JUNE 17, 2011 KNOTTING AS A HOBBY

WHO WOULD CONSIDER KNOTTING A HOBBY? Certainly not the boy scout, the hunter or the fisherman. Knotting is part of their routine. In China knotting dates back to 700 B.C. I enjoyed knotting in Boy Scouts. I even think you could earn a Merit Badge in Knotting.

Knotting is the act of interlocking rope or string. I do knotting everyday when I needlepoint but I never thought of it as a hobby until I started some research. Other crafts such as macrame and jewelry making use knotting. Sports such as fly fishing and rock climbing also use knotting. I was taught to do a necktie by my dad. He did it on himself first and then showed me. It was a memorable time. I cannot remember if I taught my own son to do neckties or if he perfected it himself. I know I bought him clip on neckties as my mother had done with my brother and I to make it easier. I truly have never learned to tie a bow tie. Rick perfected tying a bow tie for our black tie events. I find there are more varieties available when you buy bow ties to tie yourself!

There are hundreds of different knots, just as there are hundreds of different stitches in needlepoint, Bargello and cross-stitch. We all know the noose, but there is also the breast plate, the figure eight and the timber hitch.

My father and my Uncle Joe were great at knotting as both were sailors in WW II. Both served on the USS Monterey. While at sea or in port sailors had some free time. They spent hours learning how to tie knots for functional purposes on the ship as well as decorative knots for fun. I am sure my father and uncle learned from older sailors. In the Navy, knotting was an intergenerational hobby passed on from older sailors to younger sailors and so on. Sailors used knots to determine the measure of sailing speed by counting the distance between knots. I am sure this is used in sailing as well.

The simple technique of tying shoe laces is knotting. Learning how to tie a shoe is an important rite of passage for most children. If it is tied correctly the bow should last throughout the day without ever tying it again. I guess I never liked tying my shoelaces. As an adult I prefer slip on shoes (and even Ed Hardy slip on sneakers).

If you think you would enjoy reading about the history of knotting grab the 1944 Edition of The Ashley Book of Knots by Clifford Ashley or check out the website http://www.realknots.com/

Until tomorrow...