Page 123 - Peter Randall "The Craft of the Knot.."

Chapter 9

PACKING KNOTS

During the holiday season, it’s possible you’ve found yourself struggling
to tie recalcitrant bits of ribbon or string, all the while muttering things
under your breath that run quite contrary to the season’s festive mood.
That’s quite unnecessary, because there are plenty of knots that can be

used to secure packages, whether for shipping them through the mail or
handing them to someone yourself.

The most important thing about packing knots is that they be secure
and not slip, no matter how much handling they receive. Some of these
knots will be familiar to you (the Granny Knot is among the most
commonly used of all knots), while others will not. With a little practice,
you can learn to tie packages in a strong, secure, and even decorative
way that will be the envy of all your friends.

BUTCHER’S KNOT

Back when most people got their meat from a neighborhood butcher, the
Butcher’s Knot was commonly used to secure joints of meat. Nowadays,
when meat usually comes in sterilized plastic packages on the

supermarket shelf, it has become a bit less common, but you can still
find it in use at butcher shops.

STEP 1 Tie a Figure Eight Knot (see Chapter 1) near the running end.
Then, pass the standing part over and around the object, so that it comes
back out through the bottom of the Figure Eight.