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Hello...

I've not been stitching for long and i'm doing a pattern that needs a couple of french knotts but i have no idea where to start ...

Does anyone have any easy ways of doing these? or any alternatives to French knotts?

Hi i have no idea how to do one as i aint done one yet but i read in a mag if u didnt want to do a french knot but still want the rasied affect u can just put a beed on. Or if u type in google how to do a frech knot the top 2 look understandable but knowing me id still have trouble with them lol. Hope u get it sorted

Oh, boy, does this question come up often! Everyone has trouble with French knots at some stage or another. Beads are good, but sometimes they aren't quite right. Here is some online help for you:

www.anniesattic.com/cross-stitch/content.html?type_id=S

at this URL you will find all kinds of help with various types of stitches.

I have to hold my hand up and admit that I'm totally useless at french knots luckily it's been a fair while since I've had to do them.

I use colnial knots if I have to instead of french knots, but I have to think for ages before I can rmember how to do them

http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stit ... -knot.html Colonial knots

I was going to suggest the same site, I think it is the very best to show how to work the knot.

I detest french knots, I have done them.... eventually, but I have to sit in front of the computer to look on the above site. I find the colonial stitch *much* easier, and since doing my afghan, I can now do a perfect one, first time, without looking. I have to thank Genevieve for this as she directed me to the above site pebbles has quoted... a life saver!!

I have also used beads in the past, so quick and easy to use and yet people who don't stitch seem to think it's really extraordinary..

Practice, practice, practise, that's about the best way to get a grip on the dreaded french knot!!

i was going to mention too, everytime i have to do french knots i get a spare piece of fabric (anything will do really) and practice on it. once you get the hang of it, then go do them on your actual pattern. for some reason i could have 5000 french knots in a project and still not remember how to do them by the time i get to my next project

also, when you practice, usually the thicker the thread the easier (for me anyway). others might have a different preference.

I've never had a problem with French knots, and I just looked onto that site with the explanation for the Colonial knot, and it looks more complicated than the French one! LOL::!! anyway, a bead can always be used in place of the knot.

cheers for all the help, i shall settle myself down later and have a go. i'll let you know how i get on.

I agree whole heartedly with Hada I have been doing french knots for years even before getting into cross stitch and I find them very fun to do. I have looked at the colonial and it seems more work then a french so I have not even given it a go. I will one day though.

One thing that I do just a touch different then the video is they go back down the exact hole I don't I go over just a thread or two and go down. I have found with some of the smaller threads you need to do this so the knot doesn't pull back though the material.

I don't know if anyone else has had this happen but I learned to go over a thread or two early on.

rose: i learned that, too, early one. in fact, that's how it was explained where I learned it from. (don't remember where, some magazine or kit, I guess).

i didn't notice that in the video, but that's weird. i was taught to always go a couple threads over.

I like french knots, I find them easy. But I did work it out for myself about going over a couple of threads after losing many knots back through the holes.

i have actually practiced them on a scrap fabric w/ scrap yarn..over and over and over and finally have got them! now they are easy and I love to sub them sometimes in patterns where I would usually sub the knot for a bead..but now I do the knot!

I like French knots too! I used to find them really difficult but I kept practising until I got'em right. Like C_F I stick them in wherever!

I go back down through the same hole and have never lost any yet, if your thread is quite fine try wrapping it round the needle more times to make a larger knot.

French knots use to annoy me so much; they even annoyed my boyfriend to the point where he was trying to do them himself lol

What I found -really- useful was this video on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul8XT72oA68

Hope it helps cause after watching that and practicing abit I got the hang of them too!

I've bookmarked this, great link, Jess, thanks!!

Serinde wrote: Oh, boy, does this question come up often! Everyone has trouble with French knots at some stage or another. Beads are good, but sometimes they aren't quite right. Here is some online help for you:

www.anniesattic.com/cross-stitch/content.html?type_id=S

at this URL you will find all kinds of help with various types of stitches.

I was going to suggest this site. I find it really helpful