Oh my god, THANK YOU!!! I’ve been following the instructions in the old books I got from my mom, for HOURS and couldn’t figure this out!!!! I wanted to tear my hair out!!!! I watched a couple other videos and they didn’t help at all. Didn’t make sense. The way you described it, showed it and the close up shots FINALLY helped me understand these knots!!!! And you went nice and slow, explained it well, gosh thank you so so so so much❤️ now I can do two types of knots that were so intimidating and frustrating. I was so close to giving up! Thank❤️You❤️
Awww I'm so happy it helped! It kills me when people can't figure out how to do knots because someone taught them badly, they're so incredibly pretty. ❤️❤️
Peacock & Fig the more I’ve done them now, the prettier they get😊 the tip about the sewing needle with the small “Nadel Öhr” (sorry I don’t know the English word) made the biggest difference. Before, my needle would just pull my knot through and it kept wanting to go through the original hole I came up in. And the sewing needle did the trick! I even taught my MOM your methods, who’s been cross stitching for 30+ years and she said that it made much more sense and was much easier. And the results were prettier! She wished she knew that much sooner, like 30+ years sooner😂 my cat cross stitch thanks you😊 now I’m trying to attach whiskers... wish me luck lol
I totally agree with this commenter. I too struggled FOREVER (in fact I used to "fake" knots with stitching, just because I could never figure it out). I tried another video, but it just wasn't yielding consistent results, and I wasn't sure why. SO helpful - really appreciate this video
So Helpful! I've hated these knots forever and now I have hope. First time in all the classes, videos and patterns I have explored, that anyone explained/suggested the milliner needle. Thank you!
Thank you. I only occasionally need to do a French knot and as a result forget since last time I did them. I have kept your site in my Bookmarks and use it faithfully when needed. Your instructions are clear and very easy to follow. Thank you from Canada.
Thank you; I just did colonial knots in the center of some small flowers instead of simple yellow cross stitches. Looks great! Very much appreciate your clear instructions. 👍
All this time stitching and no one has ever suggested that you have to use a different needle. Thank you so much. I was one who won't buy a pattern with French knots no matter how much I loved the chart.
You're very welcome! It's basically just a double twist around the needle, nothing to be scared of at all. I really like French knots, they're so pretty. 🙂
Thank you so very much I have never know how to do French knots and I have been sewing for many years and then I found your video you teach/explain it in way I understood thank you 🙏 xxx
Whoo! I didn't even know about Colonial knots and they are so easy!! I think I'll be switching to them ;) Thank you so much for this video, it's very easy to follow!
I know this is an older video, but it really, really helped me out with the french and colonial knots. I’ve cross-stitched much of my life, but those knots always proved troublesome for me. This video was the ‘light bulb’ moment for me with them. Are mine perfect yet? Nope, but using your instructions, they are so easy to form now! I am very grateful. Thank you for the easy-to-follow and detailed instructions!👍🏻
Gosh I have been stitching for over 20 years and in all this time I have avoided French knots and replaced them with beads instead! I loved watching you make both these types of knots. Why was I scared of French knots? They are so easy. Thank you so much Dana.
Ahahaha awwww, I'm so glad Tracey! I know eh, they're actually really simple -- like I said in the video once you have the right needle and you keep the tension just right, they're actually fun to do! I'm really glad I've taught you something so now you can start stitching your knots instead of beading them! :D I'd love to use your comment as a testimonial on my site if that's ok with you, I'd only use your first name. :)
Thank you for your Video's Peacock & Fig. I was just talking about how long it's been since I did it and wanted a refresher course. Your video's help out bunches. I find myself saying.. OH yeah, that's right. Now I remember."
This pattern is absolutely gorgeous. I'm a beginner so I'm not going to attempt it yet, but it's the most elegant I've seen on TH-cam so far. It looks Japanesey ( yes I made that word up ).
Ahahah well I used to live in Japan, so that might be the influence... 🙂And you can totally attempt this as a beginner, it's designed for beginners. The tree is just using full cross stitches, and then the two types of knots shown in this tutorial. You can do both types, or just one if you like. You totally can do it. 🙂
Hi!! Could you tell me what size milliner/straw needle is best to use on Aida 14 count fabric? They come in many sizes and I’m not sure which to choose. Love your videos!! Thanks so much ☺️
Hi there! I can't sorry, I just have a bunch of loose mixed needles with no sizing. Maybe grab a mixed size pack (or a mixed pack of embroidery needles that has different types) and see what works best for you. It won't have anything to do with the fabric for French knots, but how many thread strands you want to use to make them. 😊
Thank you so much! I love cross stitch, except for French knots. My stomach literally tightens at the thought of them. I never heard of a colonial until now and they will be my knots of choice from now on.
I have never heard of colonial knots. Thanks for this. Always nice to learn a new stitch. I like this pattern. I will definitely get this on your website. Thank you and happy stitching. Best. Blaire
Boy, am I glad I found you! Now I know why my knots were tough - the needle used was the culprit. Thank you for mentioning the use of a milliner's needle. I'm a lefty with stitching but that hasn't mattered.
Hahaha I'm so glad the video helped you Marny! Like I said in the video, it's usually either the needle or your tension that's causing any problems, the actual knot is fairly easy to do. I'm glad you can do knots easier now! 🙂
Thank you for the information about what needle to use and the demonstration--very helpful! I can't figure out any way to say this without it sounding like a criticism--and here I am grateful for the tutorial and in no position to criticize. But please, in future tutorials, use a floss color other than white to demo on white aida.
You're very welcome! I find the colonial the harder of the two, it's a figure 8 wrap around the needle (whereas a French knot is just two wraps in the same direction). 😊
Hi there! I'm not quite sure what you're asking -- how I'm stitching both knots anchors them in place. You can finish your threads off however you like, whether that's via a small knot at the back, a pin stitch, running your thread a few times under other stitches nearby (full crosses, the knots won't have enough thread at the back), etc. 😊
Hi there, thanks for that interesting tutorial. Tell me please, when I do Frech knots in a full covered 14ct piece, do I still use 2 strands of thread or only 1, like the back stitch? How about 11ct? 3 it 2 strands for French knots? Your answer would help me a lot in deciding.....
Hi Gabriela! I usually use two strands for knots, regardless of what fabric count I'm using (you may find that 3 strands is better for 11 count though, if they're supposed to take up a whole "grid block"). 😊
I wanted to check to make sure I was understanding the instructions on my cross stitch correctly on how to do these french knots and it seems I was right, it's so useful to actually see someone doing it instead of looking at a drawing. I'm actually a little surprised by how easy it is to do french knots as I thought they would be harder. I tried a colonial knot but it doesn't seem to come out right so I think I'll stick to french knots as I can easily do them lol.
Thanks for the great teaching. I've never been afraid of the knots but the Milleners' needle makes good sense. I shall use it instead of tapestry needle. Picture VERY pretty but for sake of clarity would you consider using colours that stand out against your fabric colour? Thanks so much!
Hoping you see my question. Your video was very clear however my chart has French knots , but all one next to another. It is for a little girl’s hair. I am doing this on an 18 ct Aida. How would I go about doing this?
Hi Maureen! You'd do them exactly the same way, just put them wherever the chart says to place them. Some designers will place them in the corners of a grid square, some directly on the centre of a grid square. You'd form them exactly the same way regardless. 🙂
The colour combination in this video is so pleasant, I feel quite happy whenever I see it repeatedly and I dream of making it, frame it and give to my three daughters and my granddaughter. I hope God will fulfill my wish. Bye
I usually just do a small knot, I'm not too fussed about knots on the back of my projects. You could do a pin stitch too, just make sure it's anchored really well otherwise the French knot might come loose. 🙂
Thank you so much for breaking this down for because I have been afraid of doing french knots! And I have skipped over some very beautiful patterns because they had french knots in the pattern! I guess I was always afraid of creating a great piece, get to the French knot, and ruin all my hard work because I couldn't master this one technique. You have no idea how much I thank you!!!
New at this. Do you have a video how to start this pattern? I already have it. What fabric are you using? Love your videos, watch them over and over. Big help...
Hi Ann! I don't have a video as it would be reallllly boring to watch, you just do the cross stitch tree first (starting from wherever but usually the centre is easiest). Then you can do all the French knots and Colonial knots. You don't even need to follow the pattern for the knots, you can just put them wherever you like. :)
Thanks so much. I'm currently working on my second cross stitch ever, the first one being about 20 years ago when I was around ten years old! This is my first time doing French knots and the instructions that came with the kit were quite vague. I ended up just making a knot in the X of my cross stitch 😂. Looking at the picture on the front, I thought "this can't be right"! I like the tip about using a milners needle, which I guess is just a regular sewing needle? Also, not going back in through the exact same space, which the instructions from my cross stitch made it seem like you should. Anyways this video cleared that up, thank you.
Hi Leila, thanks for your comment! This video has over 25,000 views and I've had so many people say it's really helpful, so I'm not sure what you're finding vague (or what you're referring to when you say you're looking at the picture?). If you tell me what you're having a hard time with, I'll help you out. 🙂 And a milliner's needle is one type of embroidery needle, the shaft and the eye are the same width. 🙂
Peacock & Fig I was refering to the instructions that came with my cross stitch were vauge, not the video. The video was very helpful 👍 That comment was written at 3 am, which may explain why it was difficult to understand 😩
Ahaahah ok perfect, thanks for clarifying that Leila! 🙂 I was confused, you were the first person to say something was vague, I was really hoping I hadn't confused you even more about those pretty little knots. ❤
with you showing the knots side by side i can see the difference between the two. i must say i personally like the look of the colonial knot better than the french knot. i can also see why some designers say french and others say colonial it does make a difference in the look
Haha yes it does change the look slightly when you look up close. :) I think for most people if they find one is easier for them than the other, they should just do that as they are similar enough. Unless of course you're entering something into a fair to be judged and you're supposed to use one knot or the other, then interchanging them might not work out so well. :)
I have absolutely no clue Patti, many of my needles I've had for decades. 😊 Just anything that's got an eye big enough for the amount of strands of floss you want to use will work. 😊
Witchcraft, this is. No lie thank you for this. I will be doing your pattern to practice these knots. I never realized I needed a hoop as I stitch in hand but now it seems so obvious. I also never thought to thread my needle like that (I keep a tail). And using a different needle?? I cannot wait to try this!! I've always just knotted my thread and went back down and was super disappointed because I knew my piece was missing something. And oh my is it missing something
Hi! I'm doing my first counted cross stitch project and I'm looking at my pattern that includes French knots. In one area it looks like my French knot is in the middle of a square. I'm a little confused. Not sure if I should just do a french knot or also a cross stitch underneath it because it has full stitches all around it? 🤔
Hi Stacie! It depends on the pattern. Some will have a symbol/colour underneath the knot symbol (meaning the knot is meant to go on top of a cross stitch), or sometimes it will be blank fabric so the knot doesn't stick up as high. It totally depends on the designer whether they put the knots on the corner of a grid square, in the middle, or on top of other stitches. 🙂
It's funny , all these years I've been doing colonial knots without even realising it. Didnt even know what they were until I joined a fb stitching group, and had to google it. I've always found French French knots difficult to do. No matter what I did ,they always unravel themselves when I pull them through. So I just started making the c shape twisting it into an 8 and then pulling through. Found the knot held and carried on doing it, not knowing it was an actual embroidery stitch🤣
Hi Peacock I don't know your name or age but God bless you for sharing such a vital video. As you mentioned rightly I was so much afraid of making French knots till I saw your video. Now my confidence level, as far as stitching French knots is concerned, has gone up like anything. Thank you so much. You know I am 65 yrs and I am a beginner of Embroidery now. I can't afford to buy or download any patterns. So can I draw them on a paper or cloth and stitch this design on a plain cloth? Please advise. Once again I pray God to bless you and. bless you from the bottom of my heart.
This pattern is totally free Srilaxmi, so you don't have to pay anything at all! If you go to peacockandfig.com/join-now and enter your name and email, you'll become a member of my Peacock Lounge and you'll be sent a link to the free patterns page -- you can download any or all of the free patterns on my site! The cherry blossom pattern is one of the freebies, and there are 5 others too (and I'm working on another free pattern right now). Then you can stitch it wherever you like. :) And my name is Dana, nice to "meet" you! :)
Hi Kaylee! There's no difference, it's just threaded normally. You will find that your thread will "run out" faster when you're doing French knots, as you need a fair bit of slack to be able to wind the floss around the needle tip. 🙂
Thank you for mentioning that it takes so much more thread. I thought I surely must be doing something wrong, but sounds like my problems are quite normal :)
Haha not a problem Diana! It's tricky as you do need a fair whack of thread to be able to wrap around and keep the tension right. But it's a small price to pay for such a pretty knot. 🙂
Hi Tina! You'd start and end the exact same way when you're stitching normally. If you're doing French knots where there are other stitches, you can do a pin stitch in between nearby stitches, or weave the ends of your floss back and forth a few times on the backside of other stitches to anchor it. If you're doing French knots in an area with no other stitching, you could do a really small pin stitch into the fabric right where you're going to put your first knot. I have a couple of pin stitch tutorials, but this one shows how to do a pin stitch in Aida (in the second half of the video) -- th-cam.com/video/9gEgFaJyOF4/w-d-xo.html. If you're using linen or evenweave, you can get a really sharp needle (as you have to use a non-tapestry needle anyway to do a French knot) and stitch carefully into the fabric strands to anchor your floss with a pin stitch. Leave a bit of a tail, then you can snip that off later. I hope that helps! 🙂
Actually I checked out several sources on how to do both before I taught the tutorial (including some well-known printed embroidery stitch books like from the RSN), thanks though! 🙂💕
I was wondering what a colonial knot was and why I didn't know it and now I realize why.. it's just a way more unnecessarily drawn out version of doing a double french knot. That's so dumb lol. Just do a French it literally takes 1 second to wrap your needle around the thread. you don't even need to use your hands just the hand holds the needle and wraps around thread and that's it! You can go triple or more and make it bigger but just stick with the french knot. I was so confused why someone would even do that colonial thing lol it's like driving your car in a circle instead of going straight through..
Ahahahah I know right!! 😂 Soooo many people say "oh, a colonial knot is easier....".... well no, no it isn't, it's way more complicated. Where most people get hung up with French knots is they're either using a tapestry needle (doomed to fail), or they're not holding tension on the thread until the knot is formed. I agree, I much prefer French knots to Colonial knots... 🙂
Hello! I've done cross stitch from when I was really young and I always had problems with knots until recently. But, you said that the knot will come through if you go through the same spot? I actually go through the same hole and it doesn't go through. I was thinking that your technique would be a good idea to make sure that it stays where it's supposed to but wouldn't really be necessary on fabric with smaller squares/holes. I think the reason I had problems when I was younger is because I used fabric that had the larger squares, and as I've gotten older, I'm starting to use the smaller squares, so the knot is much bigger than the hole and it won't go through. But I have noticed that if I make a knot early on in a design, by the time I finish, the knot will have lost its shape, so I might try this to see if it keeps its shape. :)
Good idea Sara, try it earlier and see if it doesn't loosen like it normally does for you! And not going through the same hole is an extra "helper" to keep the knot in place and in shape. In theory you can go back through the same hole if you're really careful and your knot is perfectly (and tightly) formed, but a lot of people really struggle with that. So by going through another hole, or even catching a little bit of a strand of fabric as they put the needle back down, it really helps firmly anchor the knot so that little sucker isn't going anywhere. :)
No idea Valerie, maybe you're either trying to put the needle back down in the same hole you came up, you're using the wrong needle, or you're not holding the tension on the knot until the last second. Those are the most common reasons your knots won't stay together. 😊
Are you sure you're using a straight shaft needle, aka NOT a tapestry needle? That's the most common reason the knots come undone, that and you're not putting enough tension on them right until the last second or your thread is going down the same hole you came up. Keep trying, you'll get there. :)
You could also try using a finer needle, it might be you're using too fat of a needle for the amount of strands you're using/number of times you're wrapping your threads around the needle. :)
i have a kangoroo with baby pattern that i have to do french knots for the mouth. but the characters are so tiny and the knots on the pattern look so tiny. do i use only 1 strand of thread in this case?
Hi there! I don't know, usually the pattern will say how many strands to use for French knots. If it doesn't, just experiment on a scrap of fabric (or on the very edge where they'll be hidden when framing or finishing). See whether you like the look of one strand versus two, and experiment with how many times to wrap the floss around the needle. In the tutorial I show two, but you can do more if you want. Just have a play and see what you like. 🙂
"They" is me, Dana. 😊 I'm using two strands of DMC floss, and I'm not pulling super tight. So try being careful of your tension, if you pull too tight you'll just make a tiny anchor knot (and not a pretty decorative knot). 😊
Hi Diana, do you mean how you can read a pattern on your tablet? My patterns are PDF files (as are most downloadable cross stitch patterns these days), so if you've downloaded the free pattern for this video, you can open it in any PDF reader on your tablet. On my iPad I have an app called Notability that will open a PDF (and allow you to mark on it, so you can "highlight" your stitches as you go). There are many other apps (most of them free) that will open a PDF file, you'll just have to search in the iTunes store or whatnot to find one that will work for you. I have heard the GoodReader app is really good and allows you to select certain symbols, but I don't think that one is free, and I'm not sure which devices it's compatible with. So what you'd do is download the PDF file (it should open in a browser tab), then on your iPad if you hold your finger on the PDF a second menu should pop up at the bottom saying "open in...". Then you could choose your app. I have an older iPad though, so the menus may be a little different, you might have to look up how to open a PDF on your device specifically. Let me know if you still need help! :) Dana
Not your fault, but I still hate these. I've done x-stitch for years, projects large and small, and people say I do nice work. But these are the biggest pain in the neck. Have to do 3 as eyes on a mama and baby teddy bears for a gift. Eyes are important, if they're the least bit off, it ruins it. Had to redo a couple of times, but they're done and passable. I may go with beads in the future.
Yeah lots of people do use beads instead, you may find Colonial knots end up looking more "consistent" for those random times you need to add in just a few. I find Colonial knots more of a pain to do as it's a figure 8 around the needle, but they do end up looking nice. 😊
Oh my god, THANK YOU!!! I’ve been following the instructions in the old books I got from my mom, for HOURS and couldn’t figure this out!!!! I wanted to tear my hair out!!!! I watched a couple other videos and they didn’t help at all. Didn’t make sense. The way you described it, showed it and the close up shots FINALLY helped me understand these knots!!!! And you went nice and slow, explained it well, gosh thank you so so so so much❤️ now I can do two types of knots that were so intimidating and frustrating. I was so close to giving up!
Thank❤️You❤️
Awww I'm so happy it helped! It kills me when people can't figure out how to do knots because someone taught them badly, they're so incredibly pretty. ❤️❤️
Peacock & Fig the more I’ve done them now, the prettier they get😊 the tip about the sewing needle with the small “Nadel Öhr” (sorry I don’t know the English word) made the biggest difference. Before, my needle would just pull my knot through and it kept wanting to go through the original hole I came up in. And the sewing needle did the trick! I even taught my MOM your methods, who’s been cross stitching for 30+ years and she said that it made much more sense and was much easier. And the results were prettier! She wished she knew that much sooner, like 30+ years sooner😂 my cat cross stitch thanks you😊 now I’m trying to attach whiskers... wish me luck lol
I totally agree with this commenter. I too struggled FOREVER (in fact I used to "fake" knots with stitching, just because I could never figure it out). I tried another video, but it just wasn't yielding consistent results, and I wasn't sure why. SO helpful - really appreciate this video
So it seems you don't use the other end of the floss as when doing regular x stitching. 11:35
I was dreading doing the French knots on my picture but your tutorial was so easy to follow, I got them perfect on the first try. Thank you!
So glad it was helpful for you! They're so much fun once you realize the "trick" to them, I looove the texture of French knots. 😊
So Helpful! I've hated these knots forever and now I have hope. First time in all the classes, videos and patterns I have explored, that anyone explained/suggested the milliner needle. Thank you!
You're so welcome! 😊 And fun fact, I'm in BC too, in Victoria. ❤️
Best video I have ever seen of the colonial knot 8 many thanks. Saw a bird cross stitch all done in French knots it looked 3D
Oh wow that's nuts, but sounds so cool. Glad it helped! 😊
Thank you. I only occasionally need to do a French knot and as a result forget since last time I did them. I have kept your site in my Bookmarks and use it faithfully when needed. Your instructions are clear and very easy to follow. Thank you from Canada.
I'm Canadian as well (Victoria), you're very welcome ehhhhh 😊🇨🇦
Thank you especially for telling us to use a needle with a smaller hook. Just makes it so much easier.
You are so welcome, glad it helped! ❤️
Thank you; I just did colonial knots in the center of some small flowers instead of simple yellow cross stitches. Looks great! Very much appreciate your clear instructions. 👍
So glad it was helpful! 😊
It's so beautifully simple! They look like roses☺️
They do, don't they? Cute little roses. ❤
skip to the first knot 5:25 second knot 13:51
Haha thanks very much for watching, have a good day! :)
Peacock & Fig no shade intended.
No worries! :)
Thank you so much! This has always been a mystery to me!!!
Thank you again... rewatching in 2019!
All this time stitching and no one has ever suggested that you have to use a different needle. Thank you so much. I was one who won't buy a pattern with French knots no matter how much I loved the chart.
You're very welcome! It's basically just a double twist around the needle, nothing to be scared of at all. I really like French knots, they're so pretty. 🙂
Excelent tip!
Love this Cherry Blossom tree! Thanks!!
You're very welcome Pamela, happy stitching! 😊
Thank you so very much I have never know how to do French knots and I have been sewing for many years and then I found your video you teach/explain it in way I understood thank you 🙏 xxx
You're very welcome Erin, glad it helped! 😊❤️
Thanks, have always failed with French knots but you have explained it really clearly
Awesome, glad it helped Terry! :)
Perfect french knots on my first go. Thank you!!
Great, glad it helped! 😁
Whoo! I didn't even know about Colonial knots and they are so easy!! I think I'll be switching to them ;)
Thank you so much for this video, it's very easy to follow!
You're very welcome! 😊
I am a beginner, just went to the craft store and purchased the floss, fabric, and hoop to make this. I am so excited!
Donn Pugh That's awesome! Can't wait to see how it goes for you! 😊♥️
As dori un video cum se lucrează cross stitch multumesc
Dear Dana, thank you very much for this instructional video! I managed to do the French knot from the first time after watching it! 💐
Awesome! So glad to hear it Lyuba! ❤️
I know this is an older video, but it really, really helped me out with the french and colonial knots. I’ve cross-stitched much of my life, but those knots always proved troublesome for me. This video was the ‘light bulb’ moment for me with them. Are mine perfect yet? Nope, but using your instructions, they are so easy to form now! I am very grateful. Thank you for the easy-to-follow and detailed instructions!👍🏻
You're very welcome, glad it helped! 😊
Thank you, this is simple design is so remarkable in its beauty and your video is very helpful
Glad it was helpful Kim! 😊❤️
Excelent! Thanks! Very easy to understand your explanation. I have been trying for a long time with no success. Greetings from Brazil.
Glad it helped Caroline! 😊
Very good video on teaching both versions of knots. I always felt rather intimated by them, not any longer. Thanks Dana for another great tutorial.
You're very welcome Kris, glad to help! 🙂❤
Worked a charm the first time. Had tried using a different video with no luck.
Glad I could help Lex! 😊
Thanks! Your a lifesaver!
You're very welcome! Happy stitching! 😊
Brilliant instructions - saved me
Glad they helped Louisa! 😊
Thank you you explained that so well will be trying both the knots to see which one I prefer 💐
You're very welcome Mary! Have fun! 😊
Thank you Dana! Life saver video! I always do beads, but it’s been a goal to finally tackle French knots haha
You can doooo it! 😁
What a brilliant tutorial, nice and slow so can easily follow, thank you.
You're very welcome Katrina! 🙂
The pattern is gorgeous and this has helped tremendously! You've explained how to do these very clearly.
I'm so glad it was helpful Marienette! 🙂
Great, easy to follow tutorial! Thanks so much!
You're very welcome Lindsay! 😊
Like other people I have struggled with this.... this is brilliant and thank you for sharing
You're so welcome Tracey! 🙂
Best tutorial I've seen yet on French and Colonial knots! Thank you! I have to make this pattern now. I love it!
Awesome, so glad you enjoyed it Ricci! I just let you into the Peacock Lounge Facebook group too, welcome! 🙂
Best tutorial in french knots‼️Merci‼️🥰🇨🇦
Glad it helped Carol, et de rien (j'habite à Victoria). 🇨🇦😊
Excellent tip to use the milliner needle.
Glad it was helpful Lynn! 🙂
Wow, this is very helpful! The millner's needle is a great tip. Your knots are so pretty and graceful.
Thank you so much, glad you found it helpful! 🙂
Gosh I have been stitching for over 20 years and in all this time I have avoided French knots and replaced them with beads instead! I loved watching you make both these types of knots. Why was I scared of French knots? They are so easy. Thank you so much Dana.
Ahahaha awwww, I'm so glad Tracey! I know eh, they're actually really simple -- like I said in the video once you have the right needle and you keep the tension just right, they're actually fun to do! I'm really glad I've taught you something so now you can start stitching your knots instead of beading them! :D I'd love to use your comment as a testimonial on my site if that's ok with you, I'd only use your first name. :)
Thank you for your Video's Peacock & Fig. I was just talking about how long it's been since I did it and wanted a refresher course. Your video's help out bunches. I find myself saying.. OH yeah, that's right. Now I remember."
Awesome, glad it helped! :)
This pattern is absolutely gorgeous. I'm a beginner so I'm not going to attempt it yet, but it's the most elegant I've seen on TH-cam so far. It looks Japanesey ( yes I made that word up ).
Ahahah well I used to live in Japan, so that might be the influence... 🙂And you can totally attempt this as a beginner, it's designed for beginners. The tree is just using full cross stitches, and then the two types of knots shown in this tutorial. You can do both types, or just one if you like. You totally can do it. 🙂
@@peacockandfig Thanks I'll give it a go.
This video was so helpful and detailed! Thank you for saving me!
Haha you're so welcome Justine! Happy stitching! 😊
Thank you so much..I was able to do the knots on my first try.. I have watched several videos and couldn’t get it..☺️
Wonderful! So glad it was helpful Amy! 🙂
So pretty! I am doing the Disney Dreams Snow White pattern and have lots of these in my near future! Great tutorial, thank you!
Haha thanks very much for your comment Mary, you're very welcome! I hope you enjoy stitching your project! :)
Hi!! Could you tell me what size milliner/straw needle is best to use on Aida 14 count fabric? They come in many sizes and I’m not sure which to choose. Love your videos!! Thanks so much ☺️
Hi there! I can't sorry, I just have a bunch of loose mixed needles with no sizing. Maybe grab a mixed size pack (or a mixed pack of embroidery needles that has different types) and see what works best for you. It won't have anything to do with the fabric for French knots, but how many thread strands you want to use to make them. 😊
Thanks so much for responding!!!! I’ve already ordered a mixed pack!! ☺️☺️
Thank you so much! I love cross stitch, except for French knots. My stomach literally tightens at the thought of them. I never heard of a colonial until now and they will be my knots of choice from now on.
Jen Padge Hahaha I'm glad you found a knot you like! Happy stitching! 😊
I watched this, and 3 minutes later i have beautiful knots! Thank you!!!
Awesome, so glad you found it helpful Erin! 😊
I have never heard of colonial knots. Thanks for this. Always nice to learn a new stitch. I like this pattern. I will definitely get this on your website. Thank you and happy stitching. Best. Blaire
Haha you're very welcome Blaire, I'm glad you learned a new stitch! Enjoy the pattern, and happy stitching! 😊
Omg. Thanks so much. I can do knots now. ❤️
You’re so welcome Suzanne! 😊
Beautiful pattern! Thank you.
You're very welcome Rhoda, I hope you enjoy stitching it up! :)
Boy, am I glad I found you! Now I know why my knots were tough - the needle used was the culprit. Thank you for mentioning the use of a milliner's needle.
I'm a lefty with stitching but that hasn't mattered.
Hahaha I'm so glad the video helped you Marny! Like I said in the video, it's usually either the needle or your tension that's causing any problems, the actual knot is fairly easy to do. I'm glad you can do knots easier now! 🙂
Thank you for the information about what needle to use and the demonstration--very helpful! I can't figure out any way to say this without it sounding like a criticism--and here I am grateful for the tutorial and in no position to criticize. But please, in future tutorials, use a floss color other than white to demo on white aida.
Glad the tutorial was helpful Judy! 🙂
I loved this video for years I have made colonial and French knots incorrectly as many others who watched Thank you for you patience in this video.
Haha you're very welcome Maggie, I'm glad it helped! :)
hmm. never knew there were two different methods. i'm going to try the colonial. ty :)
You're very welcome! I find the colonial the harder of the two, it's a figure 8 wrap around the needle (whereas a French knot is just two wraps in the same direction). 😊
Thank you so much, that is really helpful 🤩
You’re so welcome Steve! 😊
Do you finish on the back the normal way, or is there a special way to anchor the knots at the back? Thanks
Hi there! I'm not quite sure what you're asking -- how I'm stitching both knots anchors them in place. You can finish your threads off however you like, whether that's via a small knot at the back, a pin stitch, running your thread a few times under other stitches nearby (full crosses, the knots won't have enough thread at the back), etc. 😊
Thank you this was so easy with your way of doing it 🥰♥
Glad I could help! 😊
Hi there, thanks for that interesting tutorial. Tell me please, when I do Frech knots in a full covered 14ct piece, do I still use 2 strands of thread or only 1, like the back stitch? How about 11ct? 3 it 2 strands for French knots? Your answer would help me a lot in deciding.....
Hi Gabriela! I usually use two strands for knots, regardless of what fabric count I'm using (you may find that 3 strands is better for 11 count though, if they're supposed to take up a whole "grid block"). 😊
I wanted to check to make sure I was understanding the instructions on my cross stitch correctly on how to do these french knots and it seems I was right, it's so useful to actually see someone doing it instead of looking at a drawing. I'm actually a little surprised by how easy it is to do french knots as I thought they would be harder. I tried a colonial knot but it doesn't seem to come out right so I think I'll stick to french knots as I can easily do them lol.
Yeah I find French knots way easier to do than Colonial as well. Glad the tutorial helped! 🙂
omg! I did it, thanks to your guide. Thank you soooooooo much!
Great job! 😀And you're very welcome! 🙂
Thank you!!! This was excellent
Glad it helped Josh! 🙂
Thanks for the great teaching. I've never been afraid of the knots but the Milleners' needle makes good sense. I shall use it instead of tapestry needle.
Picture VERY pretty but for sake of clarity would you consider using colours that stand out against your fabric colour? Thanks so much!
Hi Rebecca, I'm really glad the tutorial helped! Happy stitching! 🙂
Hoping you see my question. Your video was very clear however my chart has French knots , but all one next to another. It is for a little girl’s hair. I am doing this on an 18 ct Aida. How would I go about doing this?
Hi Maureen! You'd do them exactly the same way, just put them wherever the chart says to place them. Some designers will place them in the corners of a grid square, some directly on the centre of a grid square. You'd form them exactly the same way regardless. 🙂
Peacock & Fig thank you soooo very much
Great tutorial on these knots, thank you!
Haha you're very welcome Andrea, glad it helped! :D
The colour combination in this video is so pleasant, I feel quite happy whenever I see it repeatedly and I dream of making it, frame it and give to my three daughters and my granddaughter. I hope God will fulfill my wish. Bye
Haha you're very welcome! I'd love to see photos if you do stitch it, you can post them onto my Peacock & Fig Facebook page if you like! :)
That was very helpful. Thank you! 👍👍
You're very welcome! 😊
You explain this so well thank you!
You're very welcome, glad it helped! :)
I thought of another question, how do you finish off your thread after doing knots? Do you just do a pin stitch somewhere?
I usually just do a small knot, I'm not too fussed about knots on the back of my projects. You could do a pin stitch too, just make sure it's anchored really well otherwise the French knot might come loose. 🙂
What’s the thing that you’re 🧵 on? Thanks for the video.
Sorry? I don't understand what the emoji is supposed to mean in the context of your question. 😊
It means sewing 🧵 see? Like thread
Thank you so much for breaking this down for because I have been afraid of doing french knots! And I have skipped over some very beautiful patterns because they had french knots in the pattern! I guess I was always afraid of creating a great piece, get to the French knot, and ruin all my hard work because I couldn't master this one technique. You have no idea how much I thank you!!!
Awww I'm glad the tutorial helped you Shosie, hooray! 😀
New at this. Do you have a video how to start this pattern? I already have it. What fabric are you using? Love your videos, watch them over and over. Big help...
Hi Ann! I don't have a video as it would be reallllly boring to watch, you just do the cross stitch tree first (starting from wherever but usually the centre is easiest). Then you can do all the French knots and Colonial knots. You don't even need to follow the pattern for the knots, you can just put them wherever you like. :)
Thanks so much. I'm currently working on my second cross stitch ever, the first one being about 20 years ago when I was around ten years old! This is my first time doing French knots and the instructions that came with the kit were quite vague. I ended up just making a knot in the X of my cross stitch 😂. Looking at the picture on the front, I thought "this can't be right"! I like the tip about using a milners needle, which I guess is just a regular sewing needle? Also, not going back in through the exact same space, which the instructions from my cross stitch made it seem like you should. Anyways this video cleared that up, thank you.
Hi Leila, thanks for your comment! This video has over 25,000 views and I've had so many people say it's really helpful, so I'm not sure what you're finding vague (or what you're referring to when you say you're looking at the picture?). If you tell me what you're having a hard time with, I'll help you out. 🙂 And a milliner's needle is one type of embroidery needle, the shaft and the eye are the same width. 🙂
Peacock & Fig
I was refering to the instructions that came with my cross stitch were vauge, not the video. The video was very helpful 👍 That comment was written at 3 am, which may explain why it was difficult to understand 😩
Ahaahah ok perfect, thanks for clarifying that Leila! 🙂 I was confused, you were the first person to say something was vague, I was really hoping I hadn't confused you even more about those pretty little knots. ❤
Peacock & Fig
Nope, the video is not vauge at all! This is probably my fifth time watching it and I'm getting much better at the knots!!
Haha awesome, glad to hear it! :D
Thank you 😊
with you showing the knots side by side i can see the difference between the two. i must say i personally like the look of the colonial knot better than the french knot. i can also see why some designers say french and others say colonial it does make a difference in the look
Haha yes it does change the look slightly when you look up close. :) I think for most people if they find one is easier for them than the other, they should just do that as they are similar enough. Unless of course you're entering something into a fair to be judged and you're supposed to use one knot or the other, then interchanging them might not work out so well. :)
Thank you for this it was SO helpful!
Awesome, I'm glad it was helpful for you! 😀
What size milliners needle are you using?
I have absolutely no clue Patti, many of my needles I've had for decades. 😊 Just anything that's got an eye big enough for the amount of strands of floss you want to use will work. 😊
Hi there Peacock! I just came across your channel and love it! I love watching tutorials! TFS!
Ahahaha I'm glad you enjoy the tutorials! Happy stitching! :) Dana
Witchcraft, this is. No lie thank you for this. I will be doing your pattern to practice these knots. I never realized I needed a hoop as I stitch in hand but now it seems so obvious. I also never thought to thread my needle like that (I keep a tail). And using a different needle?? I cannot wait to try this!!
I've always just knotted my thread and went back down and was super disappointed because I knew my piece was missing something. And oh my is it missing something
Ahahah awesome, I'm so glad the tutorial helped you Christina! Knots are so pretty, I really hope you enjoy stitching up a storm! 🙂
Hi! I'm doing my first counted cross stitch project and I'm looking at my pattern that includes French knots. In one area it looks like my French knot is in the middle of a square. I'm a little confused. Not sure if I should just do a french knot or also a cross stitch underneath it because it has full stitches all around it? 🤔
Hi Stacie! It depends on the pattern. Some will have a symbol/colour underneath the knot symbol (meaning the knot is meant to go on top of a cross stitch), or sometimes it will be blank fabric so the knot doesn't stick up as high. It totally depends on the designer whether they put the knots on the corner of a grid square, in the middle, or on top of other stitches. 🙂
@@peacockandfig okay thank you!🙌
It's funny , all these years I've been doing colonial knots without even realising it. Didnt even know what they were until I joined a fb stitching group, and had to google it. I've always found French French knots difficult to do. No matter what I did ,they always unravel themselves when I pull them through. So I just started making the c shape twisting it into an 8 and then pulling through. Found the knot held and carried on doing it, not knowing it was an actual embroidery stitch🤣
Haha that's funny! Oh well, at least now you know what you do has a name. 😀
Hi Peacock I don't know your name or age but God bless you for sharing such a vital video. As you mentioned rightly I was so much afraid of making French knots till I saw your video. Now my confidence level, as far as stitching French knots is concerned, has gone up like anything. Thank you so much. You know I am 65 yrs and I am a beginner of Embroidery now. I can't afford to buy or download any patterns. So can I draw them on a paper or cloth and stitch this design on a plain cloth? Please advise. Once again I pray God to bless you and. bless you from the bottom of my heart.
This pattern is totally free Srilaxmi, so you don't have to pay anything at all! If you go to peacockandfig.com/join-now and enter your name and email, you'll become a member of my Peacock Lounge and you'll be sent a link to the free patterns page -- you can download any or all of the free patterns on my site! The cherry blossom pattern is one of the freebies, and there are 5 others too (and I'm working on another free pattern right now). Then you can stitch it wherever you like. :) And my name is Dana, nice to "meet" you! :)
Thanks for your reply Dana. I am also happy to meet you. Bye
:)
thank you so much. it was a very well done tutorial.
You're very welcome Jaya, glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
My favourite one is a French knot.
Me too, I like it better than a Colonial knot. :)
How is the needle threaded to do these knots?
Hi Kaylee! There's no difference, it's just threaded normally. You will find that your thread will "run out" faster when you're doing French knots, as you need a fair bit of slack to be able to wind the floss around the needle tip. 🙂
Thank you for mentioning that it takes so much more thread. I thought I surely must be doing something wrong, but sounds like my problems are quite normal :)
Haha not a problem Diana! It's tricky as you do need a fair whack of thread to be able to wrap around and keep the tension right. But it's a small price to pay for such a pretty knot. 🙂
How do you start and end the thread when doing French knots?
Hi Tina! You'd start and end the exact same way when you're stitching normally. If you're doing French knots where there are other stitches, you can do a pin stitch in between nearby stitches, or weave the ends of your floss back and forth a few times on the backside of other stitches to anchor it. If you're doing French knots in an area with no other stitching, you could do a really small pin stitch into the fabric right where you're going to put your first knot. I have a couple of pin stitch tutorials, but this one shows how to do a pin stitch in Aida (in the second half of the video) -- th-cam.com/video/9gEgFaJyOF4/w-d-xo.html. If you're using linen or evenweave, you can get a really sharp needle (as you have to use a non-tapestry needle anyway to do a French knot) and stitch carefully into the fabric strands to anchor your floss with a pin stitch. Leave a bit of a tail, then you can snip that off later. I hope that helps! 🙂
Thanks for the reply! I've tried to do the pin stitch a few times but it didn't go very well. I will have to try it again.
Tina Griggs Haha yeah, there are a few ways of doing them, the trick is to figure out what works best for you. 😊
Can you plz share its patteren which is in you pc
The link to access all the free patterns is in the video description, you sign up to the Peacock Lounge at peacockandfig.com/join-now 🙂
thanks for doing this!!
You're very welcome Coleen! I hope you enjoy it and learn lots! :) Dana
All I can say is Thank You!!!
Ahaha you're very welcome Rita! Happy stitching! :)
How do I make French knots on top of full stitches?
It's a giant pain, they'll stick way up over top of the existing stitching. Just do the best you can. 🙂
You got your knots backwards in the way they look dear. French dots have the bump. Colonial have the dimple more loose
Actually I checked out several sources on how to do both before I taught the tutorial (including some well-known printed embroidery stitch books like from the RSN), thanks though! 🙂💕
@@peacockandfig not in the way you do them just in way they look
I want yo make this tree
Well then do it. 😊 You can access the free patterns including that one by joining the Peacock Lounge, you can join at peacockandfig.com/join-now 😊
hai i need some embroidary crossstich design ...how can get pls send me any link
I was wondering what a colonial knot was and why I didn't know it and now I realize why.. it's just a way more unnecessarily drawn out version of doing a double french knot. That's so dumb lol. Just do a French it literally takes 1 second to wrap your needle around the thread. you don't even need to use your hands just the hand holds the needle and wraps around thread and that's it! You can go triple or more and make it bigger but just stick with the french knot. I was so confused why someone would even do that colonial thing lol it's like driving your car in a circle instead of going straight through..
Ahahahah I know right!! 😂 Soooo many people say "oh, a colonial knot is easier....".... well no, no it isn't, it's way more complicated. Where most people get hung up with French knots is they're either using a tapestry needle (doomed to fail), or they're not holding tension on the thread until the knot is formed. I agree, I much prefer French knots to Colonial knots... 🙂
But...I find Colonial knots way more consistent. Still working on my French knot skills!
Hello! I've done cross stitch from when I was really young and I always had problems with knots until recently. But, you said that the knot will come through if you go through the same spot? I actually go through the same hole and it doesn't go through. I was thinking that your technique would be a good idea to make sure that it stays where it's supposed to but wouldn't really be necessary on fabric with smaller squares/holes. I think the reason I had problems when I was younger is because I used fabric that had the larger squares, and as I've gotten older, I'm starting to use the smaller squares, so the knot is much bigger than the hole and it won't go through. But I have noticed that if I make a knot early on in a design, by the time I finish, the knot will have lost its shape, so I might try this to see if it keeps its shape. :)
Good idea Sara, try it earlier and see if it doesn't loosen like it normally does for you! And not going through the same hole is an extra "helper" to keep the knot in place and in shape. In theory you can go back through the same hole if you're really careful and your knot is perfectly (and tightly) formed, but a lot of people really struggle with that. So by going through another hole, or even catching a little bit of a strand of fabric as they put the needle back down, it really helps firmly anchor the knot so that little sucker isn't going anywhere. :)
My knots keep unraveling? I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong
No idea Valerie, maybe you're either trying to put the needle back down in the same hole you came up, you're using the wrong needle, or you're not holding the tension on the knot until the last second. Those are the most common reasons your knots won't stay together. 😊
I'm struggling to understand why my problem is, I followed your steps and my knots just come undone?
Are you sure you're using a straight shaft needle, aka NOT a tapestry needle? That's the most common reason the knots come undone, that and you're not putting enough tension on them right until the last second or your thread is going down the same hole you came up. Keep trying, you'll get there. :)
You could also try using a finer needle, it might be you're using too fat of a needle for the amount of strands you're using/number of times you're wrapping your threads around the needle. :)
I had no idea there was an alternative to French knots. I'm going to try colonial knots next time.
Haha yes, many people find Colonial knots easier than French knots. I'm "special" though, I think French knots are easier. 🙂
I don't find them difficult anymore but I never really liked the look of them! Will def try the Colonials and see how they look in comparison.
Have fun! That's the great thing about stitching, you can change things up to suit your own style. 🙂
i have a kangoroo with baby pattern that i have to do french knots for the mouth. but the characters are so tiny and the knots on the pattern look so tiny. do i use only 1 strand of thread in this case?
Hi there! I don't know, usually the pattern will say how many strands to use for French knots. If it doesn't, just experiment on a scrap of fabric (or on the very edge where they'll be hidden when framing or finishing). See whether you like the look of one strand versus two, and experiment with how many times to wrap the floss around the needle. In the tutorial I show two, but you can do more if you want. Just have a play and see what you like. 🙂
Thank you so much
poocky100 You're welcome! 😊
My French Knots come out too small and I do what they say!
"They" is me, Dana. 😊 I'm using two strands of DMC floss, and I'm not pulling super tight. So try being careful of your tension, if you pull too tight you'll just make a tiny anchor knot (and not a pretty decorative knot). 😊
PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME HOW I CAN PATTERN ON MY TABLET OR IPAD
Hi Diana, do you mean how you can read a pattern on your tablet? My patterns are PDF files (as are most downloadable cross stitch patterns these days), so if you've downloaded the free pattern for this video, you can open it in any PDF reader on your tablet. On my iPad I have an app called Notability that will open a PDF (and allow you to mark on it, so you can "highlight" your stitches as you go). There are many other apps (most of them free) that will open a PDF file, you'll just have to search in the iTunes store or whatnot to find one that will work for you. I have heard the GoodReader app is really good and allows you to select certain symbols, but I don't think that one is free, and I'm not sure which devices it's compatible with. So what you'd do is download the PDF file (it should open in a browser tab), then on your iPad if you hold your finger on the PDF a second menu should pop up at the bottom saying "open in...". Then you could choose your app. I have an older iPad though, so the menus may be a little different, you might have to look up how to open a PDF on your device specifically.
Let me know if you still need help! :) Dana
13:46 French Knot Tutorial
😊
جميل
Thanks so much 😊
Not your fault, but I still hate these. I've done x-stitch for years, projects large and small, and people say I do nice work. But these are the biggest pain in the neck. Have to do 3 as eyes on a mama and baby teddy bears for a gift. Eyes are important, if they're the least bit off, it ruins it. Had to redo a couple of times, but they're done and passable. I may go with beads in the future.
Yeah lots of people do use beads instead, you may find Colonial knots end up looking more "consistent" for those random times you need to add in just a few. I find Colonial knots more of a pain to do as it's a figure 8 around the needle, but they do end up looking nice. 😊