This week the challenge stitch is French knots. This stitch is one that some people find difficult but I have a tip or two.
If your knot pops through the fabric, you are not leaving a large enough gap where the thread emerges from the fabric and where it goes back into the fabric. When you follow the directions for French knots that I have published here in step 2 make sure you take the needle back into the fabric a couple of threads away from where it came out. Dont put it back into the same hole.
Second tip is to use milliners needles as they are the secret weapon in creating not only French knots but Bullions too. I have the image here hoping that people take notice of this tip.
Any of the knotted stitches are best worked with milliners needles or straw needles because most embroidery needles have an eye that is wider than the shaft of the needle. Milliners or straw needles have an eye and shaft that are the same width which makes sliding the wrapped bullion or French knot along the needle easy. I hope these two tips lead to pleasant stitching experiences!
Once again the challenge is:
For new hands to learn the stitch
Or
If you are an experienced stitcher take the stitch and push it a little further in a creative manner or combine this stitch with one of the stitches already covered in TAST 2012. If you have worked a sample in a previous challenge feel free to post a link in comments as it will inspire people but if you have time do try another sample and do something different and new!
How to join in
Stitch a sample, take a photograph of it, put in online in your blog, flickr site or on Stitchin Fingers page, swing by here and leave a comment with your full web address so people can visit and see your sample.
Any special rules?
There are no rules but I do have a request, please link back here.
Interesting work will be featured
Each week I will feature samples that participants have stitched order to draw attention to creative and interesting work. This means some work will be re-published. I will credit and link to the owners website but I assume that when you leave your link here, I have your permission to feature your work. If you do not want your work to be featured please say in the comment, you leave and I wont include it.
Further information
If you need further information on the challenge a list of stitches covered so far or directions on how to participate please visit the TAST FAQ page.
You can read back through TAST articles by browsing Challenges - Take a Stitch Tuesday category
Other groups and networks
You can also share your explorations with other members on the social network site of your choice. There is a Facebook TAST 2012 page, stitchin fingers group and the flickr TAST site. All these sub groups are set up at request of members.
This area of silk ribbon embroidery is on block 61 of the I dropped the Button Box Quilt. The flowers and leaves are made up of leaf stitch, with the centre of the flowers made of French knots. I then added some little blue butterflies that are novelty beads. Sprinkled through out are french knots worked in hand dyed cotton thread.
