Page 220 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

214 the ultimate book of decorative knots

A sample of Turk’s Head Knots, each of a different number of leads.
Note the over-one, under-one pattern of each of the leads, which are shown here in pairs.

we will focus on, not the method of achieving it – we leads (parts) are in pairs as here, or singly, tripled,
will leave a discussion of the method of making any quadrupled, or whatever.
TH Knot until later. This final appearance has been The number of bights present is not independent
likened to a continuous weave or braiding, but the of the number of leads, but is in accordance with the
obsessive among knot-tyers will deny its existence table previously shown, if each TH Knot is made
as a braid. No matter – to the untrained and yet still- with one cord.
appreciative eye, it does look like a continuous braid,
but one where the braid has neither any discernible
start nor any discernible finish, unlike a braid that cylIndrIcal turK’s Head
has both start and finish. Knots
Let’s look at how to count the number of leads With that universal explanation out of the way, at
in a TH Knot, as this seems to present the greatest least for the moment (we will come back to this
confusion for the beginning knot-tyer. later), let’s start by making a TH Knot of three
Here, on the previous page, is one sample each leads and four bights (also labeled here as 3L4B), a
of a TH Knot with three leads, four leads, five leads, so-called Square TH Knot. It is called this because
and six leads. Don’t concern yourself with the the number of leads and bights differ only by one in
number of bights for now. The leads are all doubled number; hence, a 3L4B, a 4L5B, a 5L4B, or a 6L5B
(a second part of the original cord length is run are all Square TH Knots, or as near as TH Knots of
continuously from the beginning, parallel and to one strand can come to an equal number of bights
the same side of the original lead), in this case only and leads. Its other common name among knot-
so that they can be seen more readily against the tyers is a Casa TH Knot (used when created for
background. Note the horizontal line on the tube horse tack or when worked in leather or ribbon). We
and imagine cutting through the threads along that will start by making one as a cylindrical knot using a
line. In doing so you would cut through three pairs, transparent tube in place of our hand, so that we can
four pairs, five pairs, and six pairs, left to right, as see the other side of the knot as we build it. If you
you proceeded. Those pairs are the leads and that prefer to use your hand, don’t forget to turn your
is how they are counted and labelled, whether the hand over once in a while to see the other side.