Take a stitch Tuesday Challenge week 24

This week I am going to suggest every explores French Knots for the Take a Stitch Tuesday Challenge . Try it out with threads of different thread weights or fine silk ribbon. It is also terrific in combination with other stitches. So this week I am going to suggest people take any of the stitches that have been featured in the TAST challenge so far and combine them with French knots.

Some people have problems with this stitch. What I have found is that there are two major problems when people create French knots the first being that the knot disappears through fabric and the second a loose a loop appears on top of the knot

With French knots use a milliners needle as a milliners needle is the same diameter from point to eye and this means the thread will slide along the needle easily also use a hoop as this will help with any tension problems.

When you put the needle back into the fabric make sure it is a little way from where it came out of the fabric this will stop the knot disappearing to the back of the fabric.

The second problem is that a loop occurs on top of the knot. This is a tension problem so use a hoop and hold the thread taut with your other hand while being pulled through the knot.

This silk ribbon sample contains French knots worked in fine ribbon.

They make great 'fillers' in Silk Ribbon embroidery or can be sprinkled in contemporary embroidery pieces. They really are very versatile!

If you are enjoying this challenge you may be interested in my latest online class offered on Joggles.com. Sumptuous surfaces is a 6 week online course which will start July 11th. (Follow the link for more information.)

There is a Take a stitch Tuesday flickr group which you can browse

Enjoy your stitching week everyone and have fun with these!

Comments

[Judy]

Sharon,

What delicous samples these are, makes me wish I could crazy quilt but the hands won't take the sewing.

Judy.

[Pam Kellogg]

Hi Sharon,

I remember my grandmother trying to teach me how to do FK's back when I was about 8 years old. I finally got the hang of them about 5 years ago! I will attempt to write a tutorial on my technique for doing FK's this week.

Love your samples! They are so beautiful!

[matilda]

ciao sharon,
questo è uno dei miei punti preferiti.
credo che questa volta proverò a cimentarmi anch'io in questa sfida.
è un punto che mi piace usare anche con le perline e con il silk ribbon.

[sharkeysday]

You never cease to inspire me Sharon! Today I stitch!

[Tenar]

I'm sorry, no french knots yet, but a very belated crossed buttonhole stitch: http://tenar72.wordpress.com/2007/06/12/tast-21-crossed-buttonhole-stitch/
sorry for announcing it here, but I think back in the crossed buttonhole stitch thread no one would notice it.

Tenar

[Needlewoman]

I love your freehand french knot samples -- some more conventional samples are on my blog: www.readingandstitchinginil.com

Jenny

[doreeng]

Don't faint Sharon but I have done my Wheatear stitch sampler and have posted it on my blog.
Don't worry this weeks won't be late as French Knots are my absolute favourites.
Regards Doreen
http://doreeng.blogspot.com/

[matilda]

sul mio blog ho inserito una foto di un lavoro fatto tempo fa nel quale ho utilizzato il punto nodi con il cotone moulinè, i nastri di raso e di seta.

devo provare però a fare qualcosa che lo contenga molto di più.

[reneorgeron]

have placed my french knot samples in the flickr pool

http://flickr.com/photos/81133706@N00/

[fiberartchic]

finally getting a round to it (baby on lap) can you sign me up?

[Kay Susan]

Hi Sharon, super examples! My french knots are up on the blog and the flickr site.

http://smockery.blogspot.com/2007/06/tast-week-24-french-knots.html

[doreeng]

Hi Sharon
I have posted my French Knots sample on my blog
as well as a couple of embroideries I have done in the past.
Love those French Knots.
Doreen
http://doreeng.blogspot.com/

[Mary Anne]

I'm finally catching up after a couple of weeks off...my weeks 22 and 23 are on my blog

http://magpiesmumblings.blogspot.com

[Penny]

I have added my french knots to the bottom of the wheat ear i did last week to finish it off. i love french knots and once did a whole little scene using them. One day I would like to revisit but time is always a problem.
On my blog
http://backvalleyseasons.blogspot.com

[neki rivera]

hello everybody,
tast 23 and 24 have been uploaded at my blog http://amovablefeast.blogspot.com

cheers

neki desu

[Freddy]

Here are my samples of wheatear stitch and french knot. Thanks, Sharon!
http://www.isetegija.net/index.php?ind=blog&op=home&idu=2796&singlepost=16178

[vicki]

I've just updated my blog with some examples of embroideries using French Knots that I have done during the past year, including part of my latest project - a wallhanging which will include candlewicking. I love doing French Knots as you will see from the photos.

http://stitchnpatch.blogspot.com/

[meh1961]

I used only French knots for a small design but I used as many threads as I could find to help decide in future what to used. I work many French knots when doing flowers.
Margaret H.
http://lifeneedleworkandeverything.blogspot.com/2007/06/tast-24-french-knots.html

[Tenar]

I didn't do anything new for french knots because I'm not done with satin stitch and weatear, but I uploaded an old embroidery that has french knots in it here: http://tenar72.wordpress.com/2007/06/18/tast-24-french-knots/.

Tenar

[annie]

I posted my french knots last night...I did a couple of seams and used them for the fireworks in a cracker night scene. http://loopylace.com/anniescrazyworld/?p=492

[helend]

Here is a little sampler with french knots and experiments with buttonhole stitch on http://flickr.com/photos/helenad/569340932
and on the group flicker site

[Deepa]

Not exactly a sampler,but a Brazilian Embroidery project.There are french knots in there.

Regards
Deepa

[Deepa]

oops forgot the link again
Here it is

http://deepashome.blogspot.com/2007/06/french-knots-brazilian-embroidery-tast.html

Deepa

[Kate]

I've posted a bit about French knots here:

http://everydayrevelations.blogspot.com/

Kate

[Lynne]

Hate French knots but I've done them! http://faffingabout.blogspot.com/2007/06/tast-french-knots.html

[crazyquiltsusan]

Hi Sharon,
It's hard to beleive that we are halfway thru the year already!!!!!
I finally blogged my French KNot samples.
www.crazyquiltsusan.vox.com