I hate French knots!!!!! GRRRRRRR!

Also, when inserting the needle into the fabric, make sure you are not inserting it back into same the hole that your thread is coming out of. This is a common mistake that many people make when first learning to do French Knots. You always want to insert your needle one thread away from the starting hole.

I've also found that when working FKs on linen, I often get a better knot if, when inserting the needle one thread away, I insert it into a hole that is on the diagonal of my starting hole (as opposed to inserting it directly to the left or right of my starting hole (I hope that makes sense! I can't think of a better way to describe it).

I think one of the problems when making FKs on linen is that sometimes the knot will slip under the linen thread, similar to what happens when stitching 1 x 1 on linen if you don't cross the "X" in the right direction. So inserting your needle on the diagonal might help avoid this problem.

I learned to wrap the floss twice around the needle when making FKs, so that's the way I like to work them. I've tried wrapping them only once, but I feel the knots look a little rounder and hold together a little better when wrapping them twice. Just a personal preference.

Michelle Stitchy Kitty

Often when I find that I'm having a hard time with french knots I make a colonial knot instead - they are a little larger but very consistent in shape and size. Since you wrap the thread sort of in a figure eight the knot stays on top of the fabric much better and doesn't pull through. I also find that I have to pull the thread fairly snug and hold it as I'm putting the needle through the fabric so that the knot stays on the fabric and doesn't climb up the needle.

This web site has great stitch instructions too that might help?

Dianne

Oh I visit Sharon's blog several times a week - so easy to wander off through the net looking at eye candy everywhere!

MelissaD