Shoelace knot

The shoelace knot (also known as the bow knot) is a knot which is commonly used for tying shoelaces.

The shoelace knot is designed for quick release and easily comes untied when either of the working ends is pulled. During the tying of the knot, the farther the loops are pulled, the shorter the working ends become. The shoelace knot is a doubly slipped reef knot, the original being far harder to undo. The shoelace knot differs from the reef knot by having the working ends pushed back through the knot, creating the loops which allow the knot to be untied so easily.

The two loops are sometimes referred to as "bunny ears", especially when the knot is being taught to young children.

Techniques

All techniques start with a starter knot; the starter knot is a simple half-hitch.

• The simplest method of tying a shoelace is by forming two loops and tying those loops in a half-hitch.
• The most common method of tying a shoelace is by forming a loop, then circling the first loop with the other piece of string and finally pushing the bight of that string through the knot to form the second loop.
• A faster method of tying a shoelace is the "Ian knot", named by its inventor Ian Fieggen. Two loops are formed and pulled through each other simultaneously to form a Tom fool's knot.

External links

• Ian's Shoelace Site: Tying Shoelaces
• Grog's Animated Knots: How to tie the Shoelace
• Grog's Animated Knots: How to tie the Fieggen Shoelace Knot