Stitch guide · Texture and details

How to do a bullion knot

A bullion knot is a long, coiled knot made by wrapping the thread many times around the needle, then laying the wraps flat on the fabric between two holes. Use single bullions for curls, petals and rosebuds, or pack them together for thick, curly texture. It takes practice, so try a few on a scrap first.

Level Intermediate
Also called Bullion stitch, Coil stitch

Use it in a pet portrait for…

Tight curls on a poodle, a doodle or a bichon, packed close together.
A curly topknot, or the curl of a tail.
Bullion rosebuds in a flower crown.

How to do it, step by step

Come up at 1 and go down at 2, as far away as the knot will be long. Bring the needle tip back up at 3, in the same hole as 1, and leave it there. Wrap the thread around the needle until the wraps would reach from 1 to 2, hold them, pull the needle through, lay the coil down and go down at 4.

Odd numbers: come up from the back Even numbers: go down

Come up at one end of the knot.
Go down at the other end, as far away as you want the knot to be long. Bring just the tip of the needle back up through the first hole and leave the needle there, with a loop of thread on the front.
Wrap the thread around the needle tip, close to the fabric, again and again.
Push the wraps together and lay them down to check: they should cover the distance between the two holes. Add or take off wraps until they do.
Pinch the wraps gently and pull the needle and thread through them. Then pull the thread back toward the far hole, so the wraps lie down flat in a neat coil.
Go down through the second hole to hold the knot in place.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

The wraps loosen or unravel.: Keep a thumb lightly on the wraps while you pull the needle through, then pull the thread along the line of the knot, toward the far hole, not straight up.
The needle won't pull through.: The wraps are too tight or the needle's eye is too wide. Use a milliner (straw) needle, whose eye is no wider than its shaft, and roll it gently as you pull.
The knot humps up or curls.: There are more wraps than the space between the holes. Take a few off, or make the gap longer. Extra wraps on purpose make a curved bullion for rosebuds.
A messy, lumpy coil.: Wrap in the same direction every time, and stroke the wraps into place with the needle before you go down.

How many strands?

Two strands make a fine bullion, three or more a plump one. Use a milliner needle long enough to hold all your wraps.

Embroidery floss comes as six thin strands twisted together. Cut a length from your fingertips to your elbow, pull out the strands you need one at a time, and lay them back together (DMC’s guide to stranded floss).

Questions people ask

Why does my bullion knot keep unraveling?

Usually the wraps aren't held while the needle pulls through, or the thread is pulled straight up instead of back toward the far hole. Hold the wraps lightly with your thumb and ease the thread along the line of the knot.

What needle is best for bullion knots?

A milliner, or straw, needle. Its eye is no wider than its shaft, so the wraps slide off easily. Pick one long enough to hold all your wraps.

How many wraps do I need?

Enough to cover the distance between the two holes. Lay the wraps down before you pull through to check, then add or take away a few.

Can I use bullion knots for curly fur?

Yes. Short bullions packed close together, each turned a slightly different way, look like tight curls. French knots give a similar look with less fuss.

Sources: Royal School of Needlework Stitch Bank: Bullion knot · Needle 'n Thread: Bullion knots and thread twist · Needle 'n Thread: Milliner needles and bullion needles