How to Tie Knots – the 5 You Need to Know

[So, as I’ve finally sketched the rest of the knots, it’s time to update this post. So here we go.]

After sketching the bowline, I thought it might be fun to write-up a little post on how to tie knots.

As I see it, these are the five you need to know. After these five you can keep adding, but you’ve already got the basics.

The Stopper Knot

The Figure of Eight is a good stopper knot. And as this was the first one I sketched, we’ll start here.

Figure 1 shows how you start to tie this knot. The standing part comes down, around to the left, and under the standing part.

Figure 2 shows how it is then taken over the standing part before preparing to go under and through (from the bottom upwards) in Figure 3. Pull it all tight, and you should have what looks like Figure 4.

(I sketched the Figure 8 Knot as a part of Inktober. You can find that post by clicking on the hyperlink.)

The Bowline

This is an important knot (the King of Knots some say) for putting a loop in the end of a line. If you wanted a permanent loop, we’d be better of splicing one in, but if it is to be temporary, this is a great knot. One of the advantages is that after it has been work hardened, it can still be undone easily (or fairly so) by turning the knot over and “breaking it’s back.” To do so, push on the piece that crosses over the standing end. This is usually enough to get the knot to start to work lose.

The first step is to make an loop in the end of a rope by bringing the end over the rope. Do you see how the drawing shows the rope coming down (the standing part), and then looping over itself, before continuing on around?

The way I was taught was with a little “jingle”: the rabbit comes out of the hole, around the tree and then back down the hole. This is what the two drawings show. The first is the rabbit about to go through the hole. The second drawing shows the rabbit having exited the hole, but not yet having gone around the tree, or back down the hole (see drawing number 3 below). I should note that when the “rabbit” goes back down the hole, the line is going over the two crossed lines that make the loop/hole. Do you see how the red arrow guides you though?

The last step is to pull it taunt (follow the red arrows). Usually ,this means having to pull on both the standing side, and the side you’ve been threading.

And there you have it, the completed knot. Congratulations.

(The Bowline Knot can also be found here, where I sketched it for Inktober.)

Round Turn and Two Half-Hitches

This is a great knot to tie around something (say a bar, or through a ring, or around a hitching post, you get the idea). What’s nice about this knot is that it can get harder and harder with something pulling upon it, but you can always untie it. The only tricky part, is that it can slide to the along the rod.

Here is how you tie it. 1. Wrap the end of the line around the rod (or through the ring) as in #1 below. 2. Then pass the end of the line over the “standing” end (the part hanging down in the drawing) and through the loop that is formed. This makes one hitch.

3. #3 Shows the completed first hitch. Repeat again and you’ll end up with something that looks like #4. All that’s left is to snug up your knot.

There you go. You’ve now tied a round turn and two-half hitches.

The Clove Hitch (and Running Clove Hitch)

The clove hitch and the running clove hitch are basically the same, with an extra turn in the direction of the pull for the running hitch. Let’s break down the process below, and you’ll see what I mean.

We first start by taking the end of the line over and around the rod, but rather than keeping the line on the same side (as in the round turn above) we cross over the “standing” part. #1 and #2 should help you see what’s happening.

Then we bring the end of the line over the rod again (on the opposite side) and pass it up through the crossed line, next to the “standing” end. #2 and #3 should help you see how this works.

This knot is great for a pull in the direction of the large orange arrow in #3. But like the round turn and two half-hitches above it will slide from side to side.

For a pull along the rod, a rolling clove hitch is a better option (see #4). The only difference, it that before crossing the “standing” line, and extra wrap is placed around the rod. Generally only one extra wrap is needed, but if the line and/or the rod is very slippery, you can use a few more.

The Reef Knot

Here’s one you’ve actually been tying a long time and not known it. Unless that is, you’ve been using the alternative Granny knot, which isn’t as good. Just look at the way you tie your shoes, and you’ve got it. Here are the sketchy directions for this knot, too.

You probably remember that over and under method. I purposefully colored one side/end blue to help out. I find it easy to tie this knot when remembering to always start with the same end (blue in this case). So when starting with blue, make sure that is the one that goes over and then under the white one. Then the blue again goes over and under the white one. Ta da, you’ve got it.

The granny knot comes in when you start with the blue end, and then switch to starting with the white end half-way through. By the way, if you add an “ear” (make a loop in one end) you get a slipped reef knot, which is sometimes easier to untie (especially after it’s gotten wet). Then it really does start to look like your shoe laces.

Sheet Bend (or Sheep Shank)

I know I mentioned only 5 knots, but I couldn’t help myself. Besides this is a good one to know when trying to tie two different ropes together.

This knot is very similar to the bowline, earlier. But their is an important difference that makes this work and not fall apart.

Start with the larger rope, and make a “loop” in it’s end, similar to what you would do in the bowline. #1 show’s this loop. Then take the smaller line and follow the small arrows through the loop and around it’s back (#1 and #2) show this taking place.

The small arrow in #3 shows how the line then passes between the standing end of the large line and the loop formed in #2. This is the difference between this knot and the bowline. #4 gives a good showing of how the smaller line passes through itself.

Next, tighten everything up, and there you have it. You’ve connected two ropes together. By the way, this also works for ropes that have a spliced eye in the end of them. Just treat the spliced eye like the loop above.

Conclusion

There you go. We’ve gone through the six (maybe seven if you are counting the running clove hitch) knots that all beginners should know. There are always extras that are worth adding to this list.

What would you add?

Enjoy and pleasant boating.

Blessings.

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Many of these drawings are from the Rev. Joel’s Instagram feed: Rev.Joel’s_art. Feel free to give the feed a like and a follow.

Joel is currently using the Moleskin Art Collection Sketchbook and the Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketcher’s Pocket Box set with the Pentel Water Brush. Joel is also using an Extra Fine nibbed fountain pen (a Wing Sung 698) with deArtimentis ink.

If you’d like to see the go-to art supplies Rev. Joel is using as he started his second sketchbook of 2021, check this link: Current Art Supplies (7 Aug 2021).

If you’d like to see what Rev. Joel started the year using for art supplies, check this link Collection of Art Supplies at the Beginning of the Year (2021).

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