Page 370 - The Ashley Book of Knots

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CHAPTER 30: FLAT OR TWO-DIMENSIONAL

KNOTS

... are those which by a peculiar Name to a Ship are called Mats. /

Boteler's Dialogues, circa 1634 ,

Mats are used aboard ship for chafing gear. They are nailed to the

deck at gangways, thresholds and companionways, and, where

needed, to rails and spars. They are employed to take up the thump

of jib sheet and traveler blocks and they appear alow and aloft

wherever wear or galling is to be expected.

Platted, woven and thrummed mats are also used in chafing gear

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but these will be dealt with in Chapter 4 I. In this chapter only mats

that are tied as knots will be shown.

Many of the FLAT TWO-CORD LANYARD KNOTS of Chapter 8 will

serve well as mats, and the PRIEST CORD KNOTS, which are given in

this chapter, are also a variety of LANYARD KNOT, tied in double

parallel cords.

Mats make most satisfactory hot pads for the dining table, stove

lifters for the kitchen, and cushion covers for hard-seated chairs.

Frogs are two-dimensional knots that are appliqued on overcoats,

pajamas and uniforms. These are commonly tied in gold braid or in

colors and attain their full splendor on the uniforms of the band-

master, the ringmaster and the college drum maj orette.

A flexible wire needle (~99L) is an excellent tool for matmaking,

but a packing needle with a dulled point is better if the material is

small, and with anything so large as priest cords, fingers will be

found the best tools of all.

The first mats to be discussed are a variety termed "BASKET WEAVE

KNOTS" in which the weave throughout is alternately over one and