Page 22 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

16 THE ULTIMATE book of dEcorATIvE knoTs

that is perfect, near-perfect, or an interpretation.
Do try to remember that this is supposed to be fun. Knot: any confusion such as crossings, bights
Once it stops being fun, you can stop and come back or loops in a piece of line, creating an object or
to it later. shape.
The second most popular question is ‘How long Knittle: a small bundle of cords pulled
did it take to make that?’ If you are making it for together.
yourself or for a demonstration, the question is not Strand: a single section of line, cord, fibre,
quite as important, but for a novice, it is important plastic, leather, wire, or other flexible material.
to know how much time making something takes.
Time is a common measure for many people and
the question of how long it takes to make something Working Surfaces
can be translated to ‘How much time will this take Buy a board with a clip mounted at the top. This
away from something else I want to do?’ so that will serve as an excellent working surface. Another
the person asking can relate to what involvement useful surface is corkboard or very firm fibreboard,
they want to have or whether it is better to have to which you can anchor your work using T-pins.
someone else make the piece – maybe you! It also If you have to keep your piece under tension, try
enables the person to place a value on what is being setting a temporary clamp or vice on the edge of a
offered – if it takes an expert ten minutes to make table (use cardboard or folded newspaper to protect
something then some people will relate that to what the table surface), and use that vise to pull against
they consider an appropriate hourly rate to be for to keep the tension even. You might even try adding
the craft or art and determine what value they would a clamp to your belt and then attaching your piece
place on the finished article. Something that took to that clamp so that you can lean a little of your
you eighty hours to make may not have the same bodyweight against it. I use a piece of 18 x 24-inch
value for the buyer, because they perhaps do not fibreboard when I must (most of my pieces I make in
realise the time it takes to make something like this hand), which is large enough so that I can just prop
and they may be unaware of its complexity. it on my lap and lean it against a table with a good
Here are some common terms you should know light over my shoulder.
that appear regularly in this book: The chair I use is an upright dining room chair
with nothing on it (arms, leg-braces, etc.) to snag
the line (very important). This type of chair is just
O/U: over-under, referring to the working comfortable enough for me to sit in for about forty-
end’s movement in relation to the cord it five minutes before I have to get up and stretch, walk
meets. about, and perhaps have a cup of tea before getting
W-end: Working end – the end that is doing back to work. If I am working on a rail or a wheel
the majority of movement through the knot. rim on a boat or anywhere outdoors, I try to make
St-end or s-part: standing end – the part of sure I have an umbrella, hat, or some other shade to
the cord that does not move when forming the keep me out of the sun and rain. Whatever you use,
knot. make sure it is comfortable and that, no matter how
Bight: Generally a 180-degree bend in a line. comfortable it is, you get up and stretch at least once
however, not all bights are 180 degrees. an hour.
Loop: an immediate crossing of one part of a
line over itself. Tools to Use
Crossing: Where one line crosses over a A pricker is probably the most useful tool. It is used
different line, or different length of the same line to pull line, rope, cord, or twine through your knot
(such as later in a knot’s construction). work so that the tension on each piece is sufficient
to ensure a smooth appearance. It will certainly