Fun with Chinese Knotting. Lydia Chen

materials such as silk and cotton cords and branching out into glossy plastic, shiny metal, natural clay and colorful cloth. The plastic cords used in the knot shown above are both stain and fire resistant. They also make a strong contemporary statement.

      Leather

      Leather can be formed into cylindrical strips or, as shown in diagram 54, into flat cords to make knot formations which are compatible with leather bags or other similar items. Since leather has a glossy and a rough side, a choice is available according to the needs of a particular design.

      Cloth

      The buttons on traditional Chinese robes, as demonstrated in diagram 55, are actually Chinese knots made from cloth. A plain color cloth is suitable for making knots for more classical attire, whereas colorful cloth can form trendy knot formations for present-day fashion wear.

      Plastic

      Plastic cords, shown in diagram 56, are glossy and are stain and water resistant. They can can be used to make knot formations for colorful garments, or for ornaments that frequently come into contact with water.

      Metal

      Metallic cords, which are stiff but do not snap when bent, can be used for making knots. Guitar strings or fuse wires that are relatively pliant, as shown in diagram 57, can be made into knot formations using one’s hands alone. However, harder metallic cords such as copper wires, illustrated in diagram 58, need to be shaped with pliers.

      Paper

      Papers folded into long strips can be used to make knot formations, as shown in diagram 59, as a substitute for ribbon paper. Paper that does not easily crumple when rubbed, such as cotton paper, is the most suitable.

      Clay

      Long clay cords can be used to make simple knots, such as the one shown in diagram 60. The clay strips are formed by hand, then baked to harden them. Clay cords which are colored and then baked make for highly original knots, as in diagram 61.

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      58

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      See project 50 on page 131 for instructions on making this pendant.

      Living With Chinese Knots

      In the past, Chinese knots were primarily used to enhance the objects they adorned, such as wind chimes, palace lanterns, spectacle cases, fans, jade pendants, seals and tobacco pouches, or were specially made as wall hangings for festive occasions and rites of passage. They were thus rather limited in their application and their beauty often went unnoticed. Even today, the items that are available on the market made with Chinese knots lack variety, and mostly comprise bracelets and belts with unimaginative designs.