This article is all about the french knot. Find everything you need to know about the french knot including a detailed french knot tutorial, project ideas and tips.

What Is the French Knot?

The french knot is a little powerhouse stitch that adds some serious dimension and texture to your embroidery. It’s a little raised knot created by wrapping the thread around the needle and pulling it through the fabric. Want a comprehensive french knot tutorial? You’re in the right place.

[GIF OF STITCH]

cute, right?

French Knot Tutorial: Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Start by bringing the needle from the back of your fabric to the front where you want your knot.
2. Hold the needle with one hand and wrap your thread around it three or four times. The more wraps, the bigger and more defined your knot will be.
   • ✨ pro tip: keep those wraps tight but not too tight—just enough for a perfect knot!
3. Once wrapped, push the needle back into the fabric super close to your starting point. Hold the wraps snug and secure as you do this.
   • ➡️ tip: don’t push your needle through the same hole! This will make it less likely that you will pull the knot back through the fabric.
4. Now pull the needle through to the back of the fabric (slow and steady!) while keeping those wraps in place. Voilà! Your knot is beautifully raised on the front.
5. Finally, secure the knot on the back of the fabric with a quick stitch or a small knot. Done!

French Knot Video Tutorial

Want a closer look? Check out our step-by-step video tutorial where we walk you through each part of the process. Visual learners, this one’s for you! 🎥

[VIDEO OF STITCH]

Next Up

Ready to keep leveling up your embroidery game? Learn more about the french knot below, or jump right into your next stitch—the cross-stitch!

More on French Knots: projects & tips

The french knot is the stitch to turn up the texture on your designs. It’s fun, easy to master, and super versatile. Whether you’re adding delicate flower centers, dreamy snowflakes, or adding some intense dimension to your monograms, french knots are your new go-to for bringing a little extra magic ✨ to your work.

Use Cases for French Knots

• Flower centers: Add depth and dimension to the center of any floral design.
• Flower designs: Layer in texture with french knots for a dreamy, tactile floral look.
• Embellishments: Perfect for little touches of texture, like stars in the night sky or dots of snow in a winter scene.

Embroidery Projects with French Knots

1. Floral embroidery with french knots

French knots make floral embroidery pop with texture and detail!

• Materials: Embroidery floss, fabric (like cotton or linen), and a needle.
• Instructions: Use french knots to create flower centers or entire flowers. Try playing around with knot sizes to give your floral design extra texture.

2. Filling in monograms with french knots

Give personalized projects a luxe touch by using french knots to fill in monograms.

• Materials: Fabric, embroidery thread, fabric marking pen, hoop, and needle.
• Instructions:
  1. Outline your monogram on the fabric.
  2. Fill in the letters with french knots for a textured look that’s polished and personal.

Tips & Tricks for Perfecting Your French Knot

1. Get your tension just right

• Tip: Wrap your thread just tight enough! Too tight and the knot might be small, too loose and it won’t hold. Try it a few times – practice makes perfect with tension.

2. Choose the right needle size for french knots

• Tip: Pick a needle with a small eye that matches your thread. A bigger needle can get stuck when you’re pulling through the knot.

3. Shorter thread is better for easier french knots

• Tip: Keep your thread length around 18-24 inches to avoid tangling and make knotting smoother.

4. Mix up your thread count for different knot sizes

• Tip: Want bigger or smaller knots? Use more or fewer strands of thread to play with the size.

5. Experiment with thread wraps for different textures

• Tip: Try wrapping the thread around your needle more or fewer times to switch up the texture within your project.

6. Use a stabilizer for stretchy fabrics

• Tip: Working on a stretchy fabric? A stabilizer can help keep your knots neat and in place.

Let’s Review the French Knot Tutorial

The french knot is your go-to for adding texture, personality, and a little punch to your embroidery projects. Once you get the hang of it, it opens up so many possibilities! Ready to give it a try? Grab your materials, pick a project, and start stitching! 🌱

This article was all about the french knot. This article covered everything you need to know about the french knot including a detailed french knot tutorial, project ideas and tips.