the interknot - international guild of knot tyers · keeping with the boy scout theme, all knots...

The InterKnot Newsletter of the International Guild of Knot Tyers

North American Branch

Year 2012 June Issue 2

InterKnot June 2012 - © 2012 International Guild of Knot Tyers– North American Branch Pg 1

IGKT-NAB Officer Nominations

========================= It’s time for IGKT-NAB officer nominations. For those of you who receive the InterKnot via e-

mail I’ll attach the form. If anyone else would like to have a separate copy, please let me know

and I’ll send it by e-mail too.

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗

IGKT-NAB Officer Nominations

========================= International Guild of Knot Tyers- North American Branch

Nominations of Officers 2012-2013

Current Officers: Nominations:

President-Vacant _________________________

Secretary/Treasurer- John Burke _________________________

Board Members at Large (6)

Kay Burke _________________________

Don Burrhus _________________________

Loren Damewood _________________________

John DeWilde _________________________

Skip Dickens _________________________

Glenn Dickey _________________________

Please verify with member nominated that they will accept the position that they are

nominated for.

Nominations Due immediately. Voting in September.

Send all nominations via E-Mail to [email protected] Subj: Line IGKT-NAB

Nominations please. Or mail to IGKT-NAB, Nominations, 4417 Academy Street,

Dearborn Heights, MI 48125-2205 ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝


It was “Knot” a great summer at camp 2011

================================= By IGKT member Patrick Glisson:

What did Cub Scout Day Camp, Webelos Resident Camp and American Heritage Girl Summer

Camp all have in common this past summer? Why knots, of course! Each of these camps featured

sessions on knots.

The summer began with the Bernheim District Day Camp, where my son, Eagle

Scout Craig Glisson, and I taught basic knots to approximately 80 Cub Scouts.

Throughout the course of the day, five sessions of knot tying were taught cov-

ering the Overhand knot, Square knot, two-half hitches, Taut-line hitch, Bow-

line and Clove hitch. This was the sixth year of teaching knots at this camp, and

the first that neither of my two sons were there as a camper. Teaching at this

camp has become a bit of a tradition over the years and I have become known as

“Knothead” among the returning campers and leaders. I could barely tie a

Square knot the first year I attended with my oldest son who was only a Wolf at

the time. Now seven years later I am one of the lead knot instructors for the

Lincoln Heritage Council.

(Lincoln Heritage Council was formed in 1993 and is now serving over 41000 people in more than 950

units across Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana, including the Louisville area.)

Webelos Resident Camp, “Champions of the Force Episode 7”, consisted of 5

sessions of Webelos Resident Camp and two sessions of Cub Scout Resident

Camp. Of these my son Craig staffed 3 Webelos sessions and two Cub sessions

and I staffed one Webelos session. Each session of Webelos averaged about 80 -

100 boys plus leaders, and each Cub Scout session averaged about 100 boys plus

adults. Knots covered were the basic Scout knots, Square, two-half hitches, Sheet

Bend, etc. The classes were a major hit with the boys in part

because each boy was not only given a length of rope he could keep and use to

practice, but the rope in question was “magic” rope, it glowed in the dark! My

free time was frequently taken up responding to other staff members’ requests

for me to “Tie me something strange”. Star knots, Monkey’s Fist and short

Snake knots were favorites among the staff members, many who now sport

them on their back packs.

The third camp of the summer I had the opportunity to teach was my daughter’s American Herit-

age Girl Camp. Approximately 100 girls from four states, 1st grade through high school, attend the


camp. The younger girls, 1st – 3rd grade during the day, the rest as resident campers, spent a week

at Camp Crooked Creek taking part in a camp very much like a regular Boy Scout summer camp.

I spent my time at the camp teaching “Outdoor Skills” and was the

lead knot instructor.

Knot sessions included teaching basics such as fusing and whipping

a rope to knots ranging from the Overhand knot to the Sheet Bend.

Once again, like Webelos Resident Camp, each girl was given a

length of “magic” rope to keep and practice with. Several of the girls

had never learned a knot other than the Bow knot before this camp

and have expressed interest in learning many more.

While being at AHG camp was very fun, it did lead to an interesting request on the second to last

day. One of the evening activities was “Cast Iron Chef” campers verses leaders. Four teams of

campers versus four teams of leaders prepared dishes to be submitted to the judges. About two

hours before the contest I was asked to “Tie some kind of award,

we have spoons we will give the winning teams”. Like many a

good knothead I had with me a bag of various colors, sizes and

length cords. I decorated each of the four spoons with a

“lanyard” consisting of a Lanyard knot, a series of Solomon

knots (whole knots in macramé), two Monkey’s Fists followed

by a Square knot with the remaining cord frayed at the ends.

While this may not have been my best work, considering the

short notice and use of materials on hand, I was rather pleased as

were the winning teams.

I hope to be able to continue teaching knots at these camps next summer and sell them at the Uni-

versity of Scouting this January where I have already been asked to teach. In the event that I need

to tie award spoons in the future, I plan to keep a better stocked supply of cord on hand.

Crossroads of America Council Knot Board

============================ By IGKT member Joe Bates:

Gary Summers and I were asked to make a knot board for the Crossroads of America Council. In

keeping with the Boy Scout theme, all knots used on the

board were from the Boy Scout Manuals.

The layout was dictated by how the knot was tied. Pegboard

type board was used because it would allow easy placement

of knots. Pegboard also allows for easy additions and ar-

rangement of knots in the future. Knots were placed where

they fit the best.


The board is quite large at four feet high and six feet wide, so it's a bit awkward to carry and

move. The border was made with tree branches. We’re working on an arrangement for handles to

easily move the board. Labels were made with the knot name and a description of the knot.

Currently we're making more boards, one for each knot. The new boards will show how to tie

each knot. They will also show the knot tying progression and will have a loose piece of cord

attached. The scout learning can practice tying the knot while following the steps shown on the

board.

InterKnot June 2012- © 2012 International Guild of Knot Tyers– North American Branch Pg 5

We also made a fast opening stand so the board could be displayed at scout functions. Pictured

below (on the left) are the wings of the stand closed with the brace positioned for shipping. The

other picture (on the right) shows the wings out in the operating position with the brace positioned

for display.

There’s room on the board

to add additional knots if

needed.

We’re hoping for many

years of service from this

board.

Canadian walking staves

=================== From IGKT member John Staley:

I am Section Leader, 81st Hamilton Scout Troop (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada). Just dropping a

line to say hello, share some pictures, activities and update you on the staves.

[Editor’s note: As you can tell from the pictures below, the scouts got the staves done. In a future

issue we’ll see how John got the scouts from the samples on the left to the staves on the right. And

since the Scout Leader has to know more than the scouts, John’s staff is in the middle.]

The Southern Ontario Knot Tyers has been given permission by the IGKT to host the 2014 semi-

annual meeting in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. We have already begun planning this event and we

are hoping to receive a record attendance. Since we have the element of time on our side, our goal

is to make this an incredible memorable event. A website with conference details is already in the

works and should be up on line by the next issue of the Interknot.


USS Midway CV– 41 Ropework

======================== Pictures by IGKT member Glenn Dickey. Ropework by US Navy personnel.


Springfield, IL mini-NAB meeting

==========================

There will be a mini NAB meeting in Springfield, IL Oct. 19 and 20th. The

meeting will be at the Drury Inn, 3180 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield.

At this time we have a block of 20 rooms set aside and a large meeting room. There will be a cou-

ple of smaller meeting rooms available if we have the numbers. The meeting will be similar to the

IGKT-NAB meeting that was held last year in Indianapolis. What's that mean? Classes and fellow-

ship. That also means we need members willing to teach a class.

Cost will be $10 for attendees to cover incidentals and prizes. Send confirmation that you will be

attending to John DeWilde at [email protected] and put “IGKT Springfield” in the subject

line. You can email me if you have any questions. I will need to know if you plan on staying at the

Drury Inn. Please indicate if you will be willing to teach a class and if there is any area of knot ty-

ing you would like to learn.

Planned activities are a bucket drawing with proceeds going to the IGKT and a contest for the

members to show off their knotting projects. Every member can submit their work and all attendees

will be given one vote to vote on their favorite. Prize(s) yet to be determined. To keep costs down I

am not planning to have a banquet on Saturday. There are several restaurants close by.

The costs for rooms at the Drury Inn will be $94.95 plus taxes for single king or double queen room

and 2 room suites are available for $144. The hotel offers a "kick back" time 5:30 to 7pm with free

food and beverages. Hotdogs, salads and baked potatoes are offered everyday and a different item

is featured on the menu everyday. Three alcoholic drinks and unlimited soft drinks for guests. They

also have a hot breakfast for guests. If you were at Indy last year, this will be very similar. If you

wish to stay at another hotel there are several others in the area. You will need to make your own

reservations. Please keep in mind we need a minimum of 10 rooms each day to use the meeting

room. Here is a direct link to the Drury Inn reservation web site that is set up especially for IGKT

reservations. https://wwws.druryhotels.com/Reservations.aspx?groupno=2151255

If you make reservations by phone you will need to mention that this is for the knot tyers meeting.

The hotel has asked that you make your reservations by Sept. 17 but they will honor the special rate

if you make reservations after that date, up to the day of the meeting. Also, if you are planning on

coming early or staying after, the hotel has said they will honor that price for 3 days before and 3

days after the meeting.

The Springfield area is rich with the history of Abraham Lincoln. Most sites are open 7 days a week

from 9-5 with the exception of Lincoln's Tomb which is closed for tours on Sundays and Mondays

in October. The Oak Lawn Cemetery is open and you can view the tomb and walk outside but no

tours inside. I would strongly recommend you take the time to visit the Lincoln Presidential Library

and Museum and Lincoln's Home. Other sites are the Herndon Law Office, New Salem Park, the

Old State Capital where Lincoln delivered his "House Divided" speech, among others.

I am looking forward to meeting with fellow knot tyers, two years between gatherings seems like a

long time. I will be taking several days off that week and will be more than happy to show people

around some of the Lincoln sites and also some Route 66 sites (Cozy Dog anyone?).

mailto:[email protected]


IGKT-NAB InterKnot C/O 4417 Academy Street Dearborn Heights, MI 48125

Membership Questions should go to IGKT-NAB Membership Secretary, 4417 Academy Street, Dearborn Heights, MI 48125-2205. This is a reminder to update address, telephone numbers and e-mail when making a change or relocating.

Send e-mails to [email protected] ____________________________________________________________________

SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES & PICTURES FOR THE “InterKnot”

Please submit written articles in MS Word Document or convertible document. (I can also

accept MS-Publisher documents.) If sending instructions for tying a knot please include

black & white sketches or electronic drawings . Motion arrows would be easier to under-

stand. Pictures are welcome but try to make sure they are high-contrast photographs in

jpeg format. You may be asked to send the pictures separately so they can be more

easily incorporated into the publication. Printed copies will be grayscale pictures to save

cost. Please send submission items to [email protected] Include “IGKT article” on

address line. ____________________________________________________________________

Membership Dues

IGKT-NAB membership dues are $45 for an individual per year.

____________________________________________________________________

Your membership expiration date is shown on the return address line in each Inter-Knot sent by regular mail. E-mail expiration date will be in the cover letter.

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