French Knitted Knotted Coasters: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Cutest DIY Coasters You’ll Ever Own
There is something deeply satisfying about making something functional with your own hands. When that something also happens to be charming, quick to complete, and uses up your yarn scraps, it feels like a small creative miracle. French knitted knotted coasters are exactly that kind of project — the sort of thing you make on a Sunday afternoon and end up gifting to everyone you know by Christmas.
If you have ever used a French knitting doll (sometimes called a knitting Nancy or a spool knitter) as a child, you already have a head start. If you haven’t, don’t worry for a moment. French knitting is one of the most approachable textile crafts there is, and by the time you finish reading this post, you will have everything you need to know to get started.
What Are French Knitted Knotted Coasters?
French knitted knotted coasters are made by first creating a long, tubular i-cord using a French knitting doll or a knitting loom, and then coiling and knotting that cord into a flat, circular coaster. The finished result looks like a woven knot — intricate and intentional, the kind of thing people pick up off your coffee table and ask where you bought it.
The beauty of this project is in that contrast: the process is repetitive and meditative, almost hypnotic, and yet the finished object looks impressively complex. The knotted coaster design gives each piece a slight three-dimensional quality, with the coils of knitted cord sitting just above and below one another to create texture and visual interest.
They are also incredibly practical. The thick, soft cord absorbs condensation from cold glasses, protects your table surfaces, and washes easily. Made in cotton or cotton-blend yarn, they hold their shape through repeated laundering and get softer with every wash.
Why You’ll Love This Project
Before we get into the how-to, let’s talk about why this project deserves a permanent spot in your crafting rotation.
It is genuinely suitable for all skill levels. Children as young as seven or eight can manage French knitting with a little supervision, and complete beginners will find the technique easy to pick up within minutes. At the same time, experienced crafters will appreciate the meditative rhythm of it and the opportunity to experiment with colour combinations, yarn weights, and finishing techniques.
It is also an excellent scrap-busting project. You do not need large quantities of yarn for a single coaster — a relatively small amount of yarn goes a long way when it’s being knitted into a dense, tubular cord. This makes the project ideal for using up leftover skeins from bigger projects or working through a yarn stash that has quietly gotten out of hand.
French knitted knotted coasters make wonderful gifts. They are handmade without being overly precious, useful without being boring, and personal without requiring you to know exact measurements or preferences. A set of four or six coasters in coordinating colours, tied together with a bit of twine, makes a thoughtful housewarming present, a lovely birthday gift for someone who has everything, or a sweet addition to a hamper.
And finally, they are just fun to make. There is something genuinely enjoyable about watching the knitted tube emerge from the bottom of your knitting doll, coiling down and growing longer with every round. It’s the kind of craft you can do while watching television, listening to a podcast, or sitting in the garden on a warm afternoon.
What You’ll Need
Gathering your materials before you start will make the whole process feel smoother and more enjoyable. Here is what you need for this project.
Yarn: Cotton yarn works best for coasters because it is absorbent, washable, and holds its shape well. A DK or worsted weight (also labelled as 8-ply or 10-ply) gives you a satisfying, chunky cord that works up quickly. Avoid very slippery yarns like bamboo or viscose for your first attempt, as they can be trickier to handle on the knitting doll. You’ll need roughly 30–50 metres of yarn per coaster, depending on your tension and the size you want to make.
A French knitting doll: These are widely available from craft stores, toy shops, and online retailers. They typically come with a small hook or needle for lifting the loops. If you don’t have one, you can also use a small knitting loom with four or five pegs, or even make your own version by hammering small nails into the top of an empty thread spool.
A blunt tapestry needle or darning needle: You’ll need this for weaving in ends and securing the coaster once you’ve formed the knot.
Scissors: A sharp pair for cutting your yarn cleanly.
A crochet hook (optional): Some people find it easier to lift loops using a small crochet hook rather than the hook that comes with the knitting doll. A 3mm or 4mm hook works well.
Pins and a blocking mat (optional): If you want your finished coasters to be perfectly flat and even, blocking them is a great final step.
How to French Knit: A Quick Refresher
If you are brand new to French knitting, here is a quick overview of the technique before we move on to the coaster instructions.
Thread the tail of your yarn down through the central hole in your knitting doll, holding it at the bottom so it doesn’t slip through. Bring the working yarn around the outside of all four (or five) pegs in a clockwise direction, wrapping once around each peg. This is your foundation.
Now bring the yarn around the pegs a second time, so each peg has two loops on it. Using your hook, lift the bottom loop on each peg up and over the top loop and over the peg itself, dropping it into the centre. Work your way around all the pegs. You have just completed your first round.
Continue wrapping the yarn around all the pegs, then lifting the bottom loop over the top loop on each one. As you work, the knitted tube will begin to grow downward through the centre of the doll. Pull it gently downward every few rounds to keep the tension even.
That is essentially all there is to French knitting. The more rounds you complete, the longer your cord grows. Most people find they can maintain a good rhythm within just a few minutes.
Making Your French Knitted Cord
For a coaster of approximately 10 centimetres in diameter, you will need a cord of around 100–120 centimetres in length. For a larger coaster closer to 12–13 centimetres, aim for 140–160 centimetres of cord. These measurements will vary depending on your yarn weight and tension, so it’s worth knitting a test cord and playing around with the knot before you commit to a specific length.
Work your French knitting until your cord reaches the desired length, keeping your tension consistent throughout. If you are making a set of coasters, it helps to count your rounds rather than just measuring, so each coaster in the set comes out at the same size.
When you have reached your desired length, it is time to cast off. To do this, cut your yarn leaving a tail of about 20–25 centimetres. Thread this tail onto your tapestry needle. Lift each loop off the pegs one at a time, threading the needle through each loop as you go. Once all loops are on the needle, pull the tail through gently and snug them together. This closes the end of the tube neatly.
Weave in both the cast-on tail and the cast-off tail into the tube using your tapestry needle, so they are hidden inside the cord.
Forming the Knotted Coaster
This is the part that transforms a humble length of knitted cord into a beautiful, knotted coaster. It looks complicated, but once you do it a couple of times, you’ll find the process becomes intuitive.
The knot used for these coasters is essentially a flat overhand knot, sometimes called a pretzel knot or a Turk’s Head knot, depending on how many times you coil and pass the cord. For a classic knotted coaster, you are aiming for a knot that creates three or four interlocking loops lying flat.
Start by laying your cord on a flat surface and forming a loose loop, crossing the right end over the left to create a simple overhand loop. Take the right end and fold it back to create a second loop that sits to the right of the first. Now weave the left end of the cord over and under the loops in an alternating pattern — over, under, over, under — following the natural path of the knot.
Pull both ends gently and evenly to tighten the knot, coaxing it into a flat, circular shape. Work slowly and don’t rush this step. If the knot starts to twist or bunch, loosen it and begin again. The goal is a flat, even disc with no puckering or lumps.
Once you are happy with the shape and size of your coaster, use your tapestry needle to weave the two tail ends into the body of the coaster, hiding them completely among the coils of the knot. A few small stitches on the underside of the coaster will help secure everything in place and prevent the knot from loosening over time.
Tips for Getting Great Results
A few small adjustments can make a big difference to the quality of your finished coasters.
Keep your tension consistent while French knitting. If you wrap the yarn very loosely on some rounds and tightly on others, the resulting cord will be uneven, which makes forming a neat, flat knot more difficult. Take a moment at the start of each crafting session to remind yourself of your preferred tension.
Choose your colour combinations thoughtfully. A single colour makes for a clean, minimalist coaster that works in any interior. Two colours — either twisted together or used for separate sections of the cord — create a more dynamic look. If you want to use two colours simultaneously for a marled or speckled effect, hold both strands together and treat them as a single yarn while French knitting.
Block your finished coasters if they are not lying completely flat. Wet them thoroughly, squeeze out the excess water, and pin them flat on a blocking mat. Leave them to dry completely before unpinning. This step makes an enormous difference to the professional appearance of the finished piece, particularly if you are making them as gifts.
Make a small test coaster before committing to a full set. Use a short length of cord, practice forming the knot, and get a feel for how much cord you need and how tightly you like the finished knot. It is much better to work this out on a 20-centimetre test piece than to discover your cord is too short or too long after you’ve spent an hour knitting.
If you are making multiple coasters to give as a set, try to use the same yarn from the same dye lot and work at the same tension throughout. This keeps the coasters consistent in size and appearance, which matters when they are sitting together on a table.
Colour Inspiration and Yarn Ideas
Part of the joy of this project is the opportunity to play with colour. Because each coaster uses a relatively small amount of yarn, you can afford to be adventurous and try combinations you might hesitate to use on a larger project.
For a coastal or Scandinavian-inspired aesthetic, try pairing a natural undyed cotton with a soft blue, grey, or dusty sage. For a warmer, more eclectic look, earthy tones like terracotta, ochre, and rust work beautifully together. If your home decor leans toward the bold and maximalist, don’t shy away from bright, saturated colours — a set of coasters in jewel tones makes a stunning statement on a plain wooden table.
Striped coasters are also possible if you change your yarn colour partway through knitting the cord. Simply tie on a new colour at any point, weave in the ends, and continue. The colour transition will spiral naturally through the knot when you form the coaster, giving a subtle, winding stripe effect.
In terms of yarn brands, any good cotton DK or worsted weight works well. Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, Paintbox Simply DK Cotton, and Drops Paris are all popular choices among crafters who make these coasters regularly. If you are using stash yarn, check the fibre content — a cotton-acrylic blend is perfectly fine for coasters and will be even easier to wash and dry than pure cotton.
Caring for Your Coasters
French knitted knotted coasters are wonderfully low-maintenance. For everyday care, simply wipe them down with a damp cloth if they get wet or marked. For a deeper clean, pop them in the washing machine on a gentle cycle in a mesh laundry bag, using cold or warm water. Lay them flat to dry rather than tumble drying, which can cause cotton to shrink or lose its shape.
If your coasters lose their flatness after washing, a quick press with a warm iron or a brief re-blocking will restore them. Place a damp cloth between the iron and the coaster to protect the yarn fibres.
Over time, with repeated washing and use, the cord may soften and the knot may relax slightly. This is completely normal and is, if anything, one of the charming qualities of a handmade textile object. The coasters will continue to do their job beautifully.
A Project Worth Making Again and Again
What makes French knitted knotted coasters so enduring as a craft project is the combination of accessibility and reward. You don’t need to be an expert crafter. You don’t need expensive tools or specialist materials. You just need a knitting doll, some yarn, and a free afternoon.
And yet the results are genuinely lovely. These are coasters that hold their own on a styled coffee table or a rustic kitchen bench. They look handmade in the best possible way — considered, crafted, and full of the small imperfections that give handmade things their personality.
Make one for yourself. Make a set for a friend. Make a pile of them for your next market stall or craft fair. However you choose to use this project, you are very unlikely to make them just once.
If you give these a go, we would love to see how yours turn out. Share your makes over on Instagram and tag us so we can admire your colour choices and your beautiful knotted coasters. And if you have any questions about the technique or the materials, drop them in the comments below — we are always happy to help.
