Knot
Section 9 - Other Asian Inspirations
Section 11 - Short and Long Sinnets
Fusion Knots—Innovative knots created through the merging of different knot elements or knotting techniques.
Foreword
JD first came to my attention when he started to post on the web forum of the International Guild of Knot Tyers (IGKT ), giving links to his videos on YouTube. These videos are impressive demonstrations of his knotting ability and provide astonishingly clear instructions on how to tie a variety of knots. But when it comes to knot books, there are many. And the vast majority of them show the same knots, albeit with different pictures and variations on how they can be tied.
So why choose this book?
First, it relies on step-by-step, clear, and easy to follow photographs rather than illustrated diagrams. Second, most of these knots have never appeared in books before. And further, this book not only teaches, it inspires!
Fusion knots show what can be achieved with a little patience and imagination, and provide endless opportunities for decorative knotting enjoyment. This is especially exciting for those who may have thought knots were something only used by specialists, such as sailors or climbers; or taught to Scouts and Guides, but then forgotten in the modern world of snaps and fasteners.
So while away a few minutes (and don’t be surprised when hours have passed!).Tie some or all of these creations. All you need is a piece of cord, a little time, and a mind set to wonder.
Barry Mault
Honorary Secretary
International Guild of Knot Tyers
Acknowledgments
For their support and/or inspiration in the production of this book, I would like to thank Andrew McBeth, Cleo Dubois, Clifford W. Ashley, Bright Winn, Eve Minax, Sylvain Niles, my parents (Jim and Barbara) and all those who subscribe to my Tying It All Together YouTube channel. Without you, especially those who continue to support my online videos, this book would not have come to be.
And…a very special thanks to my wife and my muse, Kristen Kakos. Your presence in my life brings me joy, comfort, and the freedom to create. For these gifts I am forever grateful.
Introduction
For tens of thousands of years, knots played a critical role in human society. They have helped us catch food, sail the seas, build empires, worship, remember and heal. Quietly supporting us through all our historic conquests and adventures, knots helped our ancestors tie their world together.
The Incas of South America, for instance, may have used knots tied along strings as an early form of writing—communicating narratives of the Incan Empire through knots rather than ink and paper. They also used knots as accounting tools, generating and keeping records similar to those kept by modern day bookkeepers and census takers.
More popularly, the Celts used stylized representations of knots to express a variety of natural and spiritual concepts. Seen on ancient structures and in modern motifs, these decorative knots conveyed the relationships between man and woman, hunter and prey, earth, spirit and the universe. Still other Celtic knots are believed to have represented protection from evil spirits, and were placed on battle shields or near people who were sick.
Asian cultures, primarily Chinese, produced decorative knots that took on the esthetic qualities of religious symbols, nature and money. The Double Coin Knot, for instance, is so named because it looks like two Chinese coins overlapping. The majority of these decorative knots were meant to represent good luck, virtue, or prosperity. But others were created for more utilitarian purposes such as buttons for jackets and shirts.
Much like the development of any art form, time and practice are the keys to new ideas and innovative developments. Mariners throughout history, with lots of time of their hands, began coxcombing, covering rails and wheels with decorative wraps and ties. These wraps and ties served the dual purpose of improving the grip on an otherwise slippery object, while at the same time increasing the beauty of the ship.
As still more time passed, knots grew to become a semi-finite field of study. Knot books started presenting what had come before; with the most attention being paid to practical knots. Then, in 1944, Clifford W. Ashley published The Ashley Book of Knots (ABOK), an encyclopedic reference manual describing how to tie thousands of decorative and functional knots from all around the world. To this day, Ashley’s tome remains the quintessential book of knots.
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