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5. Fold the two corners toward the middle of the knot and push them into it (see page 69).
6. Fold the far corner into the middle of the knot and fold the near corner down.
See the following page for details of ma-musubi knot.
The Versatility of Furoshiki 5
A furoshiki has a variety of expressions depending on how it is wrapped. You can adjust the image to suit the content or the person who receives the gift.
Four ways to wrap a bottle—about 28in (70cm) polyester wrapping cloth
The Basic Knot
The knot is the key element in creating various forms of wrapping using a furoshiki. By mastering the knots, you will be able to truly understand the power of the furoshiki.
How to tie a ma-musubi knot
Once you have tied a ma-musubi knot, it will not come undone. And when you want to untie it, you can do so very simply and quickly.
1. Hold two diagonally opposite corners of the furoshiki, one in each hand.
2. Cross corner (a) over corner (b).
3. Fold (b) over and then under and behind (a).
4. Fold (a) to the left and fold (b) over (a).
5. Push (b) through the circle.
6. Pull (a) and (b) in opposite directions. This completes the ma-musubi knot.
If you have tied the ma-musubi knot correctly, both corners will line up straight.
This is a bad example of the knot. It will come undone easily.
How to untie a ma-musubi knot
No doubt you are surprised by the magic of the knot and understand the wisdom behind it.
1. Hold the bottom of (a) with your left hand and the top of (a) with your right hand.
2. Pull the tip of (a) toward (b) until you feel a kind of click. The important point here is that the whole of (a) should be lined up straight.
3. Hold the knot linking (b) to (a) gently from above.
4. Pull (b) to the right, and the knot comes apart.
How to tie a hitotsu-musubi knot
Hitotsu-musubi is a knot for one corner of the furoshiki. A combination of ma-musubi and hitotsu-musubi knots enables the furoshiki to be used in a variety of ways.
1. Hold one corner of the furoshiki.
2. Make a circle.
3. Push the corner of the furoshiki through the circle.
4. Pull the tip of the corner.
5. This completes the knot.
Flat Wrapping
平包み Hira Tsutsumi
The simplest and most stylish way of wrapping without a knot
1. Spread the furoshiki out with the main design facing down. Place the gift in the center of the furoshiki.
2. Pull the far-side corner of the furoshiki over the gift so that the main design can be seen. Adjust the position of the gift.
3. Return the corner to its previous position and pull the near corner over the gift.
4. Tuck this corner under the gift.
5. Pull the left corner over the gift.
6-1. Adjust the overlapping of the corners.
6-2. Pull the right corner over the gift.
7. Pull the remaining corner over the gift.
