Quick answer: A French knot stitch is a small raised embroidery knot made by wrapping thread around the needle one to three times and stitching back through the fabric next to the starting point. It is used for flower centres, eyes, dots and texture, and it often decorates the smocked panels of children’s dresses.
A French knot stitch is a decorative embroidery stitch that forms a small, raised, bead-like knot on the surface of the fabric. The French knot stitch is one of the basic stitches in hand embroidery and in smocked children’s clothing.
What is French Knot stitch?
The French knot is a decorative stitch used to create one or more small knots or dots on a fabric. This stitch can be used to make tiny flowers or as a filling stitch to complete small circles and the centers of flowers. When many French knots are placed closely together, they can give a ‘woolly’ texture and are useful for adding texture to designs.
You might assume that this versatile surface embroidery stitch has deep roots in France, but the only evidence supporting its name is its extensive use in French royal and ecclesiastical embroidery during the 18th and 19th centuries.
French Knot stitch applications
French knot stitch is one of the most used stitches in modern embroidery, used in embroidery of pistils, embroidery of letters, filling in details…
The common feature of the motifs created from French knot stitch is that they stand out on the fabric. This helps clothes become more luxurious and beautiful.
Is it easy to do a French Knot stitch?
The French knot is considered one of the simplest types of knots, yet it is frequently regarded as one of the most challenging stitches to master. This difficulty can sometimes lead learners to dislike working with it. However, with practice, it becomes easier and more manageable, and you’ll soon get the hang of it.
How to do a French Knot stitch?
The French knot requires the use of both hands. For best results, I highly recommend reviewing the tips at the end of the tutorial to perfect your technique and achieve flawless French knots:
Source: Rocksea & Sarah
TIP: If you’re holding the needle with your right hand, wrap the thread around it and keep the thread taut with your left hand. Conversely, if you’re using your left hand to hold the needle, use your right hand to wrap and maintain tension on the thread. This technique helps you insert the needle through the fabric without accidentally pulling out the wrapped thread. If you find this challenging, try this approach: after wrapping the thread, rotate the needle about 180 degrees and then attempt to insert it near point A.
Variation of French Knot stitch
Pistil Stitch is a variation of the French Knot stitch, often used to fill large patterns or create simple flower shapes. Here’s how to do this stitch:
Source: Rocksea & Sarah
Tips for making the perfect French Knot
- This type of needle has a uniform shaft thickness, which makes it easier for the needle to pass through the wrapped thread. If you have one, it’s highly recommended for making French knots.
- Wrap the thread around the needle neither too tight nor too loose. Aim for a tension that allows the needle to pass smoothly through the thread.
- Wrap the thread around the needle no more than twice. For a thicker knot, opt for using multiple strands of thread rather than increasing the number of wraps.
- When inserting the needle back into the fabric, do so near, but not exactly through, the same stitch point you originally came out of. This technique helps prevent the knot from falling through the fabric hole to the other side.
French Knot stitch in Cherrysmock
French Knot is one of the stitches that we use most often in our hand embroidered products. With a team of professional workers with many years of experience, we are confident in creating perfect embroidery stitches. You can observe their meticulousness through the products that we have created below:
Source: Red smocked princess dress with small flowers
Cherrysmock is one of the biggest embroidery factory from Vietnam. We specialize in manufacturing and wholesaling smocked children’s clothing. If you are interested in purchasing handmade fashion products from Vietnam with MOQ from only 30 pieces, do not hesitate to contact us immediately.
Factory insight: On children’s clothing, a French knot has to survive washing. Check that each knot sits firm and does not move when you brush it with a finger, because loose knots are the first to pull out in the wash.
French knot stitch at Cherrysmock: key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hand smocking | Every smocked piece is hand smocked and hand embroidered by artisans in Vietnam. |
| Custom designs | A custom design takes about 30 to 35 days and comes with a free 2D mock-up before production. |
| Group orders | A group order lets several boutiques share one hand-smocked design; it starts from 30 pieces per design and takes about 20 days. |
| Own label | Your own label, hang tag or care label is available from 30 pieces per design. |
| Transit time | Delivery after dispatch takes about 3 to 4 days to the US or Canada and 4 to 5 days to the UK or Europe. |
| Payment terms | Orders under $1,000 are paid 100% upfront; orders of $1,000 to $5,000 use a 70% deposit and 30% before shipping; orders over $5,000 use 50% and 50%. |
| Returns | Serious manufacturing defects can be reported within 7 days of delivery under the return policy; all other sales are final. |
FAQ about the French knot stitch
How many wraps does a French knot need?
Usually one to three wraps around the needle. More wraps make a bigger knot, but too many can make it loose.
Why does my French knot pull through the fabric?
The needle went back through the same hole. Stitch back one or two fabric threads away from the starting point.
What thread is best for French knots?
Stranded embroidery floss is the most common choice, using two to six strands depending on the knot size you want.
Where is the French knot used in smocked clothing?
In flower centres, animal eyes and small dots on the smocked panel or embroidered motifs of children’s dresses.
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