Page 112 - The Ashley Book of Knots

SINGLE-STRAND BUTTON KNOTS

is pinned at the feather end of the diagram or else it is tucked down

through a hole in the diagram at that point. The working end is then

led along the line of the arrow and pinned at frequent intervals.

Every time another part of the cord is crossed at a point that is

marked with a circle, the working end is tucked under that part; at

all other crossings the cord is led over.

Many of the diagrams are numbered along the line of the arrow,

every second crossing being numbered in regular numerical sequence.

A knot so numbered is tied in the following manner: the cord is

pinned at the feather end and then at I, 2, 3,4, 5, etc. Whenever any

number that has a circle drawn around it is reached in its proper

sequence, the working end is tucked under the part that lies across

its path.

The point and feather of the arrow indicate where the ends drop

down at the center of the knot to form the stem. In certain of these

knots there will be found an irregularity at the centers in the over-

and-under sequence, owing to the fact that the cord is led at this

point out of one cycle into another, somewhat in the manner of the

MONKEY'S FIST (j~ 220 I ).

600. A knot having been tied on the diagram by the method de-

scribed, proceed to work out the surplus material. Keep the knot

fiat, as in the second diagram on the page, until it has been drawn

fairly snug, then continue to tighten, allowing the rim to close down-

ward in "mushroom" or "umbrella" form. Finally, using a pricker,

work the rim tightly and evenly around the stem. At this point

the top surface of the knot will probably resemble the right (fin-

ished) diagram for KNOT ~602. The reason for this is that the top

center part of the present knot has retreated from the surface. This

should now be forcibl pricked to the surface and the surrounding

parts tightened to hoI it in place. This is the final form of the com-

mon CHINESE BUTTON KNOT. By counting, it will be found that the

knot has nine surface parts.

601. The CHINESE BUTTON is often doubled, to make a larger knot. I

I.
The lead for this is indicated by arrows in the lower center diagram • -'-

of 'II: 600. Either one or both ends may be tucked parallel with the

existing lead to make a Two- or THREE-PLY (double or triple) KNOT.

In a double knot it is unnecessary to prick up the top center part, as

it is supported by parts that cross underneath.

In tying these knots, the Chinese employ either a silk cord or else

a thin, compact roll of the material of the ganuent. This is strongly

sewed and the seam carefully hidden on the underside when the

knot is tied.

602. If the final tuck of the ends is the same as in the KNIFE

LANYARD KNOT (~787), a handsome EIGHT-PART BUTTON results,

that, so far as I know, has not been utilized by the Chinese.

603. This EIGHT-PART KNOT may also be doubled. As the two ends

have different cycles, both ends must be tucked each time a new

ply is added to the knot. The illustration shows a DOUBLE or Two- 603

PLY KNOT, which may be doubled either as suggested by the solid

arrow or by the dotted arrow in ~601.

~ I •

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