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French Knot

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The French knot. Drawing by Martin Hense.

The French knot is a decorative stitch used to create one or more small knots or dots on a ground material.

The stitch is made by bringing the thread through the ground material at the spot where the knot is required. The thread is then held down firmly with the left thumb and first finger. The needle is twisted two or three times around the held thread and then the twists are gently pulled around the needle while the thread is still held firmly in the left hand. The point of the needle is then turned by 180° and inserted at the ‘back’ of the intended knot close to where the thread first emerged. The needle and thread are then pulled through the twists to the back of the material.

The process is repeated until a sufficient number of knots is produced. French knots are used as fillings for flower centres, for tiny powdered patterns and anywhere when the effect of a single dot is required.

Also sometimes known as French dot, knotted stitch or twisted knot stitch.

Compare the Peking knot and the colonial knot.

Source: THOMAS, Mary (1934). Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches, London: Hodder and Stoughton, p. 104.

GVE

Last modified on Tuesday, 24 January 2017 15:44 Published in Embroidery stitches More in this category: « French Dot Straight Stitch » back to top

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