Well awl be! A turk’s head knot!

Posted on by Ruth under Fun Stuff, Tools of the Trade

Bookbinding Awl with Turk's Head Knot

A couple weeks ago I was bitten by the friendship bracelet bug (maybe it’s because it is summer time, and I remember making friendship bracelets at summer camp) – anyway, I was knotting away on a chevron bracelet when my husband came by and said “ooh, friendship bracelets – I used to be pretty good at making those” and I said “oh yeah? well why don’t you make me one?” and he said “mmm…I think I’m kinda past friendship bracelets” and I said “ok, how about a MARRIAGE bracelet lol” and he said “yeah maybe”

well, 3 hours later, he comes back with my bookbinder’s awl and he’s added a GORGEOUS turk’s head knot around it – 4 strand braid, and it appears to have no beginning or end. What a cool surprise!

Turk's Head Knot on a Bookbinding Awl

you can turn the awl around and never find the beginning or end of the knot…

 

Related Posts

  • Intermediate Bookbinding Class

    I think it's finally time to write up a post about the Falmouth Community School Intermediate bookbinding class! On the wake of the Beginning Bookbinding Class, six intrepid bookbinders continued…

  • Make your own leather longstitch journal tutorial
    Bookbinding Tutorial Long-stitch Binding

    It's tutorial Tuesday! I am sharing great bookbinding tutorials I've found around the web on Tuesdays - today's tutorial is about long stitch binding and was created by Sarah at…

  • finished books
    Charitable Bookbinding Event

    This March an online group I'm a part of, the Bookbinding Etsy Street Team (or B.E.S.T.) is hosting a drive to create handmade journals for the non profit organization, Chicago…

About the Author

Ruth

Related Posts

Teflon Folders vs Bone Folders - which one is best

Teflon Folders vs Bone Folders – which one is better for bookbinding?

Nippon ni ikitai - Ruth is on Japanese TV

If you were to go to Japan…

Ruth Bleakley demonstrating paper marbling for Japanese TV

Re: Japanese Media Inquiry, Possible Filming Request

10 Comments

Ruth

Thanks Liesan!

I know, I’ll probably have this longer than a friendship bracelet too 🙂

Reply
Lotus

What a sweetheart he is!!!
I remember my dad teaching me how to do a Turk’s head knot for a bracelet. We used thick twine and made it look like a braid (but only three). I still remember how! Now I’ve got to find some twine… ; )
Lotus

Reply
Ruth

Thanks Lotus, yes those sailor bracelets were super popular when I was in high school – you’d take a shower with one on and it would shrink!

Reply
Look what I made today! A hand tied glass fishing float net! « In the Studio

[…] It took me about two hours, and I learned a new knot that I am calling the “pretzel knot” – using waxed cotton thread I worked off of two tutorials – unfortunately I wasn’t able to find any  photo tutorials, so I worked off of an eHow tutorial and this tutorial that has a picture of the lark’s head knot and pretzel knot up close. I made up my own ending, tying all the cords into a four strand braid (so cool!) and then lashing down the ends with some extra cord. The cord was waxed cotton cord that I stole from my husband, who also enjoys doing crazy knot work. […]

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *