Page 152 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

146 tHe ULtiMAte Book oF DecorAtive knots

st mary’s hitching French Spiral, but it is also made with three strands
I am not certain of the origins of the name, but I instead of the single strand of the French Spiral. The
believe that it may have come from the largest island addition of the two strands helps to create, in effect,
of the Isles of Scilly, which lie off the southwestern a three-strand rope around the spiral. As with the
tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The French Spiral, this hitching may be made with left-
effect is even more pronounced than that of the handedness or right-handedness.

Take three strands of 4 Tighten the Half Hitch and prepare for the next

1 line and make a Half Half Hitch.

Hitch with each one.

5 make a second Half Hitch with the next strand

in the same manner. Tighten each as you go,
forming a ‘rope’ over the pole. Check after each
2 Take the nearest strand and pass it up, over and pass that the strand brought up is tightened,
in this case first by pulling to the right then by
pulling to the left, to bring it tight against the
previous pass.
to the right, ready to make a Half Hitch.

3 make the Half Hitch by passing the strand 6 repeat as needed. Here the turns are made to
the right, but could equally be made to the left.

behind the base and under itself.
The finished covering provides a raised decoration
on the rail, very handy for gripping!