[Illustration: FIG. 108.--Eye splice.]

[Illustration: FIG. 109.--Cut splice.]




CHAPTER VII

FANCY KNOTS AND ROPE WORK


The knots and splices described above are all more for practical use
than ornament, although such shortenings as the Single and Double
plaits, the Chain knots, the Twofold, Fourfold, and Sixfold knots, and
others are often used for ornamental purposes only. A certain class of
knots are, however, really ornamental and seldom serve to fasten two
ropes together, or to make any object fast to another. They are,
however, very useful in many ways, especially aboard ship, and they
are so handsome and interesting that every one interested in rope work
should learn to make them. The simplest of the fancy knots is known as
the "Single Crown" (Fig. 110). To form this knot unlay the strands of
a new, flexible rope for six to eight inches and whip the ends of each
strand, as well as the standing part, to prevent further untwisting.
Hold the rope in your left hand and fold one strand over and away
from you, as shown in _A_, Fig. 111. Then fold the next strand over
_A_ (see _B_, Fig. 111), and then, while holding these in place with
thumb and finger, pass the strand _C_ over strand _B_, and through the
bight of _A_ as shown in the illustration. Now pull all ends tight and
work the bights up smooth and snug; cut off ends and the knot is