Eve asks: The pattern notes that the taggim can be created with a straight stitch and a french knot. Can we use colonial knots instead? Some people find them much easier to execute and from a distance, they’re near identical.

A: Colonial knots are a great option if you enjoy doing them.
Eve further suggests a page from the website of Mary Corbet on the two knots:
http://www.needlenthread.com/2012/06/the-french-knot-vs-the-colonial-knot.html