Starting out help please!

[lovestruck]

I live on a Narrowboat in the UK and have started tying Turks Heads for the tiller & I think I might be getting hooked on Knots!

Can I have some recommendations for rope supplies in the UK?..
( in fact maybe some recommendations for type of rope to be tying as a beginner)
I have tied my Turks heads in cotton but would like to get some fairly cheap rope / cord to practice other knots with..
I would like to work up to doing some lashings and lanyards and eventually cabin strings and bell ropes..

Many thanks in anticipation 

[JD]

Hello lovestruck and welcome to this site.

I would suggest that you take a look at this post as your starting point.

http://igkt.net/sm/index.php?topic=977.0

[JD]

I too am very new to all this, about six months now. The one thing that I have found is the different cordage behaves in different ways. One type of cord will produce a beautiful knot, yet when used to tie a different knot you end up with a mess.

I personally found myself experimenting with different types of cord to create my knots and from that you develop your own favourites. At the moment I am working with colour line that I purchased from Des Pawson http://www.despawson.com/Materials.html

I enjoy using the colour line, as it is very forgiving and produces a nice knot.

[skyout]

Welcome to the forum lovestruck.

Post some pics of your work sometime for us and I'm sure I'm not the only one that would like to see pics of your Narrowrboat. We love pics!

[lovestruck]

Thanks for the replies..& the welcome  
I looked at the Fancywork materials thread...
Loads of ropes and cords mentioned there that I have no clue about..
I guess i will just have to get on and purchase some to try and build up my own preferences..

I have not taken any pictures of my knots yet..but I will..
For now here is a picture of my boat...
the cabin strings ( at the back of the boat) have now disintegrated though so I really need to learn to make some more soon!!

[skyout]

Thanks for the boat pic, awesome. Too bad about the cabin strings but I'm sure you'll get help, if needed, from the members here to make some great ones to replace them. Looking forward to the knot pics!

[Wed]

If you search the forum, you should find another narrowboater who asked about cabinstrings. I think he was helped.

After reading up on narrowboats and knotting, it is traditionally done with the discarded towropes. After being in functional use, the towrope lends itself very well to ornamental use. And it makes very good sense too. If it's too thick for what you want to do, try a similar cord that is thinner.

[skyout]

Good plan, Wed. Here's one thread I found that should help (more nice pics, too):
http://igkt.net/sm/index.php?topic=1735.msg11981#msg11981

[Fairlead]

Hi,
You are in good company - there are at least 6 narrow boat owners in the Guild.  If you can get to the IWA Festival at Beale Park, there will be some of them there.
The IGKT normally has a stand at the show with a good display of ropework - and all the help you could wish for.  I will be there on the Outdoor Xscape stand selling rope so come and have a chat.
There is a new book written by Ben Selfe (Member from Saul Junction) called Knots for the Cut - which contains instructions for making Cabin Strings.  I believe it is available from the Guild Supplies shop.

Fairlead

[JD]

I have just joined the International Guild of Knot Tyers and I was impressed with the welcome pack I received. As a total novice I was very pleased to find a DVD in amongst the pack that shows you how to tie different knots. There is also a small book included that has knotting projects. Other useful stuff is also included.

Being a member of this forum has been very useful. Not only do you get good advice mixed with humour, but also members suggesting events where you can meet and chat with them.

I enjoy sitting outside, feeling the warmth of the sun as I create another knot. One day I will have the added pleasure of doing this sat on my own narrow boat!

[lovestruck]

What a lot of lovely and interesting replies! 

I have seen the thread mentioned about cabin strings..thanks :~)

I saw the Knot tying stand at the Historic boat festival at Braunston and stopped to have a look and ask a few questions but the people there were really busy so never got a chance...

I don't think I will be able to go to Beale Park as we are setting out from the K & A to do the Grand Union  / Oxford canal circle and back to the K & A in December so I guess we will be in the Midlands at the end of August, but if near a train station we might make it..& will come looking for you Fairlead!

The welcome pack sounds good I will have to think about joining..I sent for Des Pawsons Knot craft book yesterday and am looking forward to that coming...now all I need is some rope....!

[JD]

My first bits of rope I purchased from one of the large chains of DIY shops. Some of it was washing line and some was for replacing the rope in sash windows, and I also tried a bright orange line for marking out.

I was so pleased with my first monkeys fist, but looking at it a few months down the road...........eeek what a horror!!! Now though I have tied a fist around a small ball-bearing and it does look good. You may want to tie one around a cork ball, so that if you drop your keys in the water they will not sink??

I purchased lots of coloured para cord off eBay and produced a mass of colourful knots and keyrings. I ran out of friends to give them to before I ran out of rope.

I then started to scale up my operations and decided to make a fender. My first one was small, actually using the window sash cord. I now have a few fenders hanging inside and outside of the house. To this day not a single vessel has crashed into the house - so they work!!!

I then bought myself a length of fairly thick rope and produced a rather nice round mat from it.

Different materials produce different results, some horrors some fantastic, but the one constant that I have is that I enjoy it!!!

[lovestruck]

Glad nothings crashed into your house..fenders are so good!!

I tried to make a fender at the Newbury Waterways festival a couple of years ago but the rope the guy who was instructing had was really rough and I got loads of rope 'splinters' in my fingers and decided that fender making was a job for my husband who already has rough hands anyway!..

But I guess I could be tempted to try again with nicer rope...

My boat was owned previously by travelling fender makers and says ' The Fender Trading Company' on the side ...
people are always asking if we sell fenders
( although some ask if we sell guitars !?!)..

so really I should be making fenders ..expect it would be a good while before I could sell one though!!

[JD]

Now you know what sort of rope you do not want to use!! Yes different ropes produce different results and some are less harmful to the hands.

When I purchased the larger rope, it was a synthetic hemp and I have to say that it is rather nice to handle. I suppose if your were going to make one for your narrow boat, this would be good as it is rot resistant?

When I made the rope mat, you would not believe how much floor space it took and also the arguments with my daughter as we tried to follow the book on how to make it - I don't think her heart was in it, as she thinks I am sad for doing this hobby.

[JD]

Sorry forgot to ask, what are cabin strings?