Round Square Knot

The Crafters Round Square Knot allows crafty crafters to use the Famous Square Knot in their own unique circumstances.

What Good Is the Square-Knot, Anyway?

Short Answer: Secure Knot that Doesn't Move

The Square-Knot allows you to tie a knot that does not get smaller or tighter with each throw ("throw" is the official knot-tying terminology for each maneuver in the knot-tying process.)

Without the Square-Knot*, the tie-master makes a throw (right-over-left) and has a loop. The second throw (right-over-left again) will keep making the loop smaller, even to the point of extinction. If you want a secure knot at the exact spot you placed your first throw, then the Square-Knot is the knot for you.

*Square-Knot is officially not a common name that requires either capitalization OR hyphenation. On this page, however, for clarity the celebrated Square-Knot is officially a "thing" worthy of the recognition. Apologies to the Punctuation-Perfectionists among us. (Ha, that wasn't supposed to be capitalized or hypenated either!)

RIGHT Over Left, LEFT Over Right

The Cub Scout's First Knot

As every Boyscout (er, excuse me, Scouts of America Scout) knows, the mantra "right over left, left over right" will produce a perfect square knot.

Anyone who has ever studied the anatomy-of-a-Square-Knot can tell you, all that is happening with the said Square-Knot is that the same side of the string that got switched from right to left on the first throw, is also going to be the side the gets looped over the top on the second throw.

Voila! A perfect knot!

However, it does help if the two sides of the string/rope/thread are about the same size AND available for the throw.

Right OVER Left, Right UNDER Left

The Surgeon's Square-Knot

When a surgeon (or midwife) is tying a suture, the regular technique needs to be modified. For one thing, they are holding tools in their hand and it would waste precious time to put them down and reverse hands. For another thing, one side of the suture material is much longer than the other and is also attached to a needle and you do not want the entire apparatus to be dragged through the loop on the second thrown.

Thus and so the right-over-left, then right-under-left technique is taught to surgeons. For good measure they usually do about four of these throws to secure their handi-work. Once mastered, quick, tidy knots are secured for the benefit of the patient.

Right over Left, (turn and grab)
Right Over Left Again

The Crafty Crafters Round Square-Knot

Like the surgeon, the crafter also likely has a smaller thread that should make the throws. The technique is simple: after the first throw, grab the same thread with the dominant hand and throw again. I usually do three to four throws for a craft project I don't want to come undone.

Now, here's the tricky part: the thread or yarn or cord (etc) is going to get twisty and start to rebel a little after the first throw, a moderate amount after the second throw, and will be in danger of causing a tangled mess after the third throw. That's why the scout and the surgeon didn't use it.

But, if you are merely tying a craft knot, you have an advantage: your object can easily make a 180 degree turn. (Assuming, of course, we aren't talking about a king-sized quilt spread across the entire diameter of your miniature living room.) When I am tying the Square-Knot on a Christmas ornament, for example, after each throw I lift the ornament just slightly and allow it to turn 180 degrees. I might even give it a slight nudge if it's a heavier object.

The scout, obviously, can't flip the tree or tent 180 degrees. The surgeon also does not want to spin the patient 180 degrees.**

Use the Round Square-Knot

The Round, Square-Knot*** is so valuable, it will save you the time you spent reading this page. Moreover, you now know more about Square-Knots than you ever realized you wanted to know!

***(The comma is correct. The capitalization still isn't.)