How to Cross Stitch a French Knot

Embroidery

French knots are knots that are used to add detail to embroidery projects. They can be small and delicate or larger and more pronounced. If you enjoy embroidering or are attempting to learn the skill of embroidery, it is quite necessary to learn the art of making a decent french knot to add important finishing touches to your work. It is said that no two french knots ever look the same and this is probably true.

Things You'll Need

• Linen or Cotton Fabric
• Embroidery Hoop
• Embroidery Floss
• Embroidery Needle
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Place the fabric in the embroidery hoop and pull it taut. Tighten the embroidery hoop.

2. Thread the embroidery floss color of your choice onto the embroidery needle and tie a small overhand knot at the end of the floss.

3. Insert the needle up from the underside of the fabric and pull the needle all the way through until the knot stops it.

4. Take the needle and lay it against the embroidery floss approximately 2 inches above the fabric. Wrap the floss around the needle Wrap once for a tiny knot, wrap twice for a medium-sized knot, and wrap three times for the biggest knot.

5. Pull the wrapped floss tight around the needle as you move the needle back toward the fabric.

6. Insert the needle back down into the fabric about 1/16-inch away from where the thread came up through the fabric.

7. Hold the embroidery floss tight and pull the floss and needle through to complete the french knot.

8. Make several french knots to practice the technique as necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• If you pull the embroidery floss too tight in step 7 you will pull the french knot back down through to the underside of the fabric. Allow a little looseness for the french knot to form.