French Knots |
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To prevent your French knots from pulling through the back, DO NOT go through the same hole you went up. And I thought you did, no wonder I use beads for French knots now.
To make French knots easier use a crewel needle.
LOL ... I actually looked at the card that came with my Charles Craft fabric this time and noticed that they put the needle down through the middle of the aida block (or one thread over on evenweaves)! I always tried to get my French knots to stay on top and still go down through the same hole, too!
:: konking self on head ::
It's amazin' what a person can learn by reading the directions!
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JillXS adds:
One other thing ... if I'm going to be really picky about how they look, I try to take the crewel needle back down through an adjoining thread on linen rather than an adjoining hole. Seems to make them more compact.
I learned to do French knots this way because for years, I didn't know better and used crewel needles for all my cross stitch. I finally converted to tapestry needles for most things, but the crewel needles still come out for French knots.
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From: Tracie Male on r.c.t.n.
These are the printed instructions I give my students when teaching fibers or silk ribbon and they all "seem" to get it. I hope it helps.
Please read completely first.
[1] Bring your needle up through the fabric.
[2] Wrap 1-5 times (I usually use 1-3) around the needle clockwise and then put the needle back into the fabric very near where you came up.
[3] Do not let loose of the fiber/ribbon and with the needle half way into the fabric, pull (not too tightly) the fiber/ribbon until the wrap rests next to the fabric.
[4] Place your thumb over the wrap (firmly but not tightly, just enough to keep it from moving away from the fabric) and pull the needle through the fabric BUT DO NOT LIFT YOUR THUMB EVEN TO PEEK UNTIL ALL OF THE FIBER/RIBBON IS PULLED THROUGH. Resist the urge to peek, it causes the fiber/ribbon to lift away from the fabric.
Also, when my thumb is holding down the knot, I have the "loop" of fiber/ribbon over the tip of my thumb as I am pulling it through, that way it doesn't tangle as I am pulling it through and when the loop gets close to my thumb, I just slip it off the end of my thumb and it has very little left to pull down. This also allows the hand pulling the fiber/ribbon to keep pulling and not have to stop and undo the bunch of twisted/knotted fiber/ribbon that gathers near the fabric while you are pulling down.
I can't draw on here to show you so I hope this discription helps. Just remember:
Cameo's note: This not lifting your thumb tip was the BEST one that worked for me!
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And from Robin Panza on r.t.c.n.:
I never had a problem with FKs, and my method is very similar to Tamara's. I wrap the needle and place the point into the fabric. Then I pull (with my off hand) the thread so the wraps are snug on the needle and down near the fabric. Keeping tension on the thread, I push the needle through the fabric, covering the knot with one finger of my off hand (no longer needed to keep tension on the thread) as soon as the needle's out of the way. The needle continues to pull the thread through till the knot stops it. I don't like FKs, but I don't have trouble doing them.
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From: R Halls To do a French knot in 14 count aida, cross the section first as normal pattern, then slide needle through the cross as if attempting a normal French knot and the cross holds the French knot.
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This page has an excellent example and directions for French Knots.
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From: Christine Taylor Here is another URL I've discovered for those interested in making "perfect French knots"
It's instructions are pretty complete and include diagrams. I'm sure once you have mastered this, you will no longer HATE French knots!!
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From: Tara Dewdney The one true trick I've learned about French knots (they no longer rule me!) is relax. Seriously, I did a piece last summer, sitting on a dock, sipping on a beer. 20 French knots in the piece. And lo and behold the last 18 were perfectly identical. The first 2, I was a bit tense with *French knots? AURGH* syndrome. Numbers 3-20 were after a few sips of beer, enjoying the outdoors.
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From: Caroline Perry I couldn't do French knots either until I was told to use a 2 strands of floss and wrap them both aroyund the needle ONCE instead of the usual single thread wrapped twice. I couldn't believe how easy they suddenly became!
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To see an animated gif of this stitch being made, visit this website:
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Here's Offe's page with directions and big, clear images
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From: Aniza You can download the French knot video recording at:
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From: Claire Sadowniczak For those who have trouble with French knots, try Japanese knots (from Japanese embroidery). I have a friend in PA who can't do a French knot to save her life because of the way you have to wrap the needle. But once I taught her Japanes knots, she was great. There's no needle wrapping - just forming the thread into a pretzel. You can find the stitch in books on Japanese embroidery.
Keep in mind that since you are not wrapping the thread, this knot is smaller. To achieve the same size knot as a French knot, you have to use more strands of fiber. So if a pattern calls for 2 strands of floss for a French knot, try 4 or 5 strands of floss if substituting a Japanese knot.
A Japanese knot is a little oval-shaped instead of perfectly round, and has a dimple in the middle. Once you learn to do them, you can cover an area with them in no time at all. Plus they are excellent if you want a tiny, more flattened knot, than a French knot, say for tiny animal eyes on a light switch plate cover. They can substitute for Mill Hill petite beads instead of seed beads unless you use more fiber.
In Japanese embroidery, we usually use twisted thread to do these knots to make them larger. Be consistent, make every knot in the same way, in the same direction, right to left and top to bottom for a sampler. Do the opposite, some in various directions, for a random effect if using them for leaves on trees in thread painting or crewel.
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From: Nan Evelyn Instructions with diagram for Japanese knot can be found at:
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From: Nan Evelyn The Colonial Knot is another French Knot alternative.
(Be sure to read Cameo's Tips and Techniques letter on
Colonial Knots, too!)
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