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KINGSMERE CRAFTS
HAND-CRAFTED LEATHER GOODS
Chinese knot: The Flower or Petal Knot
The Chinese Knot is a type of national handicraft with a long history and profound cultural connotations. Circle means reunion or perfection, and is an auspicious symbol for the Chinese people. The Petal Knot can have many petals and looks like a circular flower arrangement. The four-flower is, I should think, the most common of the flower knots, since it is easy to combine many of them into a single design. By keeping the centre loops short as will still allow you to work, the petals will take care of themselves. With the centre kept short and tidy it will be closer to the final structure of the knot, thus making it easier to control than if the centre loops were allowed to get too big. Lacing suitable for making this knot would be either suede or round, especially the round, which is available in 2mm to 7mm thickness.
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Fig 1: Begin by making two 2 loops. The first will be next to the free end of the knot. Thread the second loop through the first loop (over and under) as shown by the direction of the arrow.
Fig 2: Now make another loop. Insert the third loop through the second loop as indicated by the arrow.
Fig 3: Now take the free end and thread it through the third loop, then over the first loop, and through what is the first petal, again as shown by the arrow.
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Fig 4: Bring the free end, as indicated, under the first loop, then back through the third loop.
Fig 5: Attempt to tighten in all directions at the same time. By doing this, the loops should all lock tightly together in the middle.
Fig 6: The example is showing the centre a lot looser than it needs to be before you start to take up the slack.
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Fig 7: Should you need a particular part of the string to be the centre point (presumably it is already somewhere in the 2nd petal), then just work the slack towards both ends, following its previous path. Do not let the centre loosen any more than you must.
Fig 8: If an end is your fixed point, then all you have to do is work the slack towards the other end following its previous path. However, remember, do not let the centre loosen any more than you want it.
Fig 9: The completed four-flower knot.
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