Winslow in Blueberry: French Knots

French Knots - one of my most favorite stitches because of its versatility and texture.  This is a stitch that is worth knowing.  Watch as I stitch them up on this Winslow in Blueberry hand embroidery kit.

French knots are one of the most satisfying stitches in hand embroidery — and one of the most versatile. They add instant texture, dimension, and a little something-something that satin stitch can only aspire to. Whether you're filling in a flower center, creating a scattered effect, or building up a dense cluster of color, the French knot earns its place in every embroiderer's toolkit.

In this tutorial, I'm stitching French knots on the Winslow in Blueberry hand embroidery kit — one of my favorites because the design is forgiving for beginners but also interesting enough with its layering that makes it fun for those that have a few projects already under their belt. Watch the full video below, then keep reading for tips on getting yours right every time.

AOA Winslow Blueberry -Single French Knot by And Other Adventures Embroidery Co

How to Stitch a French Knot

The French knot has a reputation for being tricky, but once it clicks, it really clicks. Here's the basic process:

1. Bring your needle up through the bottom of the fabric at the point where you want the knot to sit.
2. Hold the floss taut (but not too tight) with your non-dominant hand, keeping it away from the fabric.
3. Wrap the thread around the needle — in this design, we wrap the floss around the needle once.
4. Insert the needle back into the top of the fabric right next to (not through) the same hole you came up from. Keep holding the thread taut as you do this.
5. Pull through slowly, releasing the floss only at the last second as the knot seats against the fabric.  Slow and steady is important to keep your floss from knotting up too soon.

The 2 most common mistakes:

•  Letting go of the thread too early - this causes the knot to pull through or unravel. Keep tension on it until the needle is almost fully through.
• Pulling too tightly on your floss - this just makes it harder to pull the needle through.  So release your shoulders, lessen your grip and just focus on guiding the needle and floss through the fabric.

Ready to stitch? Shop the Winslow in Blueberry Kit →

Now that you have learned the French Knot embroidery stitch, here are a few other designs that you can practice it on: