Click on a knot to reveal how to make it
Granny Knots
The granny knot is a binding knot, used to secure a rope or line around an object. It is considered inferior to the reef knot, which it superficially resembles. Neither of these knots should be used as a bend for attaching two ropes together.
When attempting to tie a reef knot, it is easy to produce a granny knot accidentally. This is dangerous because the granny knot can slip when heavily loaded. A tightened granny knot can also jam and is often more difficult to untie than the reef knot. It is better to tie a reef knot in nearly all circumstances. One way to distinguish them is that in the reef knot each loop passes completely over, or completely under (not through) the neck of the other.
The reef knot is commonly taught as left over right, tuck under then right over left, tuck under. The granny knot is the first step repeated twice, left over right, tuck under. This is a very common mistake made by people learning to tie a reef knot.
Reef Knot
To tie a reef knot, tie a left-handed overhand knot and then a right-handed overhand knot or vice versa. (Two consecutive overhands of the same handedness will make a granny knot.) A common mnemonic for this procedure is "right over left, left over right", which is often appended with the rhyming suffix "... makes a knot both tidy and tight".The working ends of the reef knot must be cis (that is, both at the top or both at the bottom); the other lines lead to the full rope. Otherwise, a thief knot results. (The "cis" and "trans" terms are derived from terminology used to describe geometric isomerism.)
Thumb Knot
• This is the simplist knot of all. It is commonly use to temporarily "stop" the end of a fraying rope.
• The overhand knot is commonly tied in a bight formed at the end of a rope, forming the Overhand Loop.
• Tip. The Thumbknot jams easily so it is far better to use a Figure of Eight knot to stop the end of a fraying rope.
Bow Tie
The bowline is an exceptionally versatile knot. It is quick to tie (once you practice), it doesn't slip and it doesn't jam. It can be used to attach jib sheets to the jib's clew. It is a fast way to make a loop, and it can even be used to tie two lines together, though a double sheet hitch is probably preferred.Weavers Knot
The weaver's knot's characteristics--non-slip and a quick release--are valued not only by weavers but by climbers and sailors, too. The knot can be used whenever two cords are tied together or to fasten one cord to a loom part. Because it can't be tied under tension, it is a good knot when measuring the warp when you have a slack thread to work with. It can be tied with short ends, but not with very slippery threads, such as silk. It's slower to work than a square knot, but more secure and smaller. So if a square knot doesn't hold, try a weaver's or double weaver's.
There are several names associated with the weaver's knot, such as bowline and sheet bend. One of my previoius tips was the weaver's knot with "ears." Future tips will feature other methods.
How to undo any weaver's knot and know if you've tied it correctly
The key to knowing you've tied the weaver's knot correctly is to be able to release or undo it. To undo it, you want to straighten out the thread that makes the "U"in the completed knot. No matter which way you tie it, there is one thread in a U-shape and the other thread winding itself around the first. Pull on both ends of that "U" thread-in opposite directions-to unbend it and straighten it out. The squiggly portion can be slipped right off, and even the squiggles relax so you have two fresh threads when you're through.