Chinese Knotting: The Creeper Knot (攀緣結, 당초매듭)


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Generalities

What if, instead of using 4 pieces of string, you tied one unit of a square knot all with one piece of string? You get the creeper knot.

Front and back symmetric like most core Chinese knots, and more or less left/right symmetric, there's no rotational symmetry to the creeper knot. Also, it is an inline knot which sort of limits it's compound knot design possibilities. It's classical use is as a decorative binding for a gift wrapped cylindrical object. You could expand the knot by square knotting a longer segment over the centre loop or doing any macramé tricks that don't involve using the carrier threads much. Ashley describes just such an extension that he found in a Japanese knot book. #2468 is the caterpillar knot.


Nomenclature

Chen 2: Creeper Knot (攀緣結, simplified: 攀缘结) [pān yuán jié]
당초매듭: dang-cho-mae-deup (machine translates as "initial knot")
Ashley: #2468 Caterpillar Knot

As of yet unseen in the Japanese realm, it may yet turn up in a furoshiki or tsusumi (gift wrapping) situation.

In Chinese Knotting 2 Lydia Chen translates 攀緣結 (pān yuán jié) as the Creeper Knot noting that it evokes climbing vines. Machine translating from the Chinese, gives "climb" or "clamber". Fair enough.


Similar Knots


How to tie the creeper knot

setup step setup step:
make a bight with the middle of your cord (++)
step 1 step 1:
with the cord on the right hand side (RHS) make a bight
and cross it over your middle bight (++)
step 2step 2cstep 2bstep 2a step 2:
with the cord from the left hand side interlock a loop around the RHS loop (++)
starting from the lower left side, go over the RHS loop (++)
go under the bottom of the middle loop and up through the loop between the middle and RHS loops (++)
curving up, go over the RHS cord (++)
step 2estep 2d go under the top of the middle loop (++)
and up through the tip of the RHS loop (++)
finished creeper knot Finished Creeper Knot:
tighten and adjust, you are done. (++)

CLW

Creation Date: Wed Jun 2 15:27:32 PDT 2010
Last Modified: Tuesday, 15-Jun-2010 01:11:01 UTC
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