True lover's knot

This article is about the knot. For the species of European moth, see True lover's knot (moth).

"Love knot" redirects here. For the Japanese manga, see Love/Knot.

True lover's knot
This variation is also a form of the Matthew Walker knot (#2421).
Names	True lover's knot, True Love Knot, Fisherman's knot, Middleman's knot,^[1] Shamrock knot^[1]
Category	Bend
Related	Fisherman's knot, Matthew Walker's knot
Typical use	symbolism, connecting two lines, lanyards, decorative
ABoK	#798, #1038, #1143, #1414, #2418, #2301, #2394, #2420, #2421, #2423, #2424, #2425, #2425, #2426

The true lover's knot (or true love knot) is a name which has been used for many distinct knots. The association of knots with the symbolism of love, friendship, and affection dates back to antiquity. Because of this, it is not possible to consider a single knot to be the "true love knot".^[2]

Naming

Modern western knotting literature has the name for these related knots deriving from stories or legends in which the knots symbolize the connection between a couple in love. Many examples feature sailors separated from their beloved. Ashley notes that it was once common for sailors' wedding rings, where gold wire was wrought to incorporate the "true lovers" knot such that resultant ring would comprise two tori: each flexible to move about the other; yet nevertheless inseparable.^[3]

Variations

True lover's knot (#2421) before tightening. The intertwined overhand knots are readily visible.

In practical terms, these knots are generally shown as consisting of two interlocked overhand knots made in two parallel ropes or cords. The variations are differentiated by the way in which the overhand knots interweave and in the final arrangement of the knot.^[3] To show if a young couple's love would last, each would take a small limb of a tree and tie a lovers knot. If the knot held and grew for approximately a year, their love would stay true.

References

1 2 Scouting Resources, A-Z of Knots: S-T, retrieved 2009-06-14
↑ van de Griend, P. (1996), "On the True Love Knot", in Turner, J.C.; van de Griend, P., History and Science of Knots, K&E Series on Knots and Everything 11, Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, pp. 397–417, ISBN 981-02-2469-9
1 2 Ashley, Clifford W. (1944), The Ashley Book of Knots, New York: Doubleday, pp. 386–388

Knots

By type

Bends	Adjustable bend Albright special Alpine butterfly bend Ashley's bend Basket weave knot Beer knot Blood knot Carrick bend Double fisherman's knot Fisherman's knot Flemish bend Grief knot Halyard bend Harness bend Heaving line bend Hunter's bend Nail knot One-sided overhand bend Racking bend Sheet bend Shoelace knot Shroud knot Simple Simon under Single carrick bend Surgeon's knot Surgeon's loop Triple fisherman's knot True lover's knot Water knot Zeppelin bend Zeppelin loop

Binding	Boa knot Bottle sling Constrictor knot Corned beef knot Granny knot Ground-line hitch Jamming knot Miller's knot Packer's knot Reef knot Strangle knot Thief knot Transom knot

Climbing	Alpine butterfly knot Autoblock Bachmann knot Beer knot Bowline on a bight Directional figure eight Double anchorman knot Double bowline Farmer's loop Figure-eight knot Figure-eight loop Figure-of-nine loop Friction hitch Klemheist knot Munter hitch Overhand loop Prusik Trident loop Yosemite bowline

Coils	Alpine coil Butterfly coil

Decorative	Carrick mat Chinese button knot Celtic button knot Diamond knot Fiador knot Friendship knot Matthew Walker knot Turk's head knot Wall and crown knot

Fishing (angling)	Angler's loop Arbor knot Bimini twist Blood knot Fisherman's knot Half blood knot Improved clinch knot Knotless knot Nail knot Palomar knot Snell knot Trilene knot Triple fisherman's knot Turle knot Uni knot

Hitches	Adjustable grip hitch Anchor bend Axle hitch Bachmann knot Bale sling hitch Barrel hitch Becket hitch Blackwall hitch Blake's hitch Boom hitch Buntline hitch Cat's paw Clove hitch Cow hitch Double overhand noose Falconer's knot Farrimond friction hitch Friction hitch Garda hitch Gripping Sailor's hitch Ground-line hitch Half hitch Halter hitch Highpoint hitch Highwayman's hitch Hitching tie Icicle hitch Improved clinch knot Killick hitch Knute hitch Lobster buoy hitch Marlinespike hitch Munter hitch Ossel hitch Pile hitch Snuggle hitch Swing hitch Taut-line hitch Timber hitch

Loop	Angler's loop Artillery loop Bale sling hitch Bowline Bumper knot Carrick bend loop Cowboy bowline Diamond knot Double bowline Dropper loop Eskimo bowline Fiador knot Fireman's chair knot Friendship knot loop Halter hitch Handcuff knot Honda knot Jury mast knot Overhand loop Portuguese bowline Rigid double splayed loop in the bight Slippery eight loop Span loop Spanish bowline Tom fool's knot Trident loop Triple bowline Triple crown knot Water bowline Yosemite bowline Zeppelin loop

Running (slip)	Hangman's knot Running bowline Running highwayman's hitch Slip knot Tarbuck knot

Shanks	Catshank Dogshank Sheepshank

Stopper	Ashley's stopper knot Button knot Double overhand knot Monkey's fist Overhand knot Stevedore knot

Whipping	Common whipping Overhand knot with draw-loop Portuguese whipping Sailmaker's whipping West Country whipping

Lists of knots
Related topics

Lists of knots	Bends Bindings Decorative knots Hitches (friction) Macramé Mathematical

Related topics	Chinese knotting International Guild of Knot Tyers Lashing Rope splicing Seizing

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True lover's knot

Naming

Variations

See also

References