Comparison
French knot vs colonial knot: which knot should you use?
French knots and colonial knots both make a small raised dot. A French knot wraps the thread around the needle; a colonial knot wraps it in a figure eight, which gives a slightly larger, rounder knot. Many stitchers find the colonial knot sturdier and easier to get right. They're interchangeable, so use whichever works for your hands.
Side by side
French knot and colonial knot compared
| French knot | Colonial knot | |
|---|---|---|
| How it's wrapped | The thread twists around the needle, once or twice | The thread wraps around the needle in a figure eight |
| How it looks | A small, neat dot | Slightly larger, rounder and more raised |
| How it holds | Secure when the thread is kept taut until the needle is through | Often described as the sturdier of the two |
| Size depends on | Strands and wraps | The thickness of the thread |
| Known for | Everyday embroidery | Candlewicking, an American tradition |
In a finished piece, the two look much alike. Needle 'n Thread calls them interchangeable: the choice comes down to which one you find easier and which suits your thread.
How to make a colonial knot
- Come up. Bring the needle up where you want the knot. Hold the needle in one hand and keep the working thread taut with the other.
- Hook the thread. Lay the needle against the working thread and slip its tip under the thread, pointing away from you.
- Wrap a figure eight. Bring the working thread over the needle tip and around it, so it crosses itself in a figure eight.
- Go down close by. Put the needle tip back into the fabric very close to where it came up.
- Snug the knot. Pull the working thread gently so the knot slides down the needle and sits firmly on the fabric.
- Pull through. Keep the thread taut and push the needle through to the back, then pull the rest of the thread through.
Which one for your project
- Pick one and stick with it in a piece, so all the dots match.
- A curly coat packed with knots works in either. If your French knots keep pulling through, try colonial knots.
- Freckles on a muzzle, dots on a bandana or flower centers: either knot, in 2 strands.
- For a bigger dot, use more strands or a thicker thread instead of extra wraps.
The step-by-step for the other knot is in how to do a French knot. For long, coiled knots, try the bullion knot.
Common knot problems
- The knot pulls through to the back.
- For a French knot, go down a thread or two away from where you came up, not in the same hole.
- Loose, loopy knots.
- Keep tension on the working thread until the needle is all the way through.
- Knots in different sizes.
- Use the same number of strands, and the same wraps, for every knot.
- The needle sticks in the wraps.
- Try a milliner (straw) needle. Its eye is no wider than its shaft, so it slides through the wraps.
Questions people ask
Which knot is easier for beginners?
Many stitchers find the colonial knot easier to get right, because the figure-eight wrap grips the needle. Others learn the French knot first. Try both on a scrap and keep the one that works for your hands.
Which knot holds better?
The colonial knot is often called the sturdier of the two, less likely to loosen. A French knot holds well too, as long as the thread stays taut until the needle is all the way through.
Do they look different?
Only a little. The Royal School of Needlework describes the colonial knot as larger, rounder and more raised than the French knot. In a finished piece, most people can't tell them apart.
How do I make a bigger knot?
Use more strands or a thicker thread. Piling on extra wraps tends to make a messy knot.
Sources: Royal School of Needlework Stitch Bank: Colonial knot · Royal School of Needlework Stitch Bank: French knot · Needle 'n Thread: The French knot vs. the colonial knot