Chinese Knotting: The Chinese Button Knot
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This is my favourite knot because it is both functionally useful
and truly decorative. Also, there are a number of ways to finish
tightening the knot making it quite flexible as well. It is
called by a plethora of different names, but the one I am using is
"The Chinese Button Knot" or sometimes just "The Button Knot".
There has been some confusion over which knot is actually the
Chinese Button Knot, but most of my Chinese language knot books
describe this one. The other one that many English language knot
books describe as the Chinese button knot I will designate "The
Pyjama Button Knot". The Button Knot can be extended in length
with a simple formula, but I have never seen instructions for more
than the Double Button. While tying some of the higher order
versions of the Button Knot you will begin to understand why some
people make no distinction between braiding and knotting.
Once tied, the knot can be stitched
by the cord ends to a garment to begin life as a button
(with a matching loop of cord to serve as the button loop).
Simple and austere, this is how it works for most martial arts
uniforms. What you do with the cord ends can range from
simple
knots to elaborate wired, couched, coiled and
tasseled
designs.
A computer readable model
of the Chinese Button Knot (in Stereolithography (STL,
.stl) format) has been made available by Carlo
H. Séquin. Who has sculpted a few versions in metal
and plastic.
Chen 1: Chinese Button Knot (1)
Ashley: #599 Chinese Button Knot,
#787 sailor's knife lanyard knot, marlingspike lanyard knot,
single strand diamond knot, two strand diamond knot, bosun's
whistle knot
Korean:
Lotus
Knot
Jack Keene
Boy Scout's Friendship Knot
1. 
1sl.
1nl. 
1f. 
1m2.
1m3.
1x2.
2.
3.
4.
- pick a method you like. There are almost
as many methods to tying this knot as there are names. Until
I found the one that worked for me, it always seemed to look
not quite right. I plan to present 3 methods, the
first of which extends logically, the
second can be tied with just one
working end (very useful when you are adding one knot to a
large assemblage in progress), and the
third is only a slight variation but
useful when you are running low on string.
The unadorned single button knot is all that most books teach and
all that most people will need, but what would be the fun in
stopping there? This first tying method is easily extended and
the logical starting point for detailed
instructions. This one knot can be tighten into a variety
of configurations: the knot with a big
loop, the knot with a small loop,
the knot with no top loop, and flat.
Occasionally, in the midst of a compound knot design, the need may
arise for a button knot in a single cord after some other knots
have already been tied. At that point, instead of 2 working ends,
consider yourself to have 1 working end and one fixed end. With
some experimentation I have generated these detailed instructions.
Occasionally, in the midst of a compound knot design, you'll find
yourself running short of working length. In that case, I would
use this method.
Not as obviously flexible and useful as the basic (single) Chinese
Button Knot, instructions for the Double Button
Knot are a much rarer find in literature, but if you've learned the first method for tying the basic Chinese Button
Knot then the double version should be easy...
As you progress from the button through to
the 4 button, the pattern of how to make a knot as large
as one has the patience for should become clear.
CLW
Creation Date: Fri Apr 26 23:41:16 PDT 2002
Last Modified: Sunday, 29-Feb-2004 01:57:32 GMT
Page accessed at local time: Friday, 09-May-2008 21:43:49 GMT
Generalities
The unadorned single button knot is all that most books teach and
all that most people will need, but what would be the fun in
stopping there? This first tying method is easily extended and
the logical starting point for detailed
instructions. This one knot can be tighten into a variety
of configurations: the knot with a big
loop, the knot with a small loop,
the knot with no top loop, and flat.
