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KNOTCRAFT 2009:Layout 1 23/10/09 12:17 Page 90

BA GG YWRINKLE
The late Tom Berry, mat maker from Appledore in North
Devon, used Baggywrinkle stitched round the outside of a rope
mat to give an interesting border, and there is no reason why you
should not do the same. It will also make a fine mane on a
dummy horse for the ‘poor old horse’ ceremony, held by sailors
when they have worked their pay advance and have progressed
to earning actual wages.

MATERIALS Plenty of tarred marline 2–3mm in diameter or
synthetic line of a similar size. You do not want
this to rot
Offcuts of 3 or 4 strand rope, cut to lengths of
150–300mm (6–12inches) depending on how
bushy you want your Baggywrinkle
Historically it would have been made of a natural
fibre; hemp is fairly soft and of course manila and
sisal are a little stiffer, however there is no reason
why you should not use a synthetic. Choice of
fibre may depend on what old stuff you can lay
your hands on, and it is of course it is fine to use
new rope but it seems a bit of a waste unless the
end user demands new rope

KNOTS USED Overhand or thumb knot
A Tucked Thrum, based on the form of the cow
hitch

METHOD
Unlay the rope into its strands fixed points, such as stanchions,
and then, if you want, unlay or posts or hooks. The points
again down to the yarns. These can be less than 4 m apart if one
short pieces are often called end has the extra yarn wrapped
‘thrums’. round it. Put a piece of wood
Take 2 lengths of perhaps with a notch at both ends
4–6m of the marline, put them between this pair of lines to keep
side by side and tie them them apart, and aid with the
together perhaps 300m from the tucking of the thrums. Lay the
end. This will be the tail that will thrum underneath the pair of
be used to attach your lines, pull the ends up to get the
Baggywrinkle to the shroud. middle, then tuck them both
Stretch this fairly tight between 2 down between the pair of lines.

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