This variant of the true lover's knot is also known as a fisherman's knot. It combines two simpler knots to create a strong join between two pieces of line. Max and Patrick used The Foxfire 45th Anniversary Book to figure it out. Here's to sharing...
All you need are two short pieces of rope (or line, in sailor's lingo) and a wee bit of patience. Don't try to use twine or ribbon because the natural curl makes it quite difficult. We learned this from experience.
Begin by making a simple overhand knot. You hold one piece of line in your right hand with the free end hanging to the left. Then you grab the free end with your right hand and bring it down, around, and behind the line to make a loop.
Pull the end over the line and through the loop, pulling it taut enough so that you have a loose loop knot which won't unravel. But don't pull the knot loop closed just yet.
Now hold the first knot with your right hand and pick up the second piece of line with your left hand. Feed the second piece of line through the first knot's loop from behind. Hold the knot and second line together with your left hand.
Grab the end of the second line with your right hand and bring it up and over the first line and down behind both lines. Then bring it over the second line and through the new loop to form the second overhand knot.
Now you are ready to tighten down each overhand knot by pulling gently on each end and its matching line.
Then grab each line and pull firmly to bring the two knots together.
After a firm pull, the dangling ends usually appear to move up or down from their initial positions as the knot sets when completely tightened.
Finally, you can see the two closely paired strands that give the true lover's knot its name. Why might this be called a fisherman's knot? How would this sort of knot be useful to a fisherman?
