Another "Knotty" Needlepoint Tale by Paula Schmidt
Posted on February 05 2013
It took me thirty years to make a bullion knot and now I just can't stop using them! Truth be told - I was going to take a class that I knew by it's description called for a pattern of bullion knots alternating with rows of French Knots and I was going to master this technique! Out came my books! I watched every video I could find on the internet! I called on every friend to demonstrate for me! All my efforts to no avail. Discouraged I sat down one night with a second glass of wine after dinner. Lo and behold - I needed to just relax - and there in the privacy of my own family room in my regular stitching chair without the benefit of videos or books I made my first bullion knots!
So bullion knots have become hair - the trunks of trees - the carrot nose on a snowman - with a single strand of floss and a beading needle a single piece of asparagus - and in clumps the horns of a Bighorn Sheep. Try them in patterns - they add amazing texture. Try them in different fibers. Use any overdyed thread for another amazing effect.
Let us know in the comments below how you mastered this technique.
6 comments
Paula, what needles and threads did you use in your practice? These are still mybpersonal bogeyman!
I love using French, Colonial and Bullion knots. All three are truly amazing stitches!
Enjoy!
What is a bullion knot? Can you show me some examples?
Please show a picture or video of a Bullion knot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The video was great. I was taught many years ago how to do this. Then, a teacher in Houston, taught me the faux bullion and I could not remember how to do the real one. Thanks for showing it so well, again.
the video is not operating – is it still linked?