Turks Head - A Miracle May Have Occurred (But Interweaves?)

[megabit]

Nicely done.

[Tracym]

Thank you. I really am excited - this has eluded me for quite a while, and suddenly 'clicked' today. I really look forward to learning some different variations next.

I could see the pattern easily, once I got started. I needed to get that first step - which the video provided. I did follow the video, but it was obvious once I got going. At least I think so haha, we'll see if I can do it again.

[TXAG]

Glad the videos were helpful and you were able to finish your knot.

Yeah...what I do with his videos is get to the first part, then pause it and build that part...then let out play for a bit, pause again, etc.

Now I've gotten to where I just write the o / u pattern in a small notebook. Don't really care about memorizing twenty (or more) different knots and interweaves right now.

Edited November 23, 2013 by TXAG

[Tracym]

Thanks. Yeah, I was thinking of writing down the pattern also. Although once I had the first bit, it was easy to see the logic of the progression

[bucksnort]

As a general rule, once you have your turkshead base, for a pineapple you come up to the right of the standing end & follow it. Every time you come to a pair you split the coming out the same as the strand your following (under if it's under, over if it's over). Same for a guacho except you come up the left side of the standing end. You'll hear the rule of thumb a lot which is "always split pairs". Once you figure that part out, it doesn't matter how many bights you have, although an even number of passes will throw it off. Hope that doesn't just add to the confusion. keep up the good work. Buck

Edited November 23, 2013 by bucksnort

[Tracym]

That does make sense, thank you

[Sovran81]

Congrats. I have never had any luck using a mandrel and transferring a knot. As soon as I try to tighten it, the knot shrinks in height and slips off the foundation. Grrr. Instead I learned to weave the knot in place without pins fairly snug. After making the first complete knot, I shift around any strands that are out of place then add my interweave which tightens the knot to rock hard. Funny thing is that before the knot is complete I cant say what the part and bight count will be. LOL

Anyway I learned using Bernie46 vids on youtube and http://www.turksheadknots.com/?author=1 The vids in that link does a pretty good job of explaining when to split pairs and when to go under or over that work on any size knot of that type.

[Tracym]

Thanks, I'll check out that video. I didn't use any pins, but did use the mandrel. I wouldn't say mine was tight after adding the interweave, but I deliberately kept it a bit loose. I wanted it to become basically a ball, but it 'behaved' quite well moving and then being tightened into that shape. I was careful with the tightening though - actually tightened it a bit one pass, then went through again and made it actually tight.

[TXAG]

Tim George uses 2-part epoxy putty to fill in the gaps on his foundation knot...makes a nice, smooth, round base to go over...

Edited November 24, 2013 by TXAG

[Tracym]

What a great idea, that would probably be perfect for my sliding knots. I'll have to try that. Now, I just need to figure out an easy knot to put as a foundation, that would be as round as possible. I've just used ring knots, or a ring knot with a turkshead over it, but I would like to try to streamline the process so I can just make one knot if possible. And omg, that tiny fiddly string he's using - I'd sure need that contraption on his head if I tried that!