Jekyll2022-08-06T20:14:09-07:00http://localhost:4000/feed/tag/tools.xmlKnotty Notions ][ ToolsA decorative knotting blog.Carol WangBeaded sinnet foam tool2012-11-05T00:00:00-08:002012-11-05T00:00:00-08:00http://localhost:4000/prototyping/sennit/beaded-sinnet-foam-tool<p>Before I made a <a href="/projects/sinnetting-stand-design-class" title="modified camera tripod stand">stand</a> to do beaded crown sinnets with, I first did it <a href="/sinnet/crown/beaded-sampler" title="first experiment">by hand</a> and then made a foam tool. This is the story of the foam tool.
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Now, I have <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MXY7AC/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skateorg&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B002MXY7AC&adid=1JBSFBM2PETW99VKGVYS" title="affiliate link to Amazon, but you can just look at the picture 8)">foam flooring tiles</a> which I purchased from the local hardware store, so I have the raw material to make custom foam tools at will.</p>
<p>This is what I used: <a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/sinnet-foam-tool/materials.jpg" title="picture of stuff"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/sinnet-foam-tool/materials-small.jpg" alt="picture of stuff" /></a> which includes:</p>
<ul>
<li> chunk of foam
<li> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003DYZR6M/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skateorg&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B003DYZR6M&adid=1GEPPYGRC59ANZD9B0Y9" title="affiliate link">round head fasteners</a> (any office supply store should have these)
<li> and some pliers, although the fasteners are soft enough you could probably do it by hand
</ul>
I had tried using a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DMXUQG/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=skateorg&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B005DMXUQG&adid=1Z5ZYHEKRFSDABD0C5X9" title="affiliate link, mini Bead Smith disc">kumihimo disc</a> already, and I knew I didn't want slots, but help keeping the strands separate meant a shape with concave sides like so:
<a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/sinnet-foam-tool/shaped-foam.jpg" title="foam throwing star"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/sinnet-foam-tool/shaped-foam-small.jpg" alt="foam throwing star" /></a>
The hole was for the finished braid to pass through. Lastly I wanted somewhere to park the pass through loop, somewhere <strong>above</strong> the plane of the tool. So, I got some fasteners and made this shape:
<a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/sinnet-foam-tool/shaped-fastener.jpg" title="prong with small ledge"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/sinnet-foam-tool/shaped-fastener-small.jpg" alt="prong with small ledge" /></a>
and pushed it through the foam.
The finished thing looks like this:
<a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/sinnet-foam-tool/finished-tool.jpg" title="spiked foam throwing star"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/sinnet-foam-tool/finished-tool-small.jpg" alt="spiked foam throwing star" /></a>
<em>Ergonomically</em>, holding the tool was definitely easier than holding just the braid.
<em>Did the star shape help with fumbling around for the strands?</em> I think it did.
<em>Did the pass through loop parking prong do the trick?</em> If you were using cord, I think it would have been a waste of time since there was still some fumbling involved with the prong. Using thread as I was for stringing the beads, it was definitely better than nothing.
Were I to work on refining the foam tool, I would extend two of the star arms, and maybe carve a channel into them to hold the parked loop to make a bigger target, using bigger gestures. Using the loop parking prong as above was still more fiddly than I would like.
</li></li></li></ul>Carol WangBefore I made a stand to do beaded crown sinnets with, I first did it by hand and then made a foam tool. This is the story of the foam tool.Designing a beaded sinnet stand2012-11-04T00:00:00-07:002012-11-04T00:00:00-07:00http://localhost:4000/prototyping/sennit/designing-a-beaded-sinnet-stand<p>I'm taking one of those massive open online courses from <a href="http://www.coursera.org/" title="Free online university classes">Coursera</a>, in particular, the <a href="http://www.coursera.org/course/design" title="class description">Design class</a> and foolishly decided, as my class project, to work on my current obsession, making a <a href="/sinnet/crown/beaded-sampler" title="braids formed by knotting, with beads">beaded sinnet</a> stand. As part of my class, I'm supposed to gather 5 peers who are experiencing the same problem and interview them (among other things, that will be revealed to me as the class progresses). So, I need <strong><em>your</em></strong> help for my class! More on that at the end of the post.
<a href="/crown/beaded-crown-sinnet-sampler.html" title="read more about"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/sinnet/crown/gallery/beaded/dark-blue-silver-lined-sinnet.jpg"></a></p>
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<p>Now, I've made a prototype from a broken camera stand (the ball head mount broke and I asked my husband to remove the centre post because I <em>knew</em> I'd be modding it into a stand of some sort... 8), some heavy duty wire from the hardware store and an elastic band so I can change things. I made wire... frames for both 4 strands and 6 strands as you'll see below.</p>
<p>Backing up a little:
<ol>
<li> A <strong>sinnet</strong> is like a braid made from knots.
<li> The <strong>crown sinnet</strong> is known to kumists as the <strong>strawberry end knot</strong>.
<li> The crown sinnet is known to boondogglers by a variety of stitch names, including: <strong>circle</strong> or <strong>barrel</strong>, also <strong>square</strong> and <strong>box</strong> if done in a columnar fashion rather than spiraling.
<li> Adding beads to a sinnet, requires the knot to form above the braiding point where the beads sit so that the beads are trapped, sit properly, and do not pop above the knot.
<li> Sinnetting (I'm making up a new word!) on a stand is different than braiding because in braiding it's (usually) a simple and symmetric exchange of strands. With <em>sinnetting</em> the extra and usually off-centre manipulation to tie the knots with weighted strands means that the mirror needs to be as small as possible for more stability.
</ol>
</p>
<p>To guide the strands of my sinnet to form each knot well above the point of braiding, I added frame pieces made from wire (in my prototype, I can see them made from plastic, wood or metal pieces in a finished product) that had the added benefit of resolutely separating the unknotted strands. You can see the shape from the pictures:
<a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/top-view.jpg" title="top view of prototype knotting stand"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/top-view-small.jpg" alt="top view of prototype knotting stand" align="left"></a><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/prototype-sketch.jpg" title="sketch of desired effect"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/prototype-sketch-small.jpg" alt="sketch of desired effect" align="center"></a><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/side-angle.jpg" title="3/4 view of prototype knotting stand"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/side-angle-small.jpg" alt="3/4 view of prototype knotting stand" align="right"></a></p>
<p>So, I am supposed to interview 5 people with similar problems. Let us say, for the sake of argument (and to cast a wider net that might actually catch 5-ish people by tomorrow 9PM EST (Sorry!! I'm a procrastinator... 8( )) the problem is tying sinnets on a stand <strong>or</strong> braiding with beads on a stand <strong>or</strong> tying beaded sinnets (by whatever means).</p>
<p>The questions are:
<ol>
<li> What are you trying to make?
<li> What similar things do you make?
<li> What tools do you currently use?
<li> What annoys you the most about the task with your current setup?
<li> What works well with your current setup?
<li> What are you looking for in a tool to assist in your task?
<li> Anything else you'd like to say? 8)
</ol>
</p>
<p>Please try <strong>not to be</strong> brief!</p>Carol WangI'm taking one of those massive open online courses from Coursera, in particular, the Design class and foolishly decided, as my class project, to work on my current obsession, making a beaded sinnet stand. As part of my class, I'm supposed to gather 5 peers who are experiencing the same problem and interview them (among other things, that will be revealed to me as the class progresses). So, I need your help for my class! More on that at the end of the post.Designing a beaded sinnet stand2012-11-04T00:00:00-07:002012-11-04T00:00:00-07:00http://localhost:4000/prototyping/sennit/designing-a-beaded-sinnet-standI'm taking one of those massive open online courses from <a href="http://www.coursera.org/" title="Free online university classes">Coursera</a>, in particular, the <a href="http://www.coursera.org/course/design" title="class description">Design class</a> and foolishly decided, as my class project, to work on my current obsession, making a <a href="/sinnet/crown/beaded-sampler" title="braids formed by knotting, with beads">beaded sinnet</a> stand. As part of my class, I'm supposed to gather 5 peers who are experiencing the same problem and interview them (among other things, that will be revealed to me as the class progresses). So, I need <strong><em>your</em></strong> help for my class! More on that at the end of the post.
<a href="/sinnet/crown/beaded-sampler" title="read more about"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/sinnet/crown/gallery/beaded/dark-blue-silver-lined-sinnet.jpg"></a>
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Now, I've made a prototype from a broken camera stand (the ball head mount broke and I asked my husband to remove the centre post because I <em>knew</em> I'd be modding it into a stand of some sort... 8), some heavy duty wire from the hardware store and an elastic band so I can change things. I made wire... frames for both 4 strands and 6 strands as you'll see below.
Backing up a little:
<ol>
<li> A <strong>sinnet</strong> is like a braid made from knots.
<li> The <strong>crown sinnet</strong> is known to kumists as the <strong>strawberry end knot</strong>.
<li> The crown sinnet is known to boondogglers by a variety of stitch names, including: <strong>circle</strong> or <strong>barrel</strong>, also <strong>square</strong> and <strong>box</strong> if done in a columnar fashion rather than spiraling.
<li> Adding beads to a sinnet, requires the knot to form above the braiding point where the beads sit so that the beads are trapped, sit properly, and do not pop above the knot.
<li> Sinnetting (I'm making up a new word!) on a stand is different than braiding because in braiding it's (usually) a simple and symmetric exchange of strands. With <em>sinnetting</em> the extra and usually off-centre manipulation to tie the knots with weighted strands means that the mirror needs to be as small as possible for more stability.
</ol>
To guide the strands of my sinnet to form each knot well above the point of braiding, I added frame pieces made from wire (in my prototype, I can see them made from plastic, wood or metal pieces in a finished product) that had the added benefit of resolutely separating the unknotted strands. You can see the shape from the pictures:
<a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/top-view.jpg" title="top view of prototype knotting stand"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/top-view-small.jpg" alt="top view of prototype knotting stand" align="left"></a><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/prototype-sketch.jpg" title="sketch of desired effect"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/prototype-sketch-small.jpg" alt="sketch of desired effect" align="center"></a><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/side-angle.jpg" title="3/4 view of prototype knotting stand"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/knotting-stand/side-angle-small.jpg" alt="3/4 view of prototype knotting stand" align="right"></a>
So, I am supposed to interview 5 people with similar problems. Let us say, for the sake of argument (and to cast a wider net that might actually catch 5-ish people by tomorrow 9PM EST (Sorry!! I'm a procrastinator... 8( )) the problem is tying sinnets on a stand <strong>or</strong> braiding with beads on a stand <strong>or</strong> tying beaded sinnets (by whatever means).
The questions are:
<ol>
<li> What are you trying to make?
<li> What similar things do you make?
<li> What tools do you currently use?
<li> What annoys you the most about the task with your current setup?
<li> What works well with your current setup?
<li> What are you looking for in a tool to assist in your task?
<li> Anything else you'd like to say? 8)
</ol>
Please try <strong>not to be</strong> brief!Carol WangI'm taking one of those massive open online courses from Coursera, in particular, the Design class and foolishly decided, as my class project, to work on my current obsession, making a beaded sinnet stand. As part of my class, I'm supposed to gather 5 peers who are experiencing the same problem and interview them (among other things, that will be revealed to me as the class progresses). So, I need your help for my class! More on that at the end of the post.Globe Knot Makeshift Tool2009-01-20T00:00:00-08:002009-01-20T00:00:00-08:00http://localhost:4000/project%20diary/globe/globe-knot-makeshift-tool<p>As mentioned in my <a href="tool-review">review of the globe knot book</a>, my <a href="http://www.crafter.org/beading/fvbg/">bead group</a> wanted to learn some globe knots so I picked <a href="18jbd.jpg">18JBD</a> for it’s relative simplicity (facet number) and snazzy appearance. Of course, in order to follow the instructions from the book, one is going to need a tool. Since buying the official tool just to try one knot seems little excessive, I came up with a makeshift tool that should cost pennies to construct.
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<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/chopsticks.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/chopsticks-stamp.jpg" alt="disposable chopsticks" align="left" /></a>Start with 2 pair of disposable chopsticks. Unwrap. That’s it. Don’t separate them (we’re not eating with these ones, after all).<br clear="all" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/first-toothpick.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/first-toothpick-stamp.jpg" alt="chopsticks with first toothpick" align="left" /></a> Line them up forming a square and push the first toothpick down between the sticks.<br clear="all" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/first-elastic.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/first-elastic-stamp.jpg" alt="apply an elastic" align="left" /></a>wrap the chopsticks with an elastic and push right down to the toothpick.<br clear="all" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/first-layer.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/first-layer-stamp.jpg" alt="first layer" align="left" /></a> Add another toothpick crosswise, then another elastic to hold the toothpicks and chopsticks in place. Since you want to be able to tell the first set of crossed toothpicks from the second, another elastic to space them out would also be good.<br clear="all" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/start-second-layer.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/start-second-layer-stamp.jpg" alt="start the second layer" align="left" /></a>Another toothpick and another elastic<br clear="all" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/done.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/done-stamp.jpg" alt="finished arranging toothpicks" align="left" /></a>2 crossed layers of toothpicks at the top and another set about a thumb’s length below, everything separated by elastics and you’re almost done.<br clear="all" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/chopped.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/chopped-stamp.jpg" alt="cut the pointy bits off the toothpicks" align="left" /></a>Cut the pointy bits off the toothpicks. Leave about a centimeter sticking out of the chopsticks. Sandpaper (or a nail file) might help at this point to take off the sharp bits that might hook your cord.<br clear="all" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/labelled.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/labelled-stamp.jpg" alt="label it!" align="left" /></a>Using a fine tipped marker, number the sides 1-4 and label the toothpick layers C, D, E, and F. Feel free to do so on all sides. You’re done! Ready to tie globe knots.<br clear="all" /></p>
<p>When you are done tying, you could either pull out the toothpicks to clear the way to remove the knot from the tool, or just slowly and carefully remove your tied knot.</p>
<p>For 18JBD which used the 3 column tool, you would just ignore the 4th column of our constructed tool. If you were wanting to build a tool for more complicated knots, clearly you could add in crossed toothpick layers as desired.</p>
<p>As for the workshop I gave to my bead group, I forgot my fine felt tip marker when I left home, and ball point pens (even space pens!) work poorly on the curved wood. Unlabeled tools are more difficult to work with (although not impossible). In the hour we had to work, we constructed our tools and tied the knot. Most were working on the doubling when time ran out.</p>Carol WangAs mentioned in my review of the globe knot book, my bead group wanted to learn some globe knots so I picked 18JBD for it’s relative simplicity (facet number) and snazzy appearance. Of course, in order to follow the instructions from the book, one is going to need a tool. Since buying the official tool just to try one knot seems little excessive, I came up with a makeshift tool that should cost pennies to construct.Globe Knot Beads Part 22009-01-17T00:00:00-08:002009-01-17T00:00:00-08:00http://localhost:4000/project%20diary/globe/globe-knot-beads-part-2<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/14sgz.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/14sgz-stamp.jpg" alt="pink globe knot with 14 facets" align="left" /></a> The offspring asked for a pink knot. Here is one. This is a globe knot with 14 facets. 14SGZ to be precise. Generally speaking, the more facets, the more I like it, but that’s not how you start people off. I actually timed myself this time. From start to where I’m reasonably happy to leave it alone is approximately 40 minutes. The slight football shape to the core bead is bugging me. The next core bead will be more round if I can find one without too much digging.<br clear="all" />
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<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/needle-disclaimer.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/needle-disclaimer-stamp.jpg" alt="disclaimer on needle" align="left" /></a> The warning on the card that packages the self-threading needle makes me laugh every time. Surely only our friends who live in the land of litigation would feel the need to put such a disclaimer on a needle. Well, at least it doesn’t have an age label and choking hazard warning. 8)<br clear="all" /></p>Carol WangThe offspring asked for a pink knot. Here is one. This is a globe knot with 14 facets. 14SGZ to be precise. Generally speaking, the more facets, the more I like it, but that's not how you start people off. I actually timed myself this time. From start to where I'm reasonably happy to leave it alone is approximately 40 minutes. The slight football shape to the core bead is bugging me. The next core bead will be more round if I can find one without too much digging.Tool and Book Review: Globe Knot Tool and Cookbook2009-01-15T00:00:00-08:002009-01-15T00:00:00-08:00http://localhost:4000/books/tool-and-book-review-globe-knot-tool-and-cookbook<p><a href="http://knottool.com/gk_kit.html"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/globe-knot-tool.jpg" alt="Don Burrhus' globe knot tool" align="left" /></a> Don Burrhus has written (at this point) 3 books and sells kits to go with them. Two are about <a href="http://knottool.com/th_kit.html" title="Turks Head Cookbook 1">Turks Head Knots</a> and the most recent is about globe knots. I have all of them, but I’ll tackle the Turks Head kit and books more thoroughly at a later date.<br />
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<p>The globe knot kit consists of 2 labeled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_chloride">PVC</a> tubes with 3 and 4 columns of pins. Four at the top and four at the bottom. The pins are these clever little screw type thingies (yes, I’m sure there’s a technical term somewhere that precisely describes the item in question, I just don’t know what that is) that retract into the tube when you don’t need them. A wee little <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_key">Allen key</a> (included) is used to extract or hide the pins. Extra pins (and an extra Allen key) are included in case you lose one. Blind cord (yes, the kind of cord used to pull up and down window blinds, firmly braided round nylon/polyester 1.5mm??) in an assortment of colours is included. A self-threading needle completes the kit and the whole is packed into what looks like a repurposed multiple CD case.</p>
<p>My biggest complaint about the kit itself is that the little bottle that holds the Allen keys and extra pins is too big (diameter) for the case. A smaller bottle or a little resealable bag would allow your case to close entirely (yes, I am aware that’s a pretty nit-picky complaint, but you have to start somewhere 8), so I moved my little bits into a snack size zip bag and now I’m a happier person. 8)</p>
<p>The book is a standard 8.5” x 11” spiral-bound for easy reference while tying with a plastic front and back to give it some structure. The book has 202 pages with instructions for 137 knots, most of which are unique to this book. It’s the kind of thing to make a knot fanatic (the kind always looking for new knots) jump up and down in glee, if they were prone to that sort of behavior. 8)</p>
<p>The front matter of the book includes a number of colour plates with crowds of tied knots and accompanying maps that indicate which knot is which. There is also a step-by-step illustrated section that shows how to use the tools. The appendix includes a bibliography, some cord usage and core sizing formulas, material sources, and a discussion of <a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/book/#ashley">Ashley’s</a> globe knots.</p>
<p>The instructions for each knot is contained on one page. There is a pin diagram (which pins are used for this knot), a knot schematic, a facet count, a shape diagram, and a tying formula based on pin numbers with interim overs and unders. The crowd of knots on the cover is nice and makes for a great cover, but I would have much preferred more orderly knot arrangements (with their descriptions). This is a minor point. What I would have vastly preferred is a picture of the knot in question on it’s instruction page. I have not gone through the book to the extent that I would be able to say whether or not each set of instructions has a photo of the completed knot in the book. Something the Japanese books I buy like to do (so that they can have colour plates at the front of the book and cheaper paper with monochrome text and diagrams in the rest of the book) is to label an object in the colour plate section with the page number/range of their instructions and in the instruction section. Conversely, they note on the instruction pages where to find the appropriate colour plate page to supplement the grey-scale illustrations).</p>
<p>Clearly, this is not a deal-breaker. For anyone the least bit interested in globe knots, I highly recommend both book and kit. Perhaps Don will tweak the format for his future books. 8)</p>
<p>Speaking of tweaks I’d like to see, I’d love for a recommended length of cord and core size (the length of cord and core size for the examples he made would do nicely) just as a reference point for the impatient who don’t want to work through the formulas while fooling around.</p>
<p><strong><u>Beads</u></strong>
<a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/globe1.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/globe1-stamp.jpg" alt="globe knot bead" align="left" /></a><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/globe1-hole.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/projects/globe/globe1-hole-stamp.jpg" alt="globe knot bead hole side" align="right" /></a> Now, you take any object and put a hole in it somewhere and you have a bead, especially if it’s round. So, I looked at these round knots and thought, put a bead in as core, and the whole thing is a bead! My first globe knot from the book was one of the step by step walk through knots from the front (so it’s either the 28 or the 40 facet knot). I honestly can’t tell from looking at it and at the moment have no patience for counting.</p>
<p>As with all things beady, I showed my new bead to <a href="http://crafter.org/beading/fvb/">my bead group</a> and a number of them were interested in learning, so I’ll be teaching a bead knot to the group this weekend (Jan 18, 2009). I just need to pick one. I’m working my way through the book and trying to pick the one with minimal facets that looks nice. I’ve come up with a low cost alternative to the snazzy tool so that all in the group can have one. More on that later.<br clear="all" /></p>
<p><strong>Administrivia:</strong> I was noticing that the anonymous user sees an entirely different date stamp on the posts than the registered users do. Of course, this is only relevant to me because the anonymous user might think that wasn’t hitting the one a day mark due to the funky time stamps. 8P 8( Something to fix another day… 8)</p>Carol WangDon Burrhus has written (at this point) 3 books and sells kits to go with them. Two are about Turks Head Knots and the most recent is about globe knots. I have all of them, but I’ll tackle the Turks Head kit and books more thoroughly at a later date.Wire Basics2009-01-03T00:00:00-08:002009-01-03T00:00:00-08:00http://localhost:4000/project%20diary/wire/wire-basics<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/flower/wire/3-flower-wire.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/flower/wire/3-flower-wire-stamp.jpg" alt="3 flower tied in copper wire" align="left" /></a> <a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/mystic/wire/2x2-mystic-wire.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/mystic/wire/2x2-mystic-wire-stamp.jpg" alt="2x2 mystic knot tied in copper wire" align="right" /></a> Tying knots in wire is a lot like tying knots in cord in higher gauges. That is to say when the wire is thin, it handles somewhat like cord. The most important factor with thin wire (also with thicker wire, but we’ll get into that later) is kinking. If your wire folds and pinches, those kinks in the wire will likely always be there. Straightening wire only works so well. Similarly if you end up making little bends in the wire those bends are exceedingly difficult to get out and leave ugly tool marks on the wire even if you do.<br clear="all" /><br />
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<p><a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/supplies/pliers.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/supplies/pliers-stamp.jpg" alt="round nosed pliers" align="left" /></a> <a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/supplies/hemostat.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/supplies/hemostat-stamp.jpg" alt="hemostat" align="right" /></a> So, the goal is to touch your wire a little as possible and move it into it’s final position when you do. To achieve this, you’ll want a jig (framework, template, tool) that guides the wire into it’s final shape (freehanding is usually a bad idea with wire knots) and use your pliers and hemostat only on the working end of your wire if you can manage it. The pliers help with guiding the wire into the knot as you are forming it, and the hemostat is good for pulling the wire through the knot. What you generally want to avoid (but is clear on the above mystic knot) is forcing the hemostat through your knot in an effort to grab the wire end and warping the heck out of the wires already in place. The missing tool that would have prevented this tragedy was the needle tool that was part of my workshop kit when I took a class from <a href="http://www.golden-knots.com/">Loren Damewood</a>.<a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/supplies/needle-tool.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/supplies/needle-tool-stamp.jpg" alt="needle tool" align="left" /></a> <a href="http://www.chineseknotting.org/supplies/needle-tool-tip.jpg" title="bigger"><img src="http://www.chineseknotting.org/supplies/needle-tool-tip-stamp.jpg" alt="needle tool tip" align="right" /></a></p>
<p>The tool is fairly simple in construction: take a crewel or yarn needle and bend the tip slightly and put a blob of something (polymer clay, a cork, etc.) on the end for better grip and to prevent blunt end stabbing when applying force to the tool. Of course, as soon as I gave up searching for my tool and bought a collection of needles for experimental construction purposes, I found my whole kit along with my needle tool. The needle being steel is of sterner stuff than what you’re tying your knot out of (silver, copper, etc.) so it is more effective than trying to force the working end of your wire through your knot. Also the slightly bent tip allows it to navigate overs and unders with minimal distortion of the wires already in place. Finally being a needle (albeit large in the scheme of sewing needles) it is still smaller than just about any pliers, hemostat or other gripping tool to assist your wire on it’s desired path.</p>
<p>When I am tying certain knots in cord and frequently when teaching, I will use paper templates the guide the cord. Paper templates will obviously not help with wire, but I experimented for a while with plastic sheets recycled from random packaging with holes created with a sharp awl. The problem with my first round of experimentation was inexperience with wire. Not knowing how to most effectively apply force and interlacement methods. Lacking confidence and dishearted by the sharp and poke-y mess I was creating, I set things aside until I could attend one of Loren’s workshops. I highly recommend Loren’s workshops and if you can’t attend one, he’s also working on <a href="http://www.golden-knots.com/kits_tools_order.html">kits</a> and instructional DVDs that you can order. Loren recommends and uses <a href="http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/carrick_mat_knot.htm">wood with nail jigs</a> but to me, at least, this seems like a lot of work for rapid prototyping and experimental purposes, especially with the number of knots I might want to tie. Thinking on the problem and remembering how very firm a knot tied in <a href="http://www.daoofsilk.com/catalog/cord/satin/">nylon satin cord</a> can be when tightened to an extreme degree, I thought: why not use a knot as a jig for a knot? As an added bonus, both the sizing of a properly tightened knot and the pattern of the knot in question (very useful for the more complicated knots) are already there. When you get towards the end of the knot and the wire and cord are crowding each other, simply untie the cord knot and remove it from the space in question (this can be done progressively as needs dictate). Voilà!</p>Carol WangTying knots in wire is a lot like tying knots in cord in higher gauges. That is to say when the wire is thin, it handles somewhat like cord.