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Ok, everyone, I am finally getting around to posting a photo of my current project. Honestly, I'd probably call this my first real project. I've done one or two very small things in the past but this is my first in a very long time, my first since joining this forum, and it has started me on a "what's my next project" frenzy (in other words, I've already begun spending too much money on stash )

Anyway, this is a Dimensions kit I picked up at my local craft store. You can see the church now and I am working on the flower border around the bottom now. There will also be a scripture quote at the top when it's all said and done. Quite a bit of little details, back stitching, and french knots (help?) left to go. I plan to frame it for a dear friend as a Christmas gift.

-Lani

What a lovely picture - I'm sure your fried will love it and appreciate the time and effort you have put in to such a thoughtful gift.

As to the french knots they are really easy when you get the hang of them. I'd recommend practising them on a spare bit of aida before putting them on the real piece.

Bring your needle up where the french knot needs to be - this might mean splitting the weave of the aida (like when you do a 3quarter stitch. Keep your thread taut but dont pull too tight. Wrap the thread around your needle 2 or 3 times (it will tell you in the instructions how many to do). Without altering the tension, put your needle back through the fabric just to the side of where you came up last time - make sure at least 1 'strand' of the fabric separates where you come up and where you come down. Gently pull the needle through while keeping the tension even and your knot should sit nicely on your fabric.

They can be quite tricky and a lot of people find colonial knots easier. For me I prefer these and the key is tension - it took me years to be able to get them right - because I didn't practice enough

Good Luck!

Your friend will love this. It is going to be lovely!

Arianwen wrote:Without altering the tension, put your needle back through the fabric just to the side of where you came up last time - make sure at least 1 'strand' of the fabric separates where you come up and where you come down. Gently pull the needle through while keeping the tension even and your knot should sit nicely on your fabric.

This was something I didn't know until I participated in Mabel's SAL a year ago. I thought you were supposed to go back down through the same hole you went up and my French knots were never consistent and only looked right occasionally. Mine still aren't perfect but soooooo much better than they used to be. And practice is important too. I still do a few practice knots before stitching them on my fabric.

Carole

What a lovely little picture that is and so beautifully stitched too. Well Done. I am sure you will master French knots in no time at all.

That's looking beautiful!

We all spend a bit on our stashes - but that's ok. There are way worse things to spend money on. Stitching gives us all hours of pleasure.

You'll be an expert in French knots. Mine aren't perfect, but again, that's ok.

What a nice little stitching piece. I can't wait to see more updates.

Very pretty start - I'm looking forward to more updates.

As for French knots - I almost always substitute a Colonial knot. The effect is the same, but for some reason the Colonials are easier for me.

What a pretty picture you are stitching, your friend will love it. As for French knots, I should have practised first for my Geisha picture & intend doing that on spare bits of Aida. I forgot about the Colonial knot. I have heard about it but as I mentioned in my stitch along, my French Knots became Welsh Whirls! Look forward to seeing this pretty picture when completed.