Page 14 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

8 THE ULTIMATE book of dEcorATIvE knoTs

yarns. Those yarns are subsequently twisted in the
opposite direction into strands. Then the strands
are twisted together, again in the opposite direction,
into lines or cords. The final twist may be described
as left laid (known in the trade as S-laid because its
strands appear to follow the stroke of the letter S) or
they may be right-laid, which is the most common
form (also known as Z-laid). You should note that
cords may be simply described on the store shelves
as twisted; you should examine this yourself to
determine the way in which they were constructed.
When a cord is described as braided, or as ‘braid
on braid’ (or even as single or double braid), again
this refers to the form of construction. Braided for decorative work. Leather is the hide of an
lines and cords are made with twisted fibres that animal, such as a cow, deer, or kangaroo (serious
have been paired, tripled, or quadrupled in groups leatherworkers prefer kangaroo leather, which ranks
as yarns, after which the yarns are braided over and first in workability and durability). The gauchos of
under each other in two directions, one group to South America and the cowboys of the American
the left, and one group to the right. The expression West used rawhide instead of the tanned hide
‘braid on braid’ refers to the fact that a braid lies to produce some very strong leathers. However,
inside the hollow core of another braided line. A rawhide requires special lacquer or wax finishing to
fibrillated cord is made from shorter fibres that preserve the leather because, if it is water-soaked,
have been artificially created out of a normally it will soften and deteriorate quickly. The thickness
continuous piece of extruded polymer. A similar of the hide will determine where it is used and how
description, spun cord, is used for lines made from much wear it can take. When tanned, leather is both
normally continuous extrusions that have been pliable and strong. It can even be carved, which is a
made into shorter fibre lengths for spinning into separate subject area and one that we do not cover in
cord. Fibrillated and spun cords have a softer feel to this book. After constructing a decorative knot with
the hand. tanned leather one should treat it with neatsfoot oil
Let’s take a look at the types of materials with for conditioning, and mink oil for waterproofing.
which you will be making your decorative knots! Varnish or other hard finishes are usually not
appropriate for tanned leatherwork. Seen above
Leather are photographs of leather strips in suede, sold in
Leather, specifically split leather hide, is one of craft stores for beading, but eminently suitable for
the oldest cords used for practical lashings and beginning decorative knotting.

From left to right: Single braid in AmSteel Blue UHMWPE (a type of polythene), Manila Z-laid line
(right-laid), Hemp S-laid line (left-laid) and double braid on the right in polypropylene. Notice the
over-two under-two structure of the yarns.