Page 208 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

202 the ultimate book of decorative knots
A few of the many forms of weaving patterns
around the centre of the koko, known as the hanai
or middle of the bag.
chiefs, the rest being returned to the commoners.
Visiting sailors are thought to have influenced the
making of these knots, although this has neither
been proved nor disproved. Certainly there are
similarities between the knots used by sailors and
those appearing on the koko, but that is not proof in
and of itself.
Another element of netting and woven materials
is the making of woven or wrapped rope objects
in native cultures. Again, this is increasingly rare,
but the South Pacific Islands have proven once
more to be a treasure trove of findings of this
kind. An acquaintance of mine recently returned
from a diving trip in Polynesia, where he saw and
purchased the wall hanging on page 203. The shape
is somewhat startling and reminds me of a sea
creature with water washing around it, or possibly
the effects of the wind. It is made of what appears to
be handmade manila cord of varying sizes, formed
of left-laid strands that have been twisted, wound,
and/or braided to form the overall piece.
Let us take a look at how to create some
decorative netting by examining the knots that may
be used, one by one. Obviously the artistic creations
with which you derive your own works will be in
the form of your own imagination, just as the piece
shown here. You will need to lay out your work first
on paper and identify there what forms of knotting
or hitching you want to create. The netting you
make may be like the hanai patterns or you may tend
more toward the Polynesian. Whether you include
several knots or one principal form of knot or hitch
is entirely up to you depending on what you think
you might like to make. The knots and hitches will
usually involve one or two pieces of cord, rarely
three. The basic forms that one might use are,
however, forms of knotting that have been used
for centuries and will still be used centuries from
now by people all over the world. When you add to
these some simple Half Hitches or round turns and
wraps, you will have a good start on your artistic
endeavour! There are four basic styles of knotting
where two cords are joined together to form netting.
They are:
Carrick Style
Celtic Style
Sheet-Bend Style
Square-knot style