Fun with Chinese Knotting - Making Your Own Fashion Accessories & Accents

Fun with chinese Knotting-(Berkeiey)

D1006-54 -- 4225 --

01 Resurg of Ch Knot (4-26)FIN_ 10/16/06 7:17 PM Page 15

Fun with chinese Knotting-(Berkeiey)

D1006-54 -- 4225 --

01 Resurg of Ch Knot (4-26)FIN_ 10/16/06 7:16 PM Page 15

FORMATION SKILLS 15

TB

13

14 15

Application of the Extension Technique

The extension technique of using one or both cord ends together can be applied in

a knot formation. The methods involved are random combination, knot body pene-

tration and rim embellishment.

Random combination

After making a knot with multiple cords – and depending on the desired design –

different cord ends can be randomly combined and the knotting continued using the

extension technique of one or both cord ends. The knot formation in diagram 14 has

been made by first folding four different colored cords and then tying a good luck

knot, then breaking the eight cord ends into three groups of two, four and two. Each

group was then tied into a knot using the extension technique of both ends. The eight

cord ends were then regrouped into three groups of one, six and one. Finally, the

extension techniques of one cord end, two cord ends and one cord end were used to

tie the three groups into three individual knots.

Knot body penetration

When making knot formations with multiple cords, the knot body penetration tech-

nique involves pushing some cords through the knots. For example, some of the cord

ends from the first knot can be used to tie a second knot, while the remaining cord

ends are pushed directly through the body of the second knot to meet up with the

other cord ends below. Knotting is then continued using the extension technique of

one or both cord ends. However, to be able to push the cord ends through a knot

body, the knot concerned must be a thick one, such as the pan chang, button, flat (see

Chinese Knotting, page 58) or double connection knot. This method is normally

employed when only a few cords are needed to make the second knot, and the same

cords are used to make a third knot, with the non-essential cords being pushed

through the second knot body, as shown in diagram 15, where double cords are used

to form a knot formation.

The knot above illustrates the use of the rim

embellishment method (page 16) to combine

the green ling huaknot (page 94) with the brown

side knots, at the same time embellishing the

rim of the green knot.