French Knot

Intermediate Embroidery

A small, raised knot formed by wrapping thread around the needle before pulling it through, used for decorative dots and texture.

Bring the needle up through the fabric at the point where you want the knot.
Holding the thread taut with your non-stitching hand, wrap the thread around the needle 2-3 times, close to where it emerges from the fabric.
Keeping the wraps snug on the needle and the thread still taut, insert the needle back down into the fabric very close to, but not exactly in, the point where it came up.
Holding the wraps in place with your fingers, pull the needle and thread through to the back, letting the wraps slide down onto the fabric to form a compact knot.
Secure the thread on the back before moving to the next knot.

Keeping steady tension on the thread the entire time, from wrapping through to pulling the needle down, is the single biggest factor in a neat, tight knot.
More wraps make a bigger knot; most patterns use 2-3 wraps for a standard-sized dot.
Inserting the needle right next to, rather than exactly into, the starting point keeps the knot from pulling straight through to the back of the fabric.