With just a few techniques, you can create pretty much any tie. A single column tie to start in a safe way, then some frictions to tie with the rest of the rope, and from there we can add up.

The goal of this week is to learn and practice a few core techniques that will allow you to build a variety of patterns and improvise your own ties.

Day 1: Single Column Tie – Learn the Somerville bowline and practice your favourite single column tie with a few challenges.
Day 2: Frictions – Explore different friction patterns using the rope skirt.
Day 3: Improvisation – aka Ichinawa and Ipponnawa – Try some rope improvisation using only one rope. Tie, untie, tie again, untie, repeat!
Day 4: Locking and Finishing – Learn to lock the rope in place using a clove hitch and a double half-hitch. Practice these locking techniques with the cross-legged pose aka agura shibari.
Day 5: Extending Ropes – Learn to extend your rope using a lark’s head or a square knot. Enjoy some improvising time to test the different techniques.
Day 6: Cinches – Learn the double column tie and the cinched friction. Practice cinches with the mermaid tie.
Day 7: Coiling – Learn the overhand hank and coil your ropes so they are ready for next time.

 

Let’s start with the single column tie

 

Or skip directly to hitches for more techniques.

Or return to Spring for more options.