If your French knots keep falling through to the back of your fabric, this hoop is for you. Twelve little flowers and a lot of practice fill a soft green background with a charming meadow. I designed this little piece specifically to help you master the tension of your knots while making something pretty to hang on your wall.
Quick Facts
- Skill level: Beginner friendly
- Finished size: 5 in (13 cm) diameter
- Hoop: 5 in (13 cm) wooden embroidery hoop
- Fabric: Sage green linen-cotton blend, 9 in x 9 in (23 cm x 23 cm)
- Stitches used: French knot, straight stitch
- Time to make: 3 to 4 hours
What Makes This Hoop Special
The meadow consists of twelve individual flower heads perched on simple straight stitch stems. Each flower is built from a tight cluster of French knots in warm yellow, soft coral, and crisp white. The sage green background gives it a modern, natural look that sits well in any room.
Finished Size
The embroidered design measures 5 in (13 cm) across and fits comfortably inside a 5 in (13 cm) wooden embroidery hoop with a 1/2 in (1.3 cm) safety margin all the way around the edge.
Materials You Will Need
- Sage green linen-cotton fabric: 1 piece cut to 9 in x 9 in (23 cm x 23 cm)
- Wooden embroidery hoop: 1 piece, 5 in (13 cm)
- Embroidery needle: Size 5 sharp or crewel needle
- Embroidery scissors: 1 pair
- Water-soluble transfer pen: 1 pen
- DMC embroidery floss:
| Colour Name |
DMC Number |
Strands |
Used For |
Skeins |
| Moss Green |
3011 |
3 |
Stems |
1 |
| Coral |
352 |
6 |
Flower centres and petals |
1 |
| Pale Yellow |
3823 |
6 |
Flower centres and petals |
1 |
| Bright White |
Blanc |
6 |
Flower petals |
1 |
Stitches Used
French Knot
- Bring your needle up through the fabric from back to front at your desired point.
- Hold the working thread taut with your non-dominant hand about 2 in (5 cm) away from the fabric.
- Wrap the thread around the needle tip 2 times from front to back.
- Insert the needle back down into the fabric about one thread away from where you originally came up, keeping the wraps snug against the needle.
- Pull the working thread gently through to the back while holding the coil in place until the knot pops tight against the fabric.
Straight Stitch
- Bring your needle up from the back of the fabric to the front at your starting point.
- Push the needle down into the fabric at your ending point to create a single, flat line of thread.
- Pull the thread all the way through, keeping your tension even so the stitch lies flat without puckering the fabric.
Transferring the Design
Draw your design directly onto the right side of your sage green fabric using a water-soluble transfer pen. Start by drawing a light circle that matches the inner diameter of your 5 in (13 cm) hoop so you know your boundaries. Inside that circle, sketch twenty vertical straight stems of varying heights, starting from roughly 1 in (2.5 cm) above the bottom edge and reaching up toward the top third of the circle. At the top of each stem, draw a small circle about 3/8 in (1 cm) wide to mark where your French knot flower heads will sit. You can tape your fabric to a bright window with the source photo behind it to trace the layout, or simply sketch your own random scattering of stems and flower heads freehand.
⚠️ Note: Keep your pen marks light so they wash out easily when you finish stitching.
Stitching Instructions
Stems
- Thread your needle with 3 strands of Moss Green (3011).
- Work the vertical stems from the bottom up using simple straight stitches. Vary the heights so the meadow looks natural and wild, with stems ranging from 3 in (7.5 cm) to 4 1/2 in (11.5 cm) tall.
- Secure your thread neatly on the back as you finish each stem.
✅ Checkpoint: All twenty stems should be stitched firmly before you move on to the flower heads.
Flower Heads
- Thread your needle with 6 strands of Coral (352), Pale Yellow (3823), or Bright White (Blanc).
- Cluster French knots tightly together at the top of each stem to form rounded flower heads. Use 5 to 7 knots per flower.
- Mix up the colours across your stems: stitch 4 coral flowers, 4 yellow flowers, and 4 white flowers, distributing the colours evenly across the hoop.
- Go down exactly one thread away from where you came up for each knot to prevent them from slipping through the weave.
✅ Checkpoint: You should have a total of 12 fluffy flower heads sitting atop your green stems.
Finishing the Hoop
- Mist your finished embroidery gently with lukewarm water to dissolve all the purple transfer pen ink, then let the fabric dry completely flat on a clean towel.
- Press the fabric face down on a soft towel with a warm iron to smooth out any creases without crushing your knots.
- Centre your stitched design inside the 5 in (13 cm) wooden hoop, tighten the screw securely, and trim the excess fabric around the back leaving a 1/2 in (1.3 cm) margin.
- Whipstitch around the raw edge of the fabric at the back of the hoop and pull it tight to tuck everything neatly out of sight.
Tips and Variations
- If your French knots keep slipping to the back, make sure you are wrapping the thread around the needle twice and holding the working tail taut until the very last second.
- You can easily adapt this little wildflower arrangement to decorate the corner of a linen tea towel or the front pocket of a canvas tote bag by skipping the hoop and working the design in a regular handheld frame instead.
FAQ
Why do my French knots keep falling through to the back?
You are likely pulling the working thread too loosely while the needle goes down, or you are putting the needle back into the exact same hole you came out of. Always insert the needle one thread away from your entry point.
Do I really need to use all six strands of floss for the knots?
Yes, using all six strands gives the knots enough thickness and body to look like plump little flower buds against the background fabric.
Can I wash the finished embroidery?
Yes, the DMC floss colours are colourfast. Just use cool water and mild soap, dab it gently with a towel, and let it dry flat before putting it back in the hoop.
Happy Stitching!
I hope you enjoy stitching this little meadow as much as I did. Save this pin on Pinterest so you can find it later when you need some relaxing stitch time. If you make one, I would love to see it: send me a photo through the contact page.
