My First Bucilla Felt Stocking Kit: French Knots

Perhaps one of the embroidery stitches that I hear gives Bucilla kit makers the most trouble is French knots. I’ve now tried my hand at this knot, and they are tricky to keep consistent. But after some online research and a lot of practice, I think I’ve got it.

The key, I think, is that a French knot is a two-hand job. I found setting the felt I’m embroidering on a table worked best for me, so I could have two free hands. Of course practice makes perfect, and I practiced many, many French knots on scraps of felt. Here are step-by-step instructions with illustrations.

STEP 1: Tie a few knots at the end of the floss and pull it up through the felt at the spot you want a French knot.

STEP 2: Hold the floss a few inches from the felt with your left hand (if you are right handed), and the needle with your right hand.

STEP 3: Wrap the floss around the needle a couple of times (using your left hand). If you want a bigger knot, you can wrap the floss around the needle three times.

STEP 4: Still holding the floss with your left hand, point the needle down near the same spot you came up.

STEP 5: While pulling the needle through the felt, keep some tension on the floss with your left hand. This helps keep the knot tight. But, if you pull too hard with your left hand, it will be difficult to get the needle through the knot. (I found keeping the right amount of tension to hold the floss is probably the hardest part of making consistent French knots.)

STEP 6: Keep pulling the thread down, until . . . .

STEP 7: You have a French knot!

If all else fails, some customers choose to use a bead in lieu of a French knot on a Bucilla kit. But, if you use two hands and hold a little tension on the floss as you pull, I think you’ll get the hang of a French knot in no time.

I am still working away on my Jolly St. Nick kit. It’s been fun watching Santa come to life!

My next blog will be on how to add a name to your Bucilla Christmas stocking. - Kirsten