Knot
This knot takes the shape of two “S” curves weaving their way into each other to form the body of the knot.
Tassel Knot
This is basically a double cord cross knot with compound outer loops to produce a double-layered structure.
NINE WAYS OF MODIFYING BASIC KNOTS
Modified knots are variations of basic knots. Although the finished knots may appear to be quite different from the basic knots from which they originate, they can nevertheless be traced back to the skills employed in tying the basic knots. In this section, nine major ways or methods of modifying basic knots are described and illustrated, namely (1) increasing the number of outer loops, (2) altering the knotting sequence of the outer loops, (3) extending the outer loops, (4) overlapping the outer loops, (5) changing the shape and reducing the cords, (6) shifting the weave of the knot body, (7) knotting a tall three-dimensional knot, (8) recombining skills and (9) recombining basic knots.
The names of the techniques provide a clue to the way in which each basic knot is modified. Naturally enough, the more complicated the basic knot, the more potential it has for modification. Hence, some basic knots have more modified knots and some fewer.
The examples given below will help you appreciate the basic principles in modifying basic knots as preparation for the next section on extending and varying basic knots.
1. Increasing the Number of Outer Loops
With basic knots that are tied using the “pull and wrap” technique, for example, the cloverleaf knot, round brocade knot, good luck knot, constellation knot and pan chang knot, the number of ear loops involved in the pull and wrap can be increased to make knots of different sizes with varying numbers of outer loops.
Round brocade knot with six outer loops.
Round brocade knot with ten outer loops.
Brooch in the form of a round brocade knot with eight outer loops.
2. Changing the Knotting Sequence of the Ear Loops
For all Chinese knots formed by overlapping, pulling and wrapping, for example, the cloverleaf knot, round brocade knot, pan chang knot, constellation knot and good luck knot, a change in the sequence of the overlap, pull and wrap is all that is needed to produce modified knots with overlapped outer loops. For example, follow a 1, 3, 2 sequence instead of 1, 2, 3. There are plenty of illustrations on this point in “Creative Chinese Knotting Designs” on pages page 115–159.
Pan chang knot with its compound outer loops shifted.
3. Extending the Ear Loops
With the round brocade knot, cloverleaf knot or constellation knot, where the ear loops are tied using the “pull and wrap” method, the ear loops can be deliberately extended whereby whenever an ear loop meets another, the former is pulled through and wrapped around the latter. The new knots made in this way have more complicated weaves than the original basic knots, and are known as the compound round brocade knot, compound cloverleaf knot and compound constellation knot.
The dotted lines indicate the forward extension of the outer loops.
Cloverleaf knot with four outer loops. The outer loop is pulled and wrapped forward.
Cloverleaf knot with four outer loops wrapped and pulled.
Cloverleaf knot with four outer loops. The outer loop is wrapped forward.
Cloverleaf knot with four outer loops. The outer loops are pulled and wrapped forward.
Cloverleaf knot with four outer loops. The outer loop is wrapped, pulled and wrapped forward.
4. Overlapping the Ear Loops
A good luck knot is made by overlapping the ear loops clockwise or anticlockwise. The more ear loops involved, the bigger the hole in the center of the knot body. To rectify this, two ear loops can be overlapped after every two, three or more interspacing loops. In this way, the hole will shrink and the knot body thicken.
Wall decoration made from a good luck knot in which two outer loops were overlapped after every two interspacing loops.
Good luck knot with four outer loops.
Good luck knot with six outer loops. The two outer loops are overlapped after every two interspacing loops.
The first layer of ear loops in this good luck knot are overlapped in the usual way. However, for the second layer, the outer loops are overlapped after every one, two or three outer loops to produce compound outer loops, giving the knot the name good luck knot with compound loops.
Brooch made from a good luck knot with four compound loops.
Good luck knot with four compound loops.
Good luck knot with four outer loops.
The first layer of ear loops in this good luck knot are overlapped in the usual way. Before overlapping the outer loops in the second layer, the side loops around the knot body are lengthened and overlapped to form new basic knots. Slightly different new knots can be devised by varying the direction
