The French Knot

The French Knot frightens the bravest of the brave.

I just posted the instructions for the French Knot This stitch terrorizes most of us. And now I know that it is just as frightful to try to explain.

I used the compass to give clarity to this stitch.  The basis of the idea came to me from a class I took at the Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery Guild. And in turn the instructor learned this method from Gayl Ratigan another embroiderer from the guild. And maybe she learned it from someone else. The line of succession may be vast and unclear or maybe she came up with this genius idea on her own.

Drum roll please! She used the face of a clock to better explain your needle placement from step to step. For me this did make it easier to avoid a knotted up stomach and and my hair tangled with fear!

Whether you use a clock or a compass the result is the same - less confusion. I hope that I did a good job and that the instructions are clear. And I'd like to thank all the women from my childhood to this day for sharing their ways of doing things. Thank you Gayl!

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