French Knot Border Stitch

Time for another 100 Stitches Plus post.  This is the French Knot Border Stitch.  It is a composite stitch composed of two stitches - the Fly Stitch and the French Knot.   

While learning this stitch, I had a bit of trouble keeping my stitching size even.  I found that marking some guidelines really helped! 

I drew two horizontal lines 1/2" apart.  These will mark the top and bottom of each stitch.

The stitch is worked from left to right so I first came up through the fabric on the left end of the top horizontal line:

Next, I formed the Fly Stitch by going back into the fabric a little to the right of where my needle first emerged:

I pulled the thread through until a loop formed. Notice the loop is fairly loose: 

I brought the needle back up through the fabric right on the bottom parallel line, halfway between the spots where the thread very first emerged and where it went back into the fabric.  

Notice that the needle is going to pass up and 

over the loop.  I pulled the thread all the way through so that the loop was now snug against the fabric. 

If this were just the Fly Stitch then at this point, I would have made a Straight Stitch to secure the loop in place.  But for this composite stitch, the loop is secured in place with a French Knot.  I formed the French Knot and went back into the fabric right at the base of the loop:

I pulled the thread all the way through and that completes the stitch:

I started the next stitch just to the right of the first stitch:

and then just continued the previous steps all the way to the right edge of the horizontal lines:

This makes a beautiful border stitch!  According to the stitch instructions, this stitch is often used alongside simple line stitches to form a multiple border.  I am going to try that next!

Here is a look at the underside of this stitch:

This stitch is from the book Embroidery Stitches by Mary Webb.  

The floss I used is perle cotton - color variations no. 4200 by DMC.