Page 93 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

SINNETS 87

number and arrangement of strands or cords, and
I encourage the reader to find them in some of the
books noted in the bibliography included at the back
of this book. Combinations of differently shaped
sinnet are very effective means of transitioning a
piece from, say, round to flat and back to round
again. Colour changes can be easily wrought by
introducing a new piece of cord from the centre of
the round sinnet and then cutting out or hiding the
replaced colour. In this way it is possible to have a
whole rainbow along a piece of sinnet for a stunning
visual. You might also try using sinnets as a base for
a lanyard, enhancing it perhaps with a Turk’s Head
or a Pineapple Knot to cover the splicing or joining
of the ends of the sinnet together. The piece of the
lanyard that circles the neck should have a flat cross-
section for comfort and, preferably, a breakaway
stitching in it someplace to prevent accidental
choking or strangulation if it is intended for a child
or a person working on or around machinery or any
other place it might get caught.

Flat SinnetS

This close-up shows some of the eighteen-strand Flat sinnets are really a type of braid masquerading
flat sinnet work, with Turk’s Head coverings, French under a different name. If you have ever braided
Whipping, Crowning, Over-two Crowning, Solomon your sister’s hair, watched your mother or aunt
Bar and Square Knot Covering made by one of braiding hair, or have braided a horse’s mane or
the ship’s crew on board Gloria, the steel barque tail, then you know the beginnings of sinnet work.
square-rigged training ship of the Colombian Navy.
Braids are usually made with three strands, woven
over and through (sometimes under and through)
sinnet is not really the centre of attraction; instead, the neighbouring strand pair. Because we do not
it is being used to enhance something else. If, normally start a sinnet piece at a single event, like
however, you are making the sinnet the centre of a head, neck, or tail, we have to start our sinnet
attention it will be perfectly acceptable to have an with our strings/cords attached together, either in
uneven appearance, so that you can highlight some a bundle or clipped together. Of course that means
feature of the sinnet more artfully. also that we could make a sinnet out of hair attached
As with most decorative work, it is your skills to a person or animal – it is just much more difficult
that will show through in the finished piece, so take to remove when it grows out a little – cornrows are a
your time to do a thorough job and do make sure good example of what happens when hair is woven
to practise first, so that you can become used to the into sinnet or braids. Sinnets are usually made with
way the sinnet works for you. Although Graumont four or more strands, and unweaving them when
and Hensel include more than 400 types of sinnet made of growing hair can present problems if not
in their Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope done carefully. Because flat sinnets are intended to
Work, I have included only three in this chapter: lie flat, then of course we need to clip or hold them
flat, round, and other shapes. There are many together with a flat clip. If you use a rubber band
more forms of sinnet, with a great variety in the or a Constrictor Knot you will find that it takes