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INTR ODUCTION

to make the various things that I have around me, so here are the
basic designs, their size and which knots and sennits are used to
make them. I give you a list of materials and their lengths and
sizes, and I have made the lengths very slightly generous because
all materials vary in the way they make up, and each craftsman’s
knotting tension differs. You may well wish to adjust the material
lengths to suit yourself and your favourite cordage. The stated
materials and knots will make what I describe, but it is always
possible to make items using bigger or smaller line. It can help to
keep a record of any variations, because the more information
you have the better your guesses will be in the future.
As this book is a Recipe Book rather than a-how-to-tie-knots
book (there is a good list of these at the end of this book), I have
simply named the knots and sennits that go to make up each
item. This in itself can lead to a degree of misunderstanding, as
many knots have more than one name, so in most cases there is
a simple aide-memoire for the more specialised knots or
techniques. Rather than repeating them every time they crop up
in a design, you will be referred to the page with the illustration.
These are my designs, the knots put together in the way I
prefer, but there is no reason why you should not mix and match
to create your own designs. Cordage is a versatile medium, and
a joy to use for creating all sorts of things.
The aim of this book is to give you the confidence to start
making things with knots; it is the book that will make other
knot books work for you.

HAPPY KNOTTING.

Des Pawson

Acknowledgements

My special thanks to Ann Norman who has turned all my scribbles
and bits of rope into such clear diagrams and enhanced the book
with her special illustrations. The book would be nothing without
them. She never once complained at my request for any
modifications or tweakings, being always happy to get things right.
Any error that may be found is my responsibility.

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