Starting Knot
Most of the shoelace knots shown on this website begin with the same “Left-over-Right Starting Knot”. Here's how to tie this basic knot, known as a “Half Knot”.
Starting Knot Tutorial
⇄ Flip left/right
Step 1:
Cross the left (blue) end over the right (yellow) end. The left (blue) end is now on the right side.
Step 2:
Begin to wrap the right (blue) end around the front of the left (yellow) lace to end up at the back of the gap between the laces.
Step 3:
Feed the right (blue) end through the gap to emerge at the front right-hand side.
Step 4:
Pull both ends tight to complete the knot.
⇄ Flip left/right
Finished Knot Gallery
The finished Starting Knot is basically the two shoelace ends twisted together as they pass by each other at the middle of the shoe.
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More “Starting Knot” Pages
Flip Book
Animated Flip Book for the Starting Knot.
Feedback
Visitors' Feedback about the Starting Knot.
Related Links
Double Starting Knot
Enhanced, more secure variation of this knot.
Ian's Starting Knot
Same finished knot using Ian's faster technique.
Software
Graphics
Ian
Chris
Tree