Every time a question like this comes up, I am reminded just how important it is to the future of the Guild to ensure that we take answering it with all seriousness, for the future of the Guild lays in taking every opportunity to effectively promote knotting and the use of rope and cord - especially to this age group. So, before we go popping off posting our personal favourites, remember the task of the teacher who is going to be introducing the use of rope cord and knots to individuals, brought up in a world of cable ties, superglue, adhesive-tape and bungee-cords.
Apart from ‘passing a test’, why on earth should they swap the ease of using Gaffa tape (which works and which they will almost certainly have to hand) for cord and knots which are hard to remember, and when you get them wrong, fall apart!!
Perhaps we should start with Lindsey’s first question “what purpose would these knots be used to fulfil” and work from there.
Pick a task (say wrapping a parcel) consider how it would be done today, then consider how it would be done with string and knots, then (most importantly) review the pros and cons of each method. At the end of the exercise, the students have learnt a new knot, but they have also learnt it in context and have been given the opportunity to consider how cord (or perhaps in this case, ribbon) might have been better.
Tying up bean poles in the garden – cable ties? Gaffa tape? or a simple constrictor in hairy garden string?
Tying on a load – Bungee cord? ratchet straps? (and yes, I have seen a load strapped on with Gaffa) or an Alpine loop and Z hitch?
Stabilising a Gazebo – Bungee straps? or Sliding Grip Hitch in 3mm braided polyester?
Fixing to a pole and don’t want it to slip – cable ties and Gaffa? or a KC Hitch using old bailer twine?
Temporary closure – Magnetic catch? or a Chinese button tied in elastic cord?
Which do you think would be a more valuable (and therefore memorable) challenge – ‘Bring me six examples of knots in use’ or, ‘Bring me a knotboard of ten knots’?
If someone brought me six effective uses for even the same knot, I would be more confident that they would be likely to use knots in their future than if someone brought me a pristine set of ten samples on a knotboard.
Derek