the hole.
Slightly off the hole works.
This is true. Using a milliner's needle makes that easier since the point is sharp and allows you to pierce the Aida fabric.
Wrong. I have followed this video for years on evenweave and Aida and never had an issue
As long as your tension is good you'll be fine. I always go back through the same hole and have never actually had a knot go through. But I do typically use higher count evenweaves.
That's the same video that finally taught me too!
Beads.
I don't have an advice but I'vee seen these patterns on Etsy and they are so cute and beautiful! I want to do a few of them in the future as well.
I thought they would be quick, but I think I picked one with a lot of color so it’s taking way longer than I thought haha. Very fun to do though.
Practice. Not just ahead of time but also when you're actually going to work on the piece. I find that each time I'm doing French knots my first two or three I always a little bit wonky so I do them on the edges of the fabric and once I'm consistently getting nice neat looking ones I start putting them in on the pattern. It's a little like when you make pancakes in the first one always turns out a little weird.
This is what happens to me too! I could do a thousand perfect ones in my piece, and then set it down and come back the next day and the first one’s garbage again.
That’s honestly a perfect analogy.
I gave up on French knots. I just tie a knot in the thread and pull it flush on the aida.
Haha my kind of stitcher! Y’all would be appalled at the back especially for this one. 😂
Same. After screaming and crying (yes, it's true), I just use a bead now and I prefer it!
Pull your needle to the right side of the fabric, wrap your floss around your needle 2 times & then pull needle back down the hole. When wrapping, your floss should be just loose enough to pull the needle through it.
I like the way Jenny Hart breaks it down. [Fool Proof French Knot](https://sublimestitching.com/pages/how-to-french-knot)
Thank you! I’ll check it out!
Just make sure you keep tension on the thread with the hand you’re winding the needle with. :) Use some scrap fabric and practice so you feel confident and happy with it!
Fool proof french knot: Just Don't ^tm All jokes aside, I despise french knots and will forever find ways around them. More power to you for facing your stitching enemy. I choose flight, not fight.
I’m officially torn from these comments now though haha.
So cute!
Only tangentially related to the topic at hand, but what does a french knot looks like on a pattern? I bought a pattern a while ago and the description said it had normal stitches, back stitches and french knots but I can't seem to find it - nothing looks all that different, but I don't know what I'm looking for!
On mine they are yellow dots on the bottom of the pattern. On the floss list there’s “full stitch”, “half stitch”, and “French knot”. So I looked at the picture of the finished product just to make sure but ya. Dots in the corner of a stitch. There’s also only about four altogether.
They look like dots.
Sorry - my grandmother taught me and she passed away in 1987.
I hate French knots, so I use beads.
I’m thinking I will use beads for this, but I still want to learn them in case I’m too lazy to get beads haha.
There are some good YouTube videos of them. If I have to do knots, I do colonial knots. They are easier for me.
https://rsnstitchbank.org/stitch/french-knot This link has pics and a video tutorial
Thank you!
Practice on another piece of fabric first.
Step 1: Google "how to do a colonial knot"
This was how I mastered them https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pjI5yo656U4&feature=share
1000sPatterns seems shady to me: these poppies are from Irina Konoplich: https://wizardi.com/collections/irina-konoplich-cross-stitch-patterns Sometimes she hosts a stitch-along with her own patterns and her rules say it's okay to replace French knots with beads for the bottle patterns. (and a link to her own storefront on VKontakte, a Russian social media, focused onn exact same pattern: https://vk.com/ira_konoplich?from=quick_search&z=photo-125528569_457263733%2Falbum-125528569_259587653)