TAST Week 16 - French Knots
Hello all! Another familiar stitch this week - French knots, so, again, more from the archives as I get on with the sampler in my actual stitching time (will post on that in a couple more days).
Lots of people have trouble with French knots. On Sharon's TAST post for this week, she mentions the common pitfall of putting the needle, basically, back in the hole it came up through. I've done that too, but that wasn't my major problem. I had the needle facing the wrong way when I wrapped the thread and it was Sir who figured it out from the diagrams in one of my stitch books!! How many of you ladies have been taught a stitch by your hubby??
This first one is a lovely stylized shoe from the now defunct 'Needlecraft' magazine that I worked as a wedding sampler for a young couple back in 2004. It was one of my earliest freestyle pieces and contains a fair few knots, both of the French and the bullion variety. You can see smaller ones on the lower left hand side section and larger knots made with more strands of cotton and more wraps around the top.
Many will remember this piece from the last post when I used the section just underneath to show some stem stitch sections. The real attraction of this sample though, is the mass of French knots in varying colours and sizes all across the top and down the whole left hand side. Knots are done in varying numbers of strands and also in coton à broder, not just regular stranded. They're used for both flowers and leaves too.
Here's a small section of my cross stitch narrowboat from late last year showing how French knots can be used to good effect to create texture on the very flat surface of cross stitch.
Lastly, this one isn't so easy to make out as it looks like just chipping. Well, I own bright check purl in silver and gold, but not in pink, so the pink lumps you can (just about) see are French knots worked in Coats Reflecta thread. Yup, this is a close-up of one of the pieces featured in my header photos.
Hope that's provided some inspiration and enjoyment.=)
Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2012
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11 comments:
Elizabeth, I loved the masses of knots in the garden. The red knots are very inspiring. ;)
Excellent work. I like the second one very much.
Shami.
Www.shamiatcraft.blogspot.com
All are very nice Elizabeth. You are always an inspiration. I had no idea you had such a good teacher ;-)
That shoe is gorgeous!
French knots are very useful, but as you say, they can be just a bit difficult to get the hang of!
Still, you made a good job of them!
All beautiful pieces and wonderful examples of the French knot! Very nicely done.
The second sample is wonderful
these works are lovely. The last one is the flower on the front of your blog, isn't it ?
You show us so many way the French knot can be used. All beautiful.
Gorgeous knottiness!
Excellent beautiful, colourful and so nice.
viji
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