Drawing with French Knots

French knots are a basic element of embroidery that can be strung together to make lines and shapes, or they can make a field of polka dots. Try our pattern for Connect the Dot Pillows to see how pretty these simple knots can be!

Here's how to make a French knot: 

1. Thread the embroidery needle.

2. Bring the needle up through the fabric to the front. Wrap the thread around the needle three or four times. Keep a tight grip on the thread as you wrap it.

 

3. Push the needle down through the fabric just next to where it came out, holding the thread tight in your fingers.  Pull the needle through the knot to the back of the fabric. 

Comments

[Amy]

The tight grip on the thread does help prevent the knot from forming far away from the fabric. I also found it helps to slide the knot down to the tip of the needle just as you are pushing the needle through the fabric. Additionally, if you tilt the needle so it is almost parallel to the fabric, then you can press the knot and thread into place as you draw the extra thread through the fabric. The photos illustrate this nicely :) Thanks for the tutorial!

[Qalballah]

IT WORKED!! It really worked. I have tried so many tutorials before and got nowhere. I even used to cheat and use bullion knots to get round this, er, knotty problem. Thanks guys :)

[carmen]

thanks for this tutorial!, finally i can do that point, thanks!

[hazeljoy]

thankyou.
success. at. last.

ps. may i just add that although you show it in your excellent photos, it may help other pea-brains, like myself, to say that you wind the thread around the needle starting from the bit coming out of the fabric (rather than from the needle end).

[Becky Max]

I am making a chenille duck for my one year old granddaughter. I needed to know how to make a french knot. I googled french knot and came to your website. The instructions were easy to find and easy to do. Thank you! I have added you to my favorites!

[Sophia]

I was just going to give up on french knots until I found your tutorial. Many thanks! I'm putting them everywhere now :)

[rhapsdyblue]

thanks for the tutorial. this is the best one that i have found.

[Lizabeth]

Thanks! Needed a visual on this to finish a project tonight - hooray - yours is hands down the best tutorial online. Thanks again! Lizabeth www(dot)sparkbark(dot)com

[Sheri]

Thank you!

[amanda]

Thank you so much - I was cheating using small seed stitches, but now I can make the centers of my flowers look super cute! I've been trying to learn this for such a long time. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[kayleigh]

i was making a small project for my fiancee who is going overseas within the next month. he'll be gone for 2 years and i wanted to send him with something to have from home. thanks so much for all the help. you helped make the project perfect. :)

[Nicole Angeline]

Hazeljoy thank you for your comment... that helped me a ton! I'm a pea-brain!

Thank for the great tutorial!

[Melissa]

THANK YOU! :) I've tried a few other tutorials remembering that this really wasn't that difficult of a stitch, but every time I pulled through, my knot unraveled! Thanks to your super clear tut with photos, I FINALLY pulled the knot off, LOL. :) Thanks again!

[Carla]

Thank you! It worked great! Im new and this is way easier than the books :)

[Darcy]

That was AWESOME!!! I have been trying to make french knots for two days now and this way worked and was so very helpful!!

THANK YOU!!!

[Mary Macreeda]

I must applaud this simple but important web resource. So many of us, otherwise smart individuals, have difficulty mastering this simple technique. I have stayed awake trying to figure out where I've gone wrong. You have enabled me to get a decent night's sleep. Thank you.

[Debi]

Thank you, thank you!!! I've been trying to figure this out for weeks!! It's so simple - now I love the French Knot!!

[Zoe]

Thank you thank you thank you!!! I have been stitching for 6 years and everytime I tried to follow directions for a french knot it never worked. I would usually just make a little backstitch. Now it is easy! Thank you again!

[Ann Jewel]

Thanks a lot for this tutorial, now I can do easily and the right way of French knotting. You made it so simple :)