It’s possible you opened this blog feeling one of two things—either a little dread… or genuine eagerness to learn. And truly, I get both. New stitches can feel intimidating at first. But here’s something encouraging: even a 7-year-old can learn to stitch a French knot.
If you haven’t seen it, recently I shared a video of a 7-year-old who stitched French knots for the very first time! She had no preconceived notions of the stitch being hard, she just knew she wanted to stitch the design the way I said to do it. So with the help of our tutorial videos and her mom (who is also a brand-new stitcher) she did it! So if that feeling of dread is creeping in, I want you to know you’re not alone. And I also want to gently remind you that these stitches are absolutely within reach—with a little practice, patience, and a willingness to try.
The Hold Up
So what’s the most common hold-up when it comes to French knots? Honestly, it’s usually this: they rarely look perfect on the very first try. And that’s normal. This is one of those stitches where you might pull a knot out, try again, and repeat that process a few times before it clicks.
Another common struggle is tension. French knots are all about learning how much to hold your floss while you work. When you keep the thread snug as you wrap and pull the needle through, you’ll get a tighter, more defined knot. If you relax that tension just a bit, the knot becomes softer and a little fluffier.
Neither option is wrong—it’s simply about the look you want for your design. In many of my patterns, I’ll let you know whether a “tight” French knot or a “fluffy” French knot works best, so you don’t have to guess.
How It’s Done
If you’re a visual learner, start by watching our tutorial video here. We also have a few additional videos here, here, and here. Watch once, then watch again. After that, grab your fabric and practice right alongside the video.
If you prefer written instructions, here’s a simple breakdown:
Bring your needle up through the fabric where you want the knot to sit and pull the floss all the way through. Hold the floss in your non-dominant hand and place your needle under the floss. Wrap the floss around the needle one time for a single-twist French knot (or two times for a larger knot), keeping the floss snug but not so tight that it pulls on the fabric.
Bring the needle back down into the fabric right next to where it came up—not in the same hole. As you push the needle down, continue holding the floss snug so the wrapped thread slides down the needle and forms a knot against the fabric. Pull the needle through from the back, maintaining tension until the knot is set, then release and pull the floss all the way through.
A tighter hold creates a firm knot; slightly relaxing the tension creates a softer, fluffier knot.
What Can Help
If possible, using a hoop stand can make French knots much easier. Having both hands free helps you control tension more consistently and guide the knot into place without fumbling. That said—and you can see this in the video of the 7-year-old—you can absolutely make French knots without a stand. A stand simply removes some of the awkwardness, especially in the beginning, but it’s by no means required. It’s something to consider only if you find yourself really settling into embroidery and loving it.
Okay, friend—how are we feeling? A little overwhelmed? Ready to pull out that floss and start practicing? Either way, remember that French knots don’t need to be perfect. With patience, repetition, and a little grace for yourself, they become far less intimidating—and eventually, just another stitch in your toolbox.
