Bullion Knot Stitch

Bullion Knot Stitch

Hand embroidery stitches / Stitch Dictionary

Bullion knot stitch sample 7

People either love or hate bullion knots but I am in the love them camp! They are one of those hand-embroidery stitches that can be tricky to work so if you have trouble with them do take time to read my tips.

packet of milliners needles

Tips before you start Bullion Knot stitch 

The main problem associated with working bullion knots is that people use the wrong needle. I suggest you try milliners or straw needles. Why these particular needles? Most embroidery needles have an eye that is wider than the shaft of the needle, which means any stitch that wraps the thread around the needle often runs the risk of getting too tight to pull the thread through.

Milliners or straw needles have an eye and shaft of the same width, which makes sliding the wrapped bullion knot along the needle easy. Try it, as it does make a difference!

Where do you get Milliners needles?  Specialist needlework shops will or should stock them. If you are not near a needlework store, you can buy Milliners Needles online (this is an affiliate link which means if you shop here I get a small commission but that is not why I recommend them!)

Another tip is to wrap your thread in a clockwise direction. For most threads, this will mean you will follow the natural twist of the direction in which it was spun. If your thread untwists as you wrap your bullion, it means the thread was spun in the opposite direction to most threads on the market. This would include some rayon threads. In this case, wrap your bullion in an anti-clockwise direction.

Simply put, wrap clockwise most of the time but if for some reason this untwists your thread wrap anti-clockwise.

If you have trouble with stranded threads getting a tangle, try a twisted thread like cotton perle #8 0r #5.

Some people get a little tense and wrap too tight. Then, while still on the needle hold the bullion between thumb and first finger and gently rub the bullion back and forth in your fingers to loosen the wraps slightly before you pull the needle through.

Also, stretch the fabric in a needlework hoop or frame so that you have both hands free to work the knot. If you need advice on wrapping a hoop and what size to choose, skip over to this tutorial on how to bind and use an embroidery hoop.

When you start to use bullion knots in your embroidery, start with a simple 4 or 5 wrap bullion. Then, as you master those, add more wraps.

Bullion knot stitch sample 1

Bullion knot is also known as bullion stitch, caterpillar stitch, coil stitch, grub knot, knot stitch, post stitch, Porto Rico rose and worm stitch.

How to work Bullion Knots

step by step tutorial on how to work bullion stitch 1

Bring the thread from the back of the fabric and insert the needle a short space away, pointed towards the place that the thread emerges from the fabric. The distance between these two points determines the length of the knot.

step by step tutorial on how to work bullion stitch 2

Wrap the thread around the needle five or six times. Do not cross the wraps on the needle, instead, make sure the thread coils up the needle. The coil of thread on the needle should be the same length as the distance between where the needle emerges and exits the fabric.

step by step tutorial on how to work bullion stitch 3

Pull the needle through the coil, while holding the coil between your first finger and thumb. See the photo below. This grip of the coil will keep the bullion knot smooth and prevent it from knotting in on itself. Pull the working thread up and away from you.

step by step tutorial on how to work bullion stitch 4

As the coil tightens, change the direction that you are pulling the thread and pull it to towards you.

step by step tutorial on how to work bullion stitch 5

If the bullion bunches or looks untidy pass the needle under the bullion and rub it up and down the length of the bullion to smooth the coils out. Stitchers call this ‘rubbing the belly’ of the bullion.

step by step tutorial on how to work bullion stitch 6
step by step tutorial on how to work bullion stitch 8

When smooth, take the needle through the fabric at the point where the thread first emerged. The coil of thread — which is the bullion knot — should now lie neatly on the surface.

Bullion knot stitch sample 3

There are many applications for this stitch. For example, the body of this praying mantis is made up of Bullion knots.

Bullion knot stitch sample bullion roses

You can also make hand embroidered bullion roses. I worked these in wool.

Bullion knot stitch sample 4

When you combine bullion knots in floral sprays, they can be very effective. In this sample, I tucked them between the forks of Alternating Up and Down Buttonhole 

Bullion knot stitch sample 6

Bullion Knots are ideal to tuck into the fork of feather stitch and its varieties.

Here is a small seam I covered with feather stitch on Block 77 on my I Dropped the Button Box Quilt. I added Bullion Knots across the top of the bar. I created both the feather stitch and the bullions using cotton perle # 5 thread.

Crazy quilt detail 507
Bullion knot stitch sample 8

Crazy quilters love this stitch, as it can add texture to a seam or band of embroidery.

Crazy quilt block detail 514

 Here bullions of 25 wraps surround beads. You can see the block where this detail sits here on Crazy Quilt Block 78

Bullion Knot is one of those hand embroidery stitches that is fun and interesting. Once mastered, they are fun. I know they do take a little practice but they are well worth learning and enjoying!

Thread Twisties!


Experimenting with different threads can be expensive. You would normally have to buy a whole skein of each type of thread. My thread twisties are a combination of different threads to use in creative hand embroidery. These enable you to try out stitching with something other than stranded cotton. For the price of just a few skeins, you can experiment with a bundle of threads of luscious colours and many different textures.

These are creative embroiders threads. With them, I hope to encourage you to experiment. Each Twistie is a thread bundle containing silk, cotton, rayon and wool. Threads range from extra fine (the same thickness as 1 strand of embroidery floss) to chunky couchable textured yarns. All threads have a soft and manageable drape. Twisting them around a needle makes experimental hand embroidery an interesting journey rather than a battle.  Many are hand dyed by me. All are threads I use. You may find a similar thread twist but no two are identical.

You will find my thread twisties in the Pintangle shop here.

75 Comments

  1. Sharon, thank you for the precise and complete directions and pictures you provide for all the stitches. They are so helpful to those of us who struggle…everything is so clear. I so appreciate that you are helping me improve my stitches and learn new ones. I recently retired from teaching at 77, and am anxious to indulge in my love for embroidery. You are so kind to share your God-given talents and gifts with so many of us.

    Lori King
    Reply

      1. Denney – the mantis was adapted from a pattern in an old inspirations magazine – like really old early 2000’s maybe. Sorry I can not be more precise but at the time I adapted it heavily

        sharonb
        Reply

  4. Conquered the bullion stitch!!! Thank you so much. I switched to a size 9 milliners needle ( I had avoided that needle because of the tiny eye, but the right threaded solved that problem) with my 12 wt. floss and my bullions are gorgeous. I ‘be been able to get up to 15 wraps so far.

    Lynn Manchester
    Reply

  20. My attempts of the Stitch:
    http://summersofindia.blogspot.in/2012/05/bullion-knot-stitch-1.html
    Thank you Sharon for giving us this opportunity . For people like me who juggle between work and home and constantly travelling, TAST is one thing which keeps me away from depression and loneliness. I always look forward to next challenge hoping to do something more than what I did before.
    Yes many a time I may not be able to do much, but looking at others work motivates me and gives me many ideas.

    Ms Sharma
    Reply

  67. I have subscribed to pintangle via email and also Take a Stitch Tuesday. Each time I do, it says I am already subscribed, but I never receive the information. Any help would be appreciated.

    Rita
    Reply

    1. Sorry to hear you are having troubles Rita. There is only one subscription via the email link in the right hand margin. Have you checked your spam filter as it possibly going there. I have also written you an email

      sharonb
      Reply

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