Page 42 - Merry Barbara "Marlinspike Sailor's Knots and Crafts"

Monkey’s Fist > 35

The cotton seine twine I used for the monkey’s fist
fob shown in this chapter is #48 (6 feet in length).
Follow these steps to make the watch or key fob:
1> Make a monkey’s fist knot around the wooden ball.
Leave 6 inches of twine free at the working end
and at the bitter end of the knot.
2> When you finish the knot, hold the working end and
the bitter end together and tie an overhand knot
in the twine. (Note: I always sew my monkey fist key
fobs because they get hard use. I wouldn’t want one
to come back with the ends coming out—calling
into question the maker’s tying abilities!)
3> As you draw up the cordage around the ball,
leave the slack in one area; don’t pull it all the way
through the knot. You’ll see that a bight of about
6 inches of slack will form halfway through the knot.
It will be hanging out like a pouch. After the work-
ing ends are sewn tightly, go back to the slack and
tie a tight overhand knot or a knob knot close to the
ball. Now you can tie a cow hitch/lark’s head knot to
attach your keys.

Unraveled cotton rope that makes
a fringe at the end of the dog toy.

The dog toy tied with a monkey’s fist around a rubber ball, finished with an overhand knot before the fringe.