k is for knots

When thinking up a good post for K, I started thinking about eyes. What? Let me explain. When I stitch the little faces that are on most of my patterns, I use french knots. But sometimes they can be a little wonky, so I've wondered if I should find an alternative stitch. Which is how I decided that K is for Knots.

French knots feel very normal for me to make, but I know that's not the case for everyone. Although I'd never made one before, I knew about colonial knots, and in my mind, I pictured several other similar knots. But after looking through many stitches, I was disappointed. Yes, there are lots of knots, but they all make bigger and more ornate stitches.

And so I set to comparing my two knots.



First, here's a regular French knot, stitched with six strands (which were a little twisty weird, causing that loose loop on the right), and wrapped two times around the needle.

I like the size and the familiarity.



Next I tried a colonial knot. This is actually my very first, officially documented here!

To make a colonial knot, you bring the floss up from the back, then make a sort of backwards "c" with the thread. Place the needle over the loose thread and under the thread that is coming up from the fabric, as you see in the photo.



Then, bring the floss over the needle to the top, then back under the needle towards the bottom. It kind of makes a figure 8 with the thread.



Pull the thread taut around the needle, and hold it as you push the needle down just adjacent to where the floss came up.



And there's a colonial knot, side by side with the French knot. A bit more compact, I think. I like it. But I'm thinking it wouldn't ever get any larger than this with regular cotton floss. Unless you wrap it looser? Hmm...

But what if you are just knot impaired? Or what if you want something flatter? Or just different? I thought I might try a knot alternative.



This is just a single tiny straight stitch, worked vertically.



And this is a second tiny straight stitch worked right in the same holes as the first, but on the right hand side.



And this is how it looks when you add a third tiny straight stitch on the left hand side to round it out. Compared to the colonial knot, it's smaller, but flatter and more even, I think. It's sort of like a double seed stitch, which I guess makes this a triple seed stitch! A very nice alternative.

But what about bigger?



This time I did almost the same thing as the "triple seed stitch", but made two slightly longer stitches in the middle. Then I made shorter stitches on the sides, and not quite in the same holes. Wait...now I'm practically satin stitching!

So what's my verdict? I declare my love for all of these! French knots are dear to my heart, but I can definitely see more colonial knots and smooth flat eyes in my future. Try them all out and let me know what you think!

PS: When is a knot not a knot? When it's not! Ha!