Counting clocks
Master French knots to recreate a delicate dandelion
YOU WILL NEED
■ Wooden hoop
■ Fabric of your choice
■ Stranded cotton in black, green,
white, yellow and orange
■ Embroidery needle
■ Air or water soluble pen
■ Basic sewing kit
NOTES
■ Turn to p141 for
the template
Although they can be tricky to start with, persevere with French knots as they’re a wonderful stitch to have in your repertoire. Use them individually for tiny details, as in the dandelion seeds above, or in groups for a different look – we made tiny flowers from clusters of 14- 16 French knots and used them to prettify the ends of a plain scarf. Both projects are a great way to practise!
HOW TO MAKE THE DANDELION HOOP
Step one Transfer the template onto the fabric. Step two Thread a sharp embroidery needle with a knotted thread. Hold the needle with one hand, and wrap the thread once around the needle. 1
Step three Take the needle partially down through the fabric, next to your starting point.
Keep the thread taut as you slide the knot down the needle to rest on the surface of the fabric. 2 Step four Pull the needle through the fabric completely to create a loop. As the loop tightens, it will complete your first French knot. 3
Complete the other French knots in the design. Step five Embroider the words and the dandelion stem using backstitch.
Step six When working clusters of French knots, work a central knot first and then work a series of other knots around it. Keep the French knots close together, to create a tight cluster. 4