Embroidery Tutorial: French Knot

Start off by coming up through the fabric.

Hold the needle with your dominant hand. Wrap the thread around the needle 2-3 times depending on how big you want the knot.
Now, go back down the same hole you came out.
Push the knot all the way down your needle so it is touching the fabric. Take your time and gently nudge the needle through. You can keep the knot stable with a finger nail as you pull the rest of the tail through. That's all there is to it!

I love this example of what can be created with french knots from Incy Wincy Stitches.

Product Launch: Introducing 2012 Calendar Tea Towel D.I.Y. Embroidery Kit

It's been a long time in the process, but here it is! I had so much fun with my tea towel last year, that I decided to bring it in to 2012. Wonderfully, my longtime love of embroidery has been well received by the ETSY community in the form of my STICHIES Kits. I thought it time to carry that passion over and expand into the world of tea towel calendars, a functional and beautiful addition to any kitchen.

The kits take approximately 8 - 14 hours. By the end of the kit, you feel confidant about the stitches (back stitch, lazy daisy, and the french knot). It is calming and meditative, a nice way to spend an evening. And it's really a nice feeling to lay back after completing a number and see your hard work translated directly onto the canvas.

The kit was designed for both beginners and advanced stitchers. The instruction guide goes over each stitch if you need that and I'll be creating in dept tutorials on the blog detailing each stitch. I've been compiling some good little tips through the process.

My test subject was a complete rookie, but by the end of the 2012, he felt the urge to keep going and fill in the CuriousDoodles logo and fill in his families' birthday dates. Apparently he sped up as his stitching got better and he just couldn't stop.

Part of the reason why I am interested in making kits, is because there is a lack of modern/relevant designs for embroidery. Sure, there are loads of vintage embroidery patterns which I adore, but it is a bit of dying art that I would like to see come back. I combined modern typography with dense organic stitch work. I started with big helvetica block letters and filled them in with intertwined vine work creating a different read from across the room vs. up close-up. Check out my blog post with some of the early sketches/prototypes. I did several revisions to the design once I started stitching up prototypes to come up with a design that is appropriate for the capabilities of needlework.



The towel comes with a hang tab in the upper right corner for easy hanging.

The completed kit would be a wonderful keep sake gift for a new baby or a wedding. It also makes a wonderful gift for crafty friends and family (especially those you feel have a little too much time on their hands).

French Knot DIY Tutorial

If you are not already familiar with the DIY STITCHIES Embroidery Card Kits, go check them out here. These kits are great for beginners that want to try out embroidery on paper. The holes are all laser cut so its really easy to get started. All of the cards can be made using a simple backstitch and a french knot. I made this french knot tutorial because sometimes its much easier to learn by watching (at least for me it is). The STITCHIES kits are ready to ship from my shop.

Please note, sometimes when you are working with embroidery on paper, the french knot will go right through the hole on accident. Don't freak if this happens. Make another french knot right on top of the existing knot until its bulky enough to not go through the hole.