Page 321 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"
P. 321

ornamental  knots      315




                          There are many other forms of ornamental        some elegant pieces from Brian Fields, a former
                      knots that I do not cover. Much remains for you to   president of the International Guild of Knot Tyers
                      discover.                                           (IGKT) using instructions amended from his fine
                          Few things can convey the concept of            work in an IGKT publication called Concerning
                      togetherness better than a decorative knot. An      Crosses. Another true devotee of the flat knot is
                      untied or incomplete knot represents disharmony.    Skip Pennock of Maryland. He also committed
                      But when two strands act as one, gaining colour     his patterns to a publication of the IGKT in 2002
                      and shape, as well as inexorable binding, they      and has been very encouraging in helping others
                      become united in spirit. Wander for a while among   make similar woven flat mats and crosses. Crosses
                      these decorative and ornamental knots; browse       can also be made as a solid piece, as we see later
                      this sampling of work from around the world, in     courtesy of Patrick Ducey of the Pacific Americas
                      different fabrics, different colours, and different   Branch of the International Guild of Knot Tyers.
                      shapes. Harmony awaits!                             The shapes we share with you here of Celtic-based
                                                                          cross forms may be thought of as pagan, but really
                      CruCiform Knots                                     they are Celtic only and have long histories. Let’s

                      These are really braided knots, made from short     start the cruciform shapes with some regular
                      intersecting pieces, or arms, into the forms of     X-shaped pieces.
                      crosses, including the ‘X’, the Christian faith-based   These first few are from Brian Fields.
                      T-shaped cross, and even the Calvinistic cross with    A simple Carrick Knot Mat follows.
                      two sets of horizontal arms. I have reproduced





                     1         start with a clockwise

                               round turn, which is
                               then crossed over itself
                               to form the base start
                               of a Carrick Knot.









                      2        finish the Carrick Knot shape under, over, under,   3  Here the Carrick Knot shape is defined and

                                                                                  doubling has been started.
                               over, under.





                                                                          Note that the Carrick Mat Cross is built clockwise
                                                                          if you tuck the overhand knots as left-hand knots
                                                                          instead. Here the mat progresses anti-clockwise as
                                                                          each right-hand overhand knot is made.
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