Page 481 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

We are all of us familiar with the "spool" reins that are made by

children in parti-colored worsted. But fewer will know that this i~

the way that purses were commonly made so late as 1840, and that

crocheting was at that date just being introduced into England. Most

of the sinnets to be shown here, although the may be made with a

crochet needle, were first made either with ngers alone or else on

one of these spools, of which there are several sorts.

2868. CHAIN SINNET, also called monkey chain, monkey braid,

2.868 single trumpet cord, single bugle cord, chain stitch, crochet stitch,

and chain braid. This is one of the most universal of sinnet~ and is

employed for a variety of domestic purposes. It is often found in

gold on dress uniforms. It is used as a shortening on window-shade

and electric-light pulls and on aerial circus apparatus, where the

end is freed and pulled to ravel the sinnet when it is time to put the

rope to use. It is built up on a uniform series of single loops and is

completed by drawing the working end through the final loop,

which prevents raveling.

2869. Made with a series of hitches instead of loops, the chain is

handsomer, thicker, possibly stronger, and certainly more shipshape.

28 , C)

2870. The method is sometimes used when larger and stronger

cordage is needed than is quickly available. One end of a long cord

or string is held and wound by a second person while the maker

with alternate hands sticks a finger through the loops in turn and

hooks a bight each time, and with a constant swinging of the arms

makes a chain of long loops as rapidly as the other person can wind.

This threefold chain is then tripled in the same manner that the

single cord was, after which the. operation may be repeated. Finally

an ordinary THREE-STRAND PLAT may be made, or three sections of

the resulting chain may even be loosely twisted into a rope of sorts.

The method provides about the quickest way there is to make a

strong rope without tools, and with only small material to work

with.

2871. CHAIN SINNET, doubled, is called "trumpet cord"; some-

times it is called "double trumpet cord." To double, with the standing

end take two full turns around the working part. Successive bights

from the working end are then tucked through tu'O bights, the sur-

plus material of the earliest tuck being worked out after each new

tuck is made. If built up with a series of hitches instead of turns
2.870

(illustrated in jI)f 2869), the product is more compact, being pro-

nouncedly triangular, and the bottom side in particular is much

2.8 7 r improved in appearance.

2872. Trumpet cord may be tucked through triple loops if desired,

which produces a larger but no handsomer cord. This also may be

made with hitches instead of turns in a manner similar to jI)f 2 869. To

2812. finish off the sinnet, stick the end through the three final hitches in

precisely the way illustrated for tucking the loops. In jI)f 2 87 I the end

is tucked through two loops or hitches as shown in the illustration.

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