Marlinspike Sailor's Arts and Crafts: A Step-by-Step Guide to Tying Classic Sailor's Knots to Create, Adorn, and Show Off

ISBN-13: 9780071789981

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: McGraw Hill LLC

Publication Date: 11-15-2013

Pages: 112

Product Dimensions: 8.30(w) x 10.60(h) x 0.10(d)

Barbara Merry, an internationally acclaimed marlinspike artist, is THE sailor’s artist. Her booth is popular at wooden boat shows, and she has done much in recent years to encourage the use of earth-friendly materials in today’s ropework. Barbara is the author of The Splicing Handbook, now in its third edition. Barbara is founder and owner of The Marlinspike Artist.

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Marlinspike Sailor's Knots and Crafts

A Step-by-Step Guide to Tying Classic Sailor's Knots to Create, Adorn, and Show Off

McGraw-Hill Education

CHAPTER 1

Projects from the Turk's Head Knot

Sailors will recognize the Turk's Head knot as the one traditionally tied to the spot on the wheel where the rudder is centered. This knot can also be found on bell pulls, stanchions, and a tiller. First tied as a practical knot, the Turk's Head knot was often meant to keep the feet from slipping, as when tied into the bolt ropes on bowsprit netting.

The Turk's Head knot came into prominence during the era of the tall-masted sailing ships. The knot was tied in many different configurations, often around a spar or mast to mark the sailor's path through the maze of rigging to his station. Today, the Turk's Head knot is a popular choice for decorative knotting projects.

The Turk's Head knot is a series of loops (also known as bights or clovers) braided together to create texture and visual interest. These knots can be made directly around a cylindrical object such as a stanchion, or they can be made on a table and then either used as a mat or tightened around a cylinder (to create a bracelet, for example).

The projects in this chapter use Turk's Head knots made on a table. This chapter explains how to create Turk's Head knots this way. Chapter 8 explains how to tie a Turk's Head knot around a cylindrical object (decorative hitching).

Napkin Ring

5 feet of #48 cotton seine twine
1 to 2 feet of thread and a needle
sharp knife or scissors
ruler

Each of the thousand-plus different kinds of Turk's Heads has a numbered title. The one we're tying here is the simplest. The width of the braid is given in the number of "leads," and the rounded parts (which look like clovers) are known as "bights." It's labeled 3L × 4B (3 leads and 4 bights).

It helps to tape or pin the outer edge of each clover to your work surface as you make each clover. Follow these steps and refer to the drawings to make the napkin ring:

1 Lay the twine out on a table. About a foot from the right-hand end of the twine, make two overlapping bights (loops) about 2 inches in diameter with the twine. The longer end of the twine is the working end, and the shorter end of the twine is the bitter end.

2 Weave the working end under and over the two bights to create a third clover. Cross the bitter end over the working end to begin a fourth bight.

3 Move the bitter end to the top left, and lay the working end against it to complete the fourth bight.

4 Using the first strand as a model, continue to lay the working end along all four bights, threading the working end under and over the bights as needed.

5 Use the working end of the twine to make the third and final strand.

6 Put a 1-inch- to 2-inch-diameter cylinder (such as a spool or a piece of dowel) in the middle of the knot where the four cloves intersect. Untape or unpin the clovers and gently pull on the strands to both tighten and remove all the slack.

7 Sew the bitter end and the working end into the other three leads. Trim off the extra cordage next to the sewn end.

8 Remove the completed napkin ring from the cylinder when you are done.

Turk's Head Bracelet

10 feet of #48 cotton seine twine
1 to 2 feet of heavy thread and a needle
sharp knife or scissors
ruler

This is the next most complicated Turk's Head knot. It's labeled 3L × 5B (which means 3 leads and 5 bights). It makes a nice mat knot, and after some manipulation it can be turned into the Turk's Head bracelet.

The knot is easier to make if you tape or pin each clover to your work surface as you make it. Follow these steps and refer to the drawings to make a Turk's Head bracelet.

1 About 6 inches from the bitter end of the twine, make two overlapping bights to create the first two clovers.

2 Make the third bight, weaving the twine over and under the other two clovers.

3 Add the last bight for the bracelet.

4 Lay a second line of twine against the first, using the first lay as a guide. Then lay a third line of twine against the first two lines to complete the bracelet.

5 Put enough slack in your work so you can place a cylinder that is the diameter you want for the bracelet (such as a water glass or a wide dowel) in the center of the knot.

6 Flip the sides of the knot up along the glass or dowel, and tighten the knot against the cylinder by pulling gently on the bights.

7 Sew the working end and the bitter end of the twine to the bracelet. Trim the cordage near the sewn ends.

8 Slide the finished bracelet off the cylinder and flip the bracelet inside out to hide where you sewed the ends.

Decorated Wooden Box

4 inch by 2 inch by 2 inch unfinished wooden box
2 to 3 feet of #18 cotton seine twine
3 feet of #36 cotton seine twine
2 to 3 feet of #48 cotton seine twine
5 to 6 feet of #60 cotton seine twine
scissors or sharp knife
ruler
white glue
masking tape
shellac and brush

A fun and family-friendly project, this decorated wooden box looks like an elaborate project, but it is built up from a number of simple knots (see Chapter 9 for another decorated wooden box). Unfinished boxes are available from crafts stores everywhere. The box pictured is 4 inches by 2 inches by 2 inches and has four knots stacked on it.

Use the Turk's Head knot-tying skills you developed in the napkin ring and bracelet projects to make a set of knots to stack on top of the wooden box.

Follow these steps to create the box shown in the accompanying photos.

1 Stain or paint the box according to the manufacturer's directions.

2 While the box is drying, make these four Turk's Head knots:

• 2L × 5B (2 leads and 5 bights) Turk's Head knot tied with 2 to 3 feet of #18 cotton seine twine

• 2L × 5B Turk's Head knot tied with 3 feet of #36 cotton seine twine

• 3L × 5B (3 leads and 5 bights) Turk's Head knot tied with 2 to 3 feet of #48 cotton seine twine

• 3L × 5B Turk's Head knot tied with 5 to 6 feet of #60 cotton seine twine

3 Arrange the four knots as shown, nested together like Russian Matryoshka dolls. The different knots, tied in various twine sizes, will fit nicely: the #18, the smallest, fits inside the #36, which fits into the #48. The three "nested" knots now fit atop the #60 Turk's Head mat.

4 Glue all the knots in place and then glue the stack of knots to the top of the box. (Thin the glue with a little water and apply with a small watercolor brush.)

5 Finish the box with more shellac, stain, or paint as needed.

CHAPTER 2

Projects from the Square Knot

The Square Knot

The overhand knot is the easiest knot to tie, tied in a single strand. The square knot tied in two strands.

The square knot morphed from a humble working knot into an art form in the court of Queen Anne of England. The ladies of her court would tie intricate patterns of square knots in the fringe of woven material. The knot enjoyed popularity in France under the name that many know today: macramé. The craft found its way onto ships during the whaling era and once again underwent a name change at the hands of the whalers, who dubbed it a square knot.

To tie a square knot, follow these steps:

1 Lay two pieces of twine parallel to each other.

2 Thread the bottom piece of twine over, under, and over the top piece of twine, forming a half-knot.

3 Pick up the two pieces of twine that are now at the top of your work area and cross them over, under, and over each other in the same pattern as the bottom pieces.

4 A square knot is formed. Pull the left and right ends of the twine to tighten the knot.

With a square knot, the pieces of twine on either side of the completed knot are parallel to each other, lying either above or below the loop of twine. If they are not parallel (for example, on the left side of the knot one piece of twine lies above the loop and the other lies beneath it), then you can wind up with a knot called a granny knot.

Dog Collar

about 12 feet (see Note) of #48 cotton seine twine
dog collar clip
corkboard or like material with T pins, or clipboard
scissors or sharp knife
superglue
ruler

Note: This collar is 5/8 inch wide by 10 to 12 inches long. To ensure that the collar will fit your dog, you will want to determine the shrinkage of the cotton material you are using. Different cordage by different manufacturers will shrink differently. In order to discover this factor for your material, cut a 12-inch piece, dip it in very hot water, and let it dry. Measure once more to determine the amount of shrinkage, and factor this into the length of the collar.

This project fits a medium-sized dog, such as a cocker spaniel, border collie, or larger terrier.

To attach the twine to either end of the clip, follow these steps:

1 Middle (fold in half) the 12-foot piece of #48 cotton seine twine.

2 Attach the middled twine to one end of the plastic clip with a lark's head knot/cow hitch. Take an extra turn around the bar with both of the strands to make the knot thicker (see drawing on page 16 for guidance on how to make the knot).

3 Bring the two strands down to the other end of the clip. After making sure the length is right for your dog's neck, take two turns around the bar of the clip with each strand, as shown below.

This is now the core of your dog collar.

4 Arrange the two halves of the clips facing away from each other. Take the two loose ends and tie a chain of square knots that encompass the two core strands. Continue until you reach the clip at the other end.

5 Cut the ends off close to your work and glue them with superglue.

Decorated Carafe

standard glass carafe
150 feet of #48 cotton seine twine
sharp knife or scissors
ruler
masking tape

This project uses lark's head knots, square knots, and clove hitches to decorate a glass carafe.

Follow these steps to start the project:

1 Cut a 6-foot length of #48 cotton seine twine. This will be your base cord.

2 Cut 24 pieces of #48 cotton seine twine that are each 72 inches long.

3 Middle (fold in half) each of the 72-inch strands. Then attach each strand to the base cord using a lark's head knot (also known as a cow hitch).

Next, add clove hitches to the project by following these steps:

1 Pick up your "hula skirt" of strands (you will have 48 strands—the 24 lark's head strands tied to the base cord—hanging from the base cord) and wrap it around the neck of the carafe. Tape the short end of the base cord to the glass.

2 If the wine carafe is larger or smaller, you will have to add or subtract the knotted-on strands from it so that they encircle the neck of the carafe. To execute the pattern, though, the number of strands hanging from the base cord must be divisible by four.

3 Pick up the first strand attached to the base cord and tie a clove hitch with it (the knot is illustrated above). Pull all the slack out of this first hitch and repeat with the following 47 strands.

4 Continue hitching until you've completed three rows of clove hitches.

5 Tuck the base cord up and out of the way. You'll be using it again at the end of the project.

Now you need to change to square knotting. Tie square knots in the strands down to the bottom of the bottle, following the pattern described in the Altoids tin cover instructions later in this chapter.

The last part of the project is finishing the bottom of the carafe. This serves two purposes: to prevent the covering from slipping up the glass, and to add a nice pattern that repeats the hitching on the top of the carafe. Follow these steps:

1 Pick up the base cord that you had tucked aside and weave it down to the bottom of the square knotting.

2 Use the base cord to encircle the bottom of the carafe, and then tie off the base cord.

3 Use the strands to tie one last row of clove hitches to the base cord.

Altoids Tin Knotted Cover

13 feet of #30 dark-color cotton seine twine (optional)
60 feet of #30 natural-color cotton seine twine
corkboard or like material with T pins
scissors or sharp knife
ruler

This is a useful and pretty project. The empty tin will hold many small items, such as a travel sewing kit, small bits of hardware for your boat (such as cotter pins), or a miniature first-aid kit. (Note: Although the materials list calls for cotton seine twine, you will notice that many of the photos show the project constructed with synthetic parachute cord. If you tie this with one more row, using 18 feet of parachute cord for accent and 80 feet of main color, you can make a neat cover for your smart phone.)

We start the tin knotted cover at the tongue (also known as the catch or latch). Follow these steps to start the project:

1 Cut two pieces of the dark #30 cotton seine, each 61/2 feet long, and middle (fold in half) each piece to create four strands.

2 Pin the four strands beside one another on the board.

3 Just below where the strands are middled, use the two outside strands to tie a square knot around the two inside strands. Use the illustration and photo as a guide.

4 To get the tongue to the necessary width, we'll add two pieces of the #30 natural-color cotton seine twine. Cut two pieces of the natural-color twine, each 7 ½ feet long. Middle each one and pin them just below the knot in the dark-color twine. There are now eight strands hanging down, half of them dark and half natural color.

5 Working with the four strands on the left, use the two outside strands to tie a square knot around the two inside strands.

6 Then, working with the four strands on the right, use the two outside strands to tie a square knot around the two inside strands. Use the illustration and photo as a guide.

7 Make sure all the slack is out of the knots. To complete the catch, use the left and right natural-color strands to tie two more square knots over the six inside strands.

With the tongue done, follow these steps to work on the main body of the project:

1 Pull the dark-color strands off to the left and right. Then hitch each of the four natural-color strands to a pair of dark strands using a clove hitch.

2 Tie a square knot with the four natural-color strands right under the tongue (use the two outer strands to enclose the two inner strands).

3 Take ten lengths of 5 feet each of #30 natural cotton seine twine and middle them. Use lark's head knots to attach five lengths to the left dark-color strands and five lengths to the right dark-color strands. See the pictures for guidance.

4 Tie a single knot at the center. To create the angled "bar" or "ridge," tie a single row of clove hitches left and right. (See the photo at left and middle of previous page.)

5 For the next rows of knots, you'll need to continue tying alternating square knots for thirteen rows—that includes the single square knot at the peak (just below the tongue) and the single square knot at the foot.

6 To bring the project to completion, we'll need to change the direction of the strands. They need to make a 90-degree turn. By tying the row of hitches right and left, we'll gain 45 degrees.

7 To complete the turn, after the row of hitches, tie the three rows of square knots. Do this on the left and right sides of the foot.

8 Now that the strands are pointing in the right direction, what's left is to simply tie up the sides to form the case. Do this step with the case inside out. To do this, note you have seven pairs—take one strand from each pair and thread it through the corresponding loop. (Refer back to the photos at the beginning of the project to see how the final project looks.)

9 Pull up and tie a square knot. Put a dab of glue on the knot. (Or this can be done without the glue; I don't use glue on the cotton, but it is useful on parachute cord.) Don't cut it off too close to the knot—this is the inside of the cover, not the outside that will be in view.

CHAPTER 3

Projects from Ashley's Knot #2216

Ashley's Flat Knot #2216

In Ashley's Book of Knots there are about two dozen covering knots. Each is numbered. Knot #2216 is a medium-hard one to tie. I've seen it tied at the end of a tiller. The next time you are cruising around the harbor or boatyard, see how many ways you can see this knot used.

16 feet of #48 cotton seine twine
corkboard or like material with T pins, or clipboard
scissors or sharp knife
diagram of Ashley's knot #2216
superglue
shellac and brush
ruler

Ashley's knot #2216 is a wonderfully distinctive knot tied in a most unusual way.

Follow these steps to create Ashley's #2216 knot.

1 Photocopy the diagram of the knot (enlarge or reduce to fit your finger size), cut it out, and place it on a piece of board that accepts pins easily. I use a 6-inch by 6-inch piece of cork that I bought from a crafts store.

2 Use a 16-foot length of #48 cotton seine twine to create the knot. Pin the end of the twine to the diagram where the fin of the arrow is. (It will take 4 feet to go around the diagram one time.)

3 Now follow the line up a bit to where you'll see a number 1. This is where you'll want to pin your length of twine next.

4 Continue leading your cordage along the line, placing pins at each number until you reach number 16. Notice the circle at that number. The circles are Ashley's way of telling you to lead your twine under the other twine at that spot. You'll still want to pin the spot even though one length of twine passes under the other one.
(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Marlinspike Sailor's Knots and Crafts by Barbara Merry. Copyright © 2014 International Marine/McGraw-Hill Education. Excerpted by permission of McGraw-Hill Education.
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