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Original URL: Worrisome Bend - IGKT
Original Author: Christoph Mangutsch
Original Category/Board in SMF2: Chit Chat
Hi Call me “james”. I’m new to the forum, still feeling very self-conscious. What with all these experts rendering verdicts on all these intricate knots… Recently, I’ve “invented” a decorative new bend I derived from an extension of a popular modern bend. I so wanted to share this with you. My new bend manages to permanently and securely unite two ends of string just as well as the traditional knot or even better I might say (as long as these ends are not too flimsy or worn out.) And it has worked well so far on my stash of sheep’s wool. It’s probably best tied, however, in rather flat and stretchy braided or woven material (with the two ends not necessarily having to be the same thickness.) Only “problem” with my new perfectly jamming bend seems to be that it can - (and W I L L !) - be cut flush with impunity. VERY flush. All four ends of it cut flush to be precise. Without ever taking away from either the bend’s or string’s stability. Cut INTO my bend (if you’re inclined to do so) and you will find that it miraculously won’t unravel or come undone. The thing stays put, come what may. It somehow seems to be self-contained in a strange way or maybe it has a secret life of its own outside its original context of just being yet another useful method for joining two pieces of cord. Ah, and there’s the rub. For you wouldn’t want any tiny colourful solid Monkey’s Fist-type little so-called “self-contained bends” scattered around carelessly on the tables of your next knotting event, would you. (Should have probably dubbed my bend “Parents’ Nightmare”. But I like to call it my “Worrisome Bend”. Since not only is it a public hazard to all humanity; it is also not exactly among the easiest of all bends to work.) Depending on what colours of (multiple) strings you use in the bend’s somewhat Turk’s Head-like structure, further depending on where you decide to pull or on how you go about dressing it, The Worrisome may take on the shape and characteristics of a multiflora bean, a varicoloured little ball or pebble, an active volcano or even a hermetic little heart. But most of the time it just closely resembles rainbow coloured candy or dried-up lumps of variegated chewing-gum. If this bend of mine was HALF RESPECTFUL or had ANY decency, of course, you COULD tie from it all sorts of Scoobidoo Crosses with the Worrisome Bend at the centre. You COULD possibly even join two sturdy 18-string-or-so friendship bracelet designs when trying to tie some more personalized ribbons around your birthday presents. You COULD “magically” connect strings of different colour without the smallest of traces of ends showing North or South. Or you COULD tie a naturally heavy fishing net the hard way without your usual netting needle forming your usual Sheet Bends. These invisible ends would have to go SOMEWHERE, you’d think… Last but not least, you COULD put the Worrisome to effective use when planning to achieve lots and lots of conspicuous yet inexplicable funny colour changes in your next jumper. This for EXPECTATION. Harsh REALITY would then show you that some kids wouldn’t even survive their own birthday parties with your Worrisome being featured (as they might go and cut up grannie’s new jumper to shreds in an effort to harvest all these funny little knots to play with.) So, for obvious reasons, turning The Worrisome into some kind of meme on the internet by posting detailed instructions might not be such a clever thing to do after all. How sad. What a shame. Yet, on the other hand, isn’t a bend that is at the same time equally secure and equally insecure facing that very same challenging situation Schroedinger’s kitten is facing? (The Worrisome does exist, though, I assure you, even if I don’t, officially…) “james”