Knotting Matters 69
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ISSUE 69 DECEMBER 2000 ISSN 0959-2881 Guild Supplies Price List 2000 Item Price Knot Charts Full Set of 100 charts £10.00 Individual Charts £0.20 Rubber Stamp IGKT - Member, with logo £4.00 (excludes stamp pad) Guild Tye Long, dark blue polyester, with knot motif £8.95 Long, dark blue tie with Guild Logo in gold £8.95 Badges - all with Gold Logo Blazer Badge £1.00 Enamel brooch £2.00 Windscreen Sticker £1.00 Certificate of Membership £2.50 parchment scroll signed by President and Hon sec for mounting and hanging Cheques payable to IGKT, or simply send your credit card details PS Dont forget to allow for Postage Supplies Secretary:- Bruce Turley 19 Windmill Avenue, Rubery, Birmingham B45 9SP email [email protected] Telephone: 0121 453 4124 Knotting Matters The Fish Knot Newsletter of the International Guild of Knot Tyers IN THIS ISSUE Issue No. 69 President: Brian Field How I make my Knot Boards 5 Secretary: Nigel Harding Knotty Limericks 7 Editor: Colin Grundy Website: www.igkt.craft.org Millenium Knots 8 The Knot Tyer’s Submission dates for articles KM 70 07 JAN 2001 Jargon Generator 12 KM 70 07 APR 2001 Book Reviews 13 Knotmaster Series 14 The IGKT is a UK Registered Charity No. 802153 A Comment on Knot Slops 16 Maya Ropemaking 21 Except as otherwise indicated, copyright in Knotting Matters is reserved to the Knot Gallery 22 International Guild of Knot Tyers IGKT 2000. Copyright of members articles A Sea Chest 28 published in Knotting Matters is reserved to the authors and permission to reprint Fish Knot 31 should be sought from the author and editor. All sources of quotations printed The Turk’s Head Conundrum 34 in Knotting Matters are acknowledged. Drawing Knots 40 Cover design by Stuart Grainger Allaboutknos.com 41 Notes from the Secretary's Blotter t doesn't seem like just three months visual display equipment. If members since I last sat down to write these traverse the globe to get to a Guild I notes, but it is, and that means yet meeting, then I believe that the quality of another year has slipped by. A lot ofwater that meeting should justify the effort they has t10wn under the bridge, and in the case have made in getting there. Ifany criticism of Uckfield, over the bridge, and up the were to be made at all about this particular High Street as well. Although I was meeting, then it would be that there was fortunate enough not to have been affected so much going on that 'difficult choices' by the t1ooding, I would like to thank all had to be made. Overall it was a very those who telephoned to see if I was professionally produced event, which had alright. Ever optimistic, I thought that it taken the organisers a lot ofti me and effort was a last rush of budding secretaries to put together, for which I have thanked wanting to get their applications in - but them on your behalf. no such luck. This had been an experiment, which I I can report that I have just returned believe, was successful, but did highlight from a most enjoyable weekend in a number ofaspects that the Council needs Beverwijk, courtesy of Willeke and the to consider when planning future Dutch Members. This meeting will be meetings. reported upon in the next KM, as this one Probably the most difficult issue was goes to press in this weekend. As one of the high level of security on site, which the items on the agenda was to approve did create a number of difficulties, both the accounts, which were delayed because before and during the meeting. This did the authorities were slow in issuing us deter the casual visitor, and those whose with the bill for the October 99 meeting, life style is not quite so well ordered as this did remind me that the Guildford others. This was not the first time that meeting had gone unreported due to a security had been a problem, as many quirk offate. members found to their cost at Portsmouth The meeting was probably our best so Dockyard. The Council is aware that many far and certainly was the best attended, members found this a prohibitively with about a hundred and thirty members expensive meeting, and in order to redress and guests attending. There was an the balance, will ensure that this will be ambitious programme of talks and borne in mind when fixing other venues discussions, making full use ofthe modem and events. lecture theatres and extensive range of 2 This moves me on to my next thought, wish the Council to discuss, then you can which is that of keeping the Council in simply write, or talk to the secretary, touch with the membership. Is the Council whose job it is to bring these things to the doing well, or should we all be sacked? attention ofthe Council. Similarly, ifI am Hopefully the answer is nearer the former unavailable, or you have problem with me, than the latter, however there has been a then there are nine other Councillors who recommendation that Members should can be approached (unfortunately none of have a greater say in what goes on. them are anxiously waiting for my job). Personally, (that is me speaking, not the Recently it was pointed out to me by a Council) I think that if anyone were to potential member from the Asian want a greater say then they would put Continent, that our membership fee is the their name forward for election to the equivalent of two days pay for him. One Council - perhaps even as Secretary. It is of our members has since observed that not practical to increase the number of this is much the same as UK members who Councillors - even with just ten voices are living on the basic State Pension. around a table makes for slow progress. Quite a significant period of time In any case, we have had difficulty in passes between me putting pen to paper finding volunteers to fill the present posts and my words and thoughts appearing in and help with subcommittees. Although print on your doorstep. Although we have the law does not forbid it, Council not yet 'put the clocks back' to our beloved members from outside the UK would GMT, I must take this opportunity to hope present practical difficulties, especially that you have all had a good start to the with travelling and accommodation costs, New Millennium (that reminds me • have which would have to be paid for out of you sent your postcard and knot to Ken our limited funds. We hear ofthe technical Yalden), and to wish you all a joyous break-through enabling video/telephone Christmas, and a Happy New Year. conferencing, but even the major global companies prefer to sit around a table. Nigel Harding Hence another non-starter. It has been suggested that as no one knows what the Council are doing, how can members form an opinion ofwhether they on track or not. The Council has no Creative cordage I secrets, and the minutes oftheir meetings I 'He met a man. .. who had created a I are always available at the General Inew art form by using knotted string ... Meetings. They are fairly boring. No II am, myself, working on a paean I extremely boring, I should know, I write Icomposed of fifteen miles of coloured I them. If any member would like a copy 1 rope which will take an area of two I of the Minutes ofCouncil meetings, then 1 thousand square feet to display to its best I I can provide them for the cost ofpostage Iadvantage. and packing. If anyone has an issue they I(E.e. Tubb, Stellar Assignment, 1979) I 3 From the Editor hen you read this editorial I Keep your contributions coming in, for suppose most of you will be without them there would be no magazine W well into preparations for the to read. festive season. At the time of writing One of the recurring themes over the however, I have just returned from a past year has been the Surrey Six. I am weekend of knotting at the Guild half still receiving items on this subject. Rather yearly meeting in the Netherlands. With than publish the odd letter here and there, members from as far afield as Alaska and I shall be holding them over to use as an Germany, this was a wonderful article in a future edition. So please don't opportunity to meet, talk and learn about think the subject is dead. Far from it send knotting. your thoughts either to me or to Howard Well, twelve months have passed in Denyer and perhaps we can reach some the editor's chair. How quickly the time consensus on this issue. seems to go. I have now settled into a On that note I shall conclude and wish routine that seems to work; though the you all a Happy Christmas and productive thanks must go to all the members who knotting New Year. have contributed to Knotting Matters. A Chinese knotting workshop at the Autumn meeting 4 The way I make my Knot Boards By Des Pawson not boards are not my first love. I use the finest waxed whipping twine. There is a certain satisfaction Occasionally I will whip the ends with K on completing a well-balanced coloured twine, perhaps to match the felt layout with examples of ones skills and background. knowledge, perhaps with a theme orsome If! use flax, I use the 3mm again either special appropriate knots for the person 2406 or the extra quality 6/2 and again who you are making the board for.