Page 82 - Des Pawson "Des Pawson's Knot Craft" 2 edit.

KNOTCRAFT 2009:Layout 1 23/10/09 12:17 Page 81

KNOT B O ARD NOTES

glass
frame
fillet strip

backing board
clip
glass
frame

fillet strip

backing board
clip
frame glass

spacer fillet strip

screw backing board
special piece of work that acts as a focus. I like to show the knots at
work where possible, ie bends joining together, hitches to a rod. I
only use ‘bits of brass’ etc to show the working of a knot, eg a block
on a thump mat or a miniature bosun’s call on a miniature lanyard.
For the knots you can use any material you like. I prefer to use
either flax or cotton, varying the size for different knots, usually using
3mm for the main knots and the same or possibly smaller for the
mats, the finest line I can get to hitch a miniature bottle, about 1.5mm
if I do some decorative hitching round a rod. The Turk’s heads round
that rod can be in 2 or 2.5 mm. Splices need to be made in larger
material to be seen, so use 6 or 8mm rope. It looks best if all the ends
are whipped. I use the finest waxed whipping twine, occasionally
using coloured twine, perhaps to match the felt background.
Naming the knots is another problem to be solved, individual
brass tags are expensive and it can be cheaper to buy in bulk, but
you are then restricted to the same knots. You could use a
computer to generate your labels or handwrite them. I stick these
labels in place with polystyrene cement. Test your glue on a scrap
piece of felt and paper first.
Don’t forget to sign and date your finished knot board. One day
it will be a piece of history.

81