Make a Bullion Knot stitch & 3 easy bullion embroidery designs

bullion knot

Bullion knots are one of the most versatile stitches in the whole Hand embroidery stitch types repertoire. They are used in almost all types of embroidery techniques – be it cutwork, Brazilian embroidery, lacework, wool to wool embroidery. It is a staple decoration on smocking designs. You can see bullion roses on all the kids’ finely made dresses. In all your embroidery work, there are always places where you can use a bullion knot – as leaves, as buds, making petals for flower stitch embroidery, as grass, eyes for babies, as the handle of a cup and many more.

Checkout the other knot stitches ( about 8 of them) here.

Which needle is used to make bullion knots ?

You need a long needle with a small eye. Many experts swear by the milliner needle, which fits this description. Milliner needle has a very small eye, making it easy for the knot to slip out of it easily. But any needle with a relatively small eye ( not much wider than the diameter of the needle) would do.  

There are people who make 100s of coils on these needles – for those long long bullion knots you need a long needle – you will progress to that soon.

How many strands of thread should I use for making bullion knot ?

There is no guideline as such. But 3 strands is ideal for me for small flowers. You can thread 6 strands for thicker bullions. If you are using a Perle cotton thread or rayon floss, use just that one strand.  

How to make a Bullion Knot Stitch?

Step 1

You need to thread three strands of thread on the needle . Knot the thread at the end . Come up from the back of the  fabric to the face of the fabric ( A in the picture)

how to sew a bullion knot stitch

Step 2

Put your needle down at B a small distance from A (this depends on the length of bullion knot you want) and come back up again at C (about  one thread near A).

bullion embroidery

You will now be near the  thread (near A where you first came up). Do not pull the needle through, leave it in the fabric as shown.

Step 3

Wind the thread around the needle many times. You should guesstimate how much would fill the area between A & B. Too many and your bullion stitch will end up curled.

bullion knot stitch embroidery

If you are using a glossy Rayon thread with an Z-twist  the thread must be wrapped clockwise around the needle; otherwise, the thread plies may separate.

Step 4

Gently bring up the  needle through the coils.

bullion stitch

Pull the needle up and then bring down the coils gently with your hand  till the bullion is correctly formed in the end

bullion stitch

Put down the needle at B to secure the bullion knot. At all times, make sure that the coils are even. If not, use your hands to smooth them and stack them properly on the thread so that they all fall neatly. 

Sometimes it may seem as if you have made a mess. But the magic of bullion knots is that, however messy it may seem , it is salvageable to a beautiful bullion knot with the stroke of your hands and gentle pulls. 

3 Easy Bullion stitch embroidery designs

Drawing and working on designs that use bullion stitches are very easy. You just need to draw a general outline, and the stitch will fill it nicely with its own contours, twists and turns, and the three-dimensional effect. I have here three simple, easy-to-make designs which are made this way.

 1. Bullion stitch rose embroidery design.

bullion embroidery

Make the middle of the flower with french knots or two bullions in a light color.  

bullion embroidery

Start making small bullion knots around the center in a light color (darker than the middle), overlapping the previous one slightly.

bullion embroidery

After two or three layers , change the colour to a darker shade

bullion embroidery

Make small leaves on either side with granitos stitch. 

bullion embroidery

  2. Bullion Stitch 8 petal Flower

Again the outline is drawn

bullion stitch embroidery

Center of the design is filled with 10-12 french knots

bullion stitch embroidery designs

Make Bullion Knot coils resembling the petals all around the center, two of them touching  at the tip

bullion stitch embroidery designs

bullion knot stitch embroidery designs

You can fill the leaf with satin stitch. With satin stitch, unless you are very, very careful, the edges need to be sorted out. An outline of the back stitch or split stitch would do very well.

bullion knot stitch embroidery designs

bullion knot stitch designs

  3. Bullion Knot Wildflowers 

bullion knot stitch embroidery designs

Make three bullion knots in white on the top of the flower drawing. 

bullion stitch embroidery wildflowers

Surround them with more knots in a different colour. Two or more layers.

bullion stitch embroidery from wildflowers

And then more.

bullion stitch embroidery wildflowers

Fill the leaves with blanket stitches. 

bullion stitch embroidery

bullion knot stitch embroidery

bullion stitch design

Bullion knots are also known as coil stitch and caterpillar stitch for obvious reasons. The best thing about the very versatile bullion knot stitch is that it is very easy to make, though it looks anything like that to a beginner. Take heart and practice.

Related posts : How to stitch embroidery flowers; How to stitch 3 Dimensional embroidery flowers  ; How to stitch cast on embroidery stitches

tibbon embroidery flowers

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Author: Sarina Tariq

Hi, I love sewing, fabric, fashion, embroidery, doing easy DIY projects and then writing about them. Hope you have fun learning from sewguide as much as I do. If you find any mistakes here, please point it out in the comments.

15 thoughts on “Make a Bullion Knot stitch & 3 easy bullion embroidery designs”

  1. Teri H

    I’be been embroidering on paper and find your tutorials so helpful. Pictures tell a thousand words!

    Reply
  2. Anonymous

    I love this website! You have taught me so many embroidery stitches that I use on a regular basis, like on pillow cases, blankets, & clothes. I especially like the bouillon stitch. So thank you, thank you, thank you!
    Sincerely, Winona

    Reply
    • Thank you Winona

  3. Janel

    Marvelous! Thanks so much! Explains in pictures, just what I needed.

    Reply
  4. Alina

    I try really hard to learn the Bullion knots but it was not possible. I try Youtube, etc but still no change. Then one of my friends told me about this site, it was very helpful the pictures and the text to put.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Alina

      the text you put*

  5. BA Walker

    I have been a hand embroiderer for years, mostly self-taught, but find your tips most helpful in increasing my knowledge. Thank you for your generosity in posting so much useful information. I do have one comment though, I tried printing some of your great tips out and it will only print page one of anything; so I need to inquire if you have written a book with all this information in it???? If so, I would be very interested in adding it to my library.

    Reply
    • Sarina

      Hi BA Walker
      So happy to know my tips helped you. Thanks for leaving the comment. I am afraid I have no book. You can bookmark the site and refer any time you want : )

  6. saru

    I really thank you for giving a detailed procedure is got to know everything to do

    Reply
  7. Abbie Laurene

    Hi thank you so much. I have tried many other how to’s ( like Donna) and I finally got it, as well. This one is the most easy to follow and the pictures really help.

    Reply
  8. Donna

    I don’t know how many different how to I’ve tried for the bullion but I finally got it with this. Thank you:)

    Reply
    • Sarina

      Hi Donna
      Thanks for writing this – I am so happy to know this has been of use to you

  9. Gamze

    Wow..time to start embroidery I want to learn more about this craft..

    Reply
  10. Andreana

    I hope to learn a lot from you thank you

    Reply
  11. Gaya

    I like the instructions, thanks

    Reply
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