Category Archives: Knots

Clove Hitch

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The clove hitch is a type of knot. Along with the bowline and the sheet bend, it is often considered one of the most important knots and is commonly referred to as a Double Hitch. A clove hitch is two successive half-hitches around an object. It is most effectively used as a crossing knot. It can be used as a binding knot, but is not particularly secure in that role. A clove hitch made around the rope’s own standing part is known as either two half-hitches or buntline hitch, depending on whether the turns of the clove hitch progress away from or towards the hitched object.

French Whipping Knot

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How to tie the French Whipping Knot. French Whipping is very similar to Common Whipping but it differs in that each wrap around the rope is done with a half hitch instead of simply wrapping around the rope. This results in both a more secure whipping and an attractive spiral design of the half hitch knots within the whipping. The French Whipping should be constructed to be between one and one and a half times the diameter of the rope being whipped. Also see: Common Whipping

FRENCH WHIPPING Knot Tying Instructions

  • Near the end of the rope, tie a simple overhand knot leaving a short tag end and a long working end. Lay the tag end on top of the rope and begin making half hitches over the tag end and around the rope end being whipped.
  • Continue this same process of tying half hitches around the rope and burying the tag end in the new wraps. Pull each half hitch very tight.
  • Once you have wrapped past the tag and and approximately one to one and a half times the diameter of the rope being whipped, you will now secure the knot by making two loose wraps around the rope and inserting the working end through both loops. You can repeat this a second time if desired. Note that the animated French Whipping below shows the knot finishing with two loosely tied half hitches with the working end being fed through both loops and pulled tight. This is an acceptable alternative that might be a bit more secure but is not as tidy if using small diameter cordage as opposed to twine.
  • Pull the working end very tight and trim close to the wraps.

Common Whipping Knot

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Common Whipping

How to tie the Common Whipping Knot. The Common Whipping is a knot tied at the end of a rope to keep the end from unraveling. The benefit of the Common Whipping knot is that it is quite easy to tie and no tools are required. However, the knot is more appropriate for temporary use or on decorative ropes as it is known to slip off the rope easily. It is best used on a natural fiber rope and tied with natural twine, both of which afford the maximum friction for the knot to hold its position at the end of the rope. When dealing with synthetic ropes, it is best to wrap with tape and then heat the ends to the melting point to fuse the strands. Also see: French Whipping

Sheet Bend

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To create a sheet bend, bend the thicker or more slippery rope into a “J” shape (like a fish hook). Then pass the other rope through the hook shape from behind, wrap it around the entire fishhook once and then tuck the smaller line between itself and the other rope. If the ropes are the same diameter and texture, the sheet bend actually resembles a square knot. To tie a sheet bend with fabric or a tarp, collect, squeeze, and shape the material into a “J” shape, and then run your rope through and around the “J.”

The Trance of Art

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This is the first article of my Philosophy Category. I decided to begin writing about some of the what I feel relevant to doing Art.

Have you ever lost all track of time while doing Artwork? I know I have. I seem to lose the mornings from around 4 a.m. onwards to around 10 a.m. This is the time that I spend working on my Ship off and on and I’ll watch some show on TV. Just going back and forth.

But, it’s the time during Art that’s interesting. I wonder what it is about concentration that makes you lose all sense of time?

I suppose that’s one of the reasons why I do it? I have tried to explain to people that the completed piece of art is not the point. It’s the doing of it is what’s important. Because, when you’re in the process of creating, you’re basically delving into a deeper aspect of yourself and you’re trying to tap into your central being. At least, that’s the way I feel about it.

I’m not sure how you could possibly create without tapping into this part of yourself?

I’m now wondering when I’m going to get back into Watercolor?

My ex Julie came over the other day for a visit. She stayed a couple of hours. Anyway, I showed her my artwork and I couldn’t believe that she actually wanted one of them? She not only wanted one of them, which I considered a good piece. It was one of a Lily. I guess it was pretty good. Then she wanted a set I made, a Warm Study and a Cool Study. They were both studies but apparently she liked them. Then the other one she took was a Ocean Scene, which I felt that I messed up on, but she liked it I guess. The point I’m trying to make is that other people may love your art as well.

So now, I’m into building this Ship. There’s a few things that people ask me that I wonder about.

First, they ask me when it’s going to be finished. Another one is “What are you going to do with it when you’re done?” I don’t know how many times I’ve been asked that question. Ahhh… What do you do with anything? A painting or whatever? You display it, right?

Getting back to the Subject though. I do feel that the reason I do it is because it does make me lose all track of time by allowing me to go into a trance-like state while in total concentration. I’m sure a lot of Artists feel the same way.