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Crossed Ian Shoelace Knot
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This knot is a curiosity that often results from tying the
Ian Knot incorrectly. Twisting the starting loops in the wrong direction results in a knot with the ends
crossed within the knot. It seems more secure, but can easily fall apart.
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Step 1:
Tie a Left-over-Right
Starting Knot as shown, then double each lace back on itself, exactly as is done with the regular
Ian Knot.
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Step 2:
Unlike the regular
Ian Knot, the left (yellow) loop is formed by rotating the loose end
behind while the right (blue) loop is formed by rotating the loose end
in front.
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Step 3:
Here's the crucial difference: The left (yellow) loop, which would naturally end up
behind the right (blue) loop, is instead crossed back to the
front, restoring it to the exact position that it would be in for the regular
Ian Knot.
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Step 4:
With everything back in position, this move is identical to that of the regular
Ian Knot, where each hand uses the two fingers inside its
own loop to grab the loose end of the
other hand's loop.
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Step 5:
This step, again identical to that of the regular
Ian Knot, sees each hand releasing its own loop and pulling the loose end of the opposite loop through its own.
The only noticeable difference is the lace ends, which cross over each other in the middle of the knot.
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Step 6:
When pulled tight, the result is a perfectly symmetrical knot just like the regular
Ian Knot with an extra crossover of lace ends in the middle. With practice, this can be tied almost as quickly
as the regular Ian Knot.
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Finished Knot
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The finished knot looks very similar to the regular
Ian Knot except for the additional crossover in the middle of the knot. |
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Technical Details
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Technical Description:
Just as the
Ian Knot uses the same core technique as the traditional "Tom Fool Knot" (which appears in the definitive
reference
The Ashley Book of Knots as both #1141 and in more detail as #2534), the Crossed "Ian Knot" uses the same
core technique as the traditional "Handcuff Knot" (which in turn is shown as both #1134 and #1140). This knot is
generally used to make "handcuffs" from a length of rope. The Crossed "Ian Knot" could be described as a more
intricate variant of the Handcuff Knot.
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Is It A Worthwhile Knot?
Note that although this knot
seems more secure than the regular
Ian Knot when initially pulled tight, this is easily undone if the knot is disturbed or if either the loops
or the ends are given a slight tug. Doing so will spill the crossover out of the knot, after which the knot easily
falls apart.
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