Weekend Project: Knots!

Friendship is a knot tied by angels' hands.

Many passions share abstract themes, such as the desire to always be learning and improving. But this is the first time that a very concrete skill from my other hobby - rock climbing - has actually come in handy during my sewing!

I'm working on my niece's top - a stretchy pink fabric covered with sequins - and using a pink woolly nylon thread in my serger. Threading the needles is a complete nightmare! I finally realized that the "easiest" method was to tie the end of the woolly nylon to regular thread before threading:

About 50% of the time, however, when the knot reached the eye of the needle and experienced a little bit of tension, the two threads slipped apart. Then I remembered a knot (I think it's called a water knot) that we use to connect ropes when we are climbing. Threads separating when you are threading a machine is a pain. Ropes parting when you are climbing is a whole different ball park! ;)

It worked really well for me, so I thought that you guys might like to see it too! I've taken photos with yarn, as it is easier to see the details than with thread.

1. Loosely begin a simple knot in one of the threads (make a loop and put the end through the loop):

2. Take the second thread and, starting at the cut end of the first thread, carefully trace the loop you made in the first thread. (It's kind of like you are working backwards.)



3. Continue following the loop...




4. Finish doubling the knot. Notice that the 2 cut ends are opposite each other - not aligned. This is critical!

5. Tighten from both ends simultaneously and you're done!

This puppy should NEVER come undone! People stake their lives on it. :)