The Battle of the Knots

If you've browsed embroidery patterns for more than five minutes, you've almost certainly encountered the French knot. It's a beloved staple — used for flower centers, dotted textures, animal eyes, and so much more. But there's another knot that deserves equal attention: the colonial knot. Both create a raised, rounded dot on your fabric, yet they're made quite differently and have distinct personalities on the finished piece.

How to Make a French Knot

The French knot is notoriously tricky for beginners but becomes second nature with practice. Here's how it's done:

  1. Bring your needle up through the fabric at the desired point.
  2. Hold the thread taut with your non-dominant hand and wrap it around the needle two times (some patterns call for one or three wraps — more wraps = larger knot).
  3. Insert the needle back into the fabric very close to — but not exactly in — the same hole you came up from.
  4. Hold the wraps against the fabric with your thumb as you pull the needle through to the back.
  5. Release slowly to form a neat, round knot on the surface.

The most common beginner mistake is letting go of the tension too early, which causes the knot to pull through and disappear. Keep that thread taut until the very last moment.

How to Make a Colonial Knot

The colonial knot uses a figure-eight wrap that locks itself more securely than a French knot. Many embroiderers find it easier to keep consistent:

  1. Bring your needle up through the fabric.
  2. Form a "C" shape with the thread to the right of the needle.
  3. Bring the thread up and over the needle from left to right, then hook it under the needle from right to left — creating a figure-eight loop around the needle.
  4. Insert the needle back into the fabric close to the starting point and pull through, holding the loop against the fabric as you go.

Key Differences at a Glance

Feature French Knot Colonial Knot
Shape Round, slightly loose Rounder, tighter, more raised
Size control Controlled by wraps (1–3) Controlled by thread strands
Difficulty Moderate — tension is key Easier to keep consistent
Best for Scattered dots, flower centers Dense fillings, textured surfaces
Back of fabric Small tail knot Cleaner, flatter back

When to Use Which

Choose a French knot when:

  • You need a soft, slightly irregular texture (like a bouquet of tiny flowers).
  • Your pattern specifically calls for them — they have a classic, traditional look.
  • You're embroidering animal features or scattered dot details.

Choose a colonial knot when:

  • You need to fill a large area with knots — the figure-eight holds more firmly under pressure.
  • You want a tighter, more uniform grid of dots.
  • You're working with heavier threads or wool.

Practice Makes Perfect

The best way to understand both knots is to stitch a sampler. Fill a small square of fabric with French knots, then another with colonial knots. Compare the texture, density, and how they feel to make. You may find you prefer one — or that you reach for different knots depending on the project. Either way, adding both to your skill set will open up a whole new dimension of texture in your embroidery work.