The Bullion Knot makes a nice bulky coil on top of the fabric. Use them to make flower pods, cattails, the curly wool of a sheep, or the crest of a bird. There are needles specifically made for stitching Bullion Knots. The examples below, however, use a regular embroidery needle.
Here’s how to make the Bullion Knot: Come up at point A with your needle and thread. Insert the needle tip about 1/4″ away at point B. Bring the needle tip back up at A but do not pull the needle through the fabric. Extend the needle about 1 1/2″ out at A.
Wrap the thread around the needle and hold the wrappings in place with your index finger. Wrap about 10 – 12 times for a Size 8 pearl cotton thread and a 1/4″ stitch.
When the needle is wrapped, grip the fabric and hold the needle with the wraps under your left thumb. Gently pull the needle and thread all the way through the wraps with your right hand. You want to keep the bullion wraps near the fabric at point A.
After the thread is pulled through the coil of thread, tilt the knot back toward B. Place a fingernail on the end of the wraps and tighten them up while pulling on the thread.
Insert the needle at Point B and pull the thread to the back of the quilt. Tie the knot off on the back of the fabric to keep it tight.