A French knot, a "little frog" or "French" is a technique for creating three-dimensional compositions in cross-stitch and ribbons. They look very sophisticated and are used to decorate and complement embroidery. With the help of the French knot it is convenient to emphasize the details of the work, such as inscriptions, the eyes of the characters, parts of the colors. In addition, merry-go-rounds are used to form perspectives on large canvases. Pictures can be created entirely from French knots. The stitch itself looks like a bead of floss threads twisted in a special way. French is an ancient way of decorating embroidery that never goes out of style. You can perform it as a thread floss, and satin ribbons.
The history of the French
Surprisingly, the method of embroidery with volumetric stitches did not appear in France, as you might think, but in China. The French needlewomen only borrowed this technique, copying it from the eastern goods imported into the country. The stitch got its name due to its popularity among local craftswomen. They actively used it in decorating clothes, including for royalty. Little frolics add realism to the picture, emphasizes details, accents and adds volume to the image. But to create the perfect stitch will require a lot of practice and patience. First, you will need to complete several dozen of these knots in order to understand the principle of action and freely master this technique.
The use of frozels in needlework
It seems that the French knot in embroidery is simple to execute, but it will take some skill and effort to get it. When working in this technique, part of the embroidery becomes convex and acquires the 3D effect, unlike a cross that simply rests on the fabric. Some needlewomen use beads instead of the French knot, sewing them on their work. But this method can only be recommended if you cannot complete the stitch with this method. It’s better to work out and learn how to make them from threads, laying Frenchmen in a different way. Depending on the number of threads and the number of revolutions around the needle, the stitches can be of different sizes.
How to choose the optimal thread size?
To create a French knot in cross stitch, first we fix the thread on the wrong side of the canvas in any convenient way. The fabric on the hoop should be well stretched. Take an embroidery needle with a sharp end. It is important to choose the right size. The thinner the needle, the narrower the frozel will turn out. For very thin French knots, it is best to take a bead needle. The optimal length of the thread is conveniently measured with the elbow. It will be equal to the size convenient for work. Usually it is about 25-30 cm. Too long a thread will begin to get confused and will prevent you from making a beautiful French knot. Too short will often have to be changed. After fixing, we bring the needle to the front and carefully pull it out. The most important thing in the process of creating a stitch is to hold the thread with your left hand so that the entanglement around the needle is tight.
How to make a French knot in embroidery?
Now you need to make a loop from the mouline thread, and, holding the thread with your left hand, several times wrap the needle with thread. How large the knot will be depends on the number of turns. You can use almost any number. Having departed from the exit point by about a millimeter, we withdraw the needle inside out and begin to gently pull the thread, tightening the knot. It is important to ensure that the needle is perpendicular to the threads. When it is pulled through the hole, it should enter perpendicular to the canvas. Then the knot will be neat and even.
At this stage, it is important not to overdo it, otherwise the Frenchman will jump out. We do not tighten the thread to the end. The result should be a ball of floss. French knots can be obtained in various shapes, which is not always convenient. The height, depending on the number of threads and entanglement, will also vary. For example, when embroidering the eyes of characters, they must be the same. Therefore, needlewomen came up with different ways to replace this technique.
The number of additions to create a nodule
The more the thread is wound on the needle, the larger the stitch. For embroideries where it is necessary to emphasize small details, a thread in 1 and 2 additions is usually used - it all depends on the pattern that is attached to the set with embroidery. How to make a French knot and how many entwines to use should also be indicated in the diagram. It is simple to determine the required number of threads when working without a specific pattern: for a fine canvas, a floss in one addition is enough. For a denser material with large holes, a larger quantity will be needed. Usually 2-3 is enough to get a certain type of stitch. If you do not want to create nodules, you can replace them with an alternative option - winding threads through a loop. This method may seem quite painstaking, but allows you to create even stitches of the same size. To apply this option or not, you have to decide for yourself.
How to avoid broaches?
Sometimes French knots have to be done in an unstitched space on fairly transparent fabrics. Therefore, any, even small, broach on them will be noticeable. In order to avoid them, after the first fruselka is completed, the thread must be threaded through the embroidered places on the canvas. This will help hide an ugly broach. Several times we go under the already embroidered stitches to fix it, and then we put it in the place where the next stitch should appear.
An alternative way to create a three-dimensional nodule
An alternative to french - entwine the thread through a loop. To do this, we fix it on the canvas in the right place so that it does not fall out, and display it on the front side of the work. Then we make a loop, passing the needle under the thread, and then wind the same loops one after another until the ball of the mouline thread is sufficiently convex. After that, we remove the needle inside out, and we fix the thread or continue to work. This method of creating a volumetric stitch is simple, but very long. The effect obtained is in no way inferior to the French knot.