The Essential Knots

Tying knots is an amazingly satisfying skill to learn. Knots are useful. They can also be beautiful and fun! Kids get a real sense of achievement from learning how to tie a knot and understanding its uses.

Students in our outdoor education course at NIS will be learning six Essential Knots during this term.

1. Reef Knot. This is used to join two ends of a piece of rope into a loop, or to join two ropes together; good for tying string around parcels too.

2. Figure-8 Loop. This is used to make a loop in the end of a rope. Especially useful for clipping a karabiner or other fastening into.

3. Bowline- One of the most satisfying knots, when you (eventually) get it right! The bowline is used to tie a loop into a rope. Good for tying a boat up securely or rescuing someone in an emergency; and many other uses where something needs to be attached to the end of a rope.

4. Sheet Bend- the sheet bend is a very cool knot for joining two ropes together, especially if once rope is thick and the other is thin.

5. Round-Turn-And-Two-Half-Hitches- a classic knot for securing boats or horses, or tying off any loose rope on a boat.

6. Alpine Butterfly- Use this knot to make a rope shorter; to make a very useful loop in the middle of a long rope; or to make a damaged section of rope safe.

Here is a fantastic website for helping you to practice your knots:

Animated Knots

Click throigh, try looking up all the Essential Knots in the list, and see how they are tied. For next week's class, practice your Reef Knot, Figure 8 Loop, and try the Bowline. Use a shoelace- it's just the right length and thickness for quick practice.