Granny Knot

The Granny knot is mainly used to lock a rope around an object. It is considered to be a binding knot and a knot that is similar to the square knot, but is a bit inferior. The Granny knot is considered to resemble the reef knot, but it should not be used as a knot that is securing two ropes.

The name of the Granny knot originated back in 1849 when women and landlords were mainly using the knot. However, it is also suggested that the name of the Granny knot might be related to the granary, where this knot might have been used for tying the necks of grain sacks. However, the Granny knot is also known as the false, booby, lubbers and calf knot.

How to Tie the Granny Knot

The Granny knot is quite easy to tie. It does not require a lot of effort or focus, but to work with both of your hands. However, the knot should not be used for tying 2 ropes together, as it has a tendency of slipping and is not to be quite secure and strong. Although, the Granny knot can be the perfect knot if you are planning to craft your own bracelets, jewelry or do some hairstyles. It is even widely used in medicine when the stitches have to be made.

Below are the steps on how to tie the Granny knot:

Step 1: Grab the two ends of the laces that should be joined together and hold them.

Step 2: Put the leftover the right lace, similar to an overhand knot.

Step 3: Pull the ends of the laces towards one another.

Step 4: Then, pull the left lace over the right lace.

Step 5: Finally, pull both ends and make sure it is strengthened.

For a more in-depth tutorial on how to tie the Granny knot, check out our video!

Tips on tying the Granny Knot

While tying the Granny knot you should make sure to strengthen all the ends and pull hard. This should be done to ensure that the knot is well secured and won’t fall apart under heavy weights.

Variations of the Granny Knot

The Granny knot has a more secure variation called the Carrick bend knot. The Carrick bend is a great knot to join two hefty ropes or cables that are hard to twist. Its no sticking nature makes it a top pick to hold up heavy weights, even under wet or slick conditions. The thrilling symmetric type of the knot makes it a good knot for decorating your mats, wall decorations, rope trivets and napkins.

The Carrick bend is mainly used by sailors, as it is considered to be a stronger version of the knot. Its strength is due to its complex nature and the fact that it has more twists than the Granny knot. However, this complexity makes it harder to reproduce and requires more time and effort to make compared to the Granny knot.

Advantages of the Granny Knot

One of the main advantages of the Granny knot is that it is quite easy to tie. Additionally, it is the basis of the surgeon’s knot, which makes it widely used by surgeons. The Granny Knot is a common knot that can have many uses in the daily life of people.

Disadvantages of the Granny Knot

The disadvantages of the Granny knot are related mainly to its strength. The knot is considered to be a quite unreliable knot to be used for heavy loads. It is not so secure as other knots, can easily become undone and may even slip when they are overloaded. When there is an excessive tightening of the Granny knot it might jam, so it is better to consider it prior to using it for holding heavy weights.

History of the Granny Knot

The Granny knot originated in the middle of the 19th century when it was used mainly by women and landlords. Its main purpose was to help the landowners better secure their production, which was usually stored in sacks.

Uses for the Granny Knot

Nowadays, the Granny knot is mainly used by surgeons. It is the basis for the so-called surgeon’s knot and plays an important role during surgeries. It is also used a lot when sutures are being performed, as this knot is considered to be quite secure and strong at the same time. Additionally, the Granny knot can be used when a bandage has to be made for a wound. The knot is considered to be one of the best knots for such situations, as it is easy to be tied and does not require lots of effort or focus.

The Granny knot is useful for showing little kids how to tie knots to play games. It is also used to teach kids how to participate in various crafts and learn new or basic knitting skills. The Granny knot is tied usually to secure an object before it is glued or stapled to a surface.

Additionally, the Granny knot is used for tying the shoelaces of your sneakers. It is easy and practical, as well as fast and is a knot that almost everybody knows. Furthermore, you can use the knot to make various types of bracelets and even jewelry by attaching stones in between. The Granny knot is even used for tying ribbons and creating beautiful hairstyles and buns.

In general, the Granny knot is used to secure an object in between its ropes. However, it can also be used for making rope rings.

Granny Knot vs Square Knot

The Granny Knot resembles a Square Knot but with a second tie crossed incorrectly. When attempting to tie a square knot, it is easy to produce a granny knot accidentally.

One way to distinguish them is that in the Square Knot, each loop passes completely over, or completely under (not through) the neck of the other. The granny knot is an unstable knot and should be avoided as it will slip under load and can jam when tightened. It is recommended to tie a Square Knot in nearly all circumstances.