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Shoelace Knot Variations
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All of the knots on my site were illustrated only one way - the same way that I tie them. While you are welcome to
use your own variations, this page shows how to ensure that the finished knot still ends up secure.
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Typical Knot Variations
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Here's some of the ways that you could tie your knot differently to my instructions.
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Reverse Instructions LEFT to RIGHT
Knots that are not symmetrical, such as the
Standard Shoelace Knot, can be reversed left to right. For example, instead of making the
right lace into a loop, make the
left lace into a loop. This may result in more natural movements for left handed people. |
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Reverse Instructions FRONT to BACK
Most knots can be reversed this way. Any instructions such as "Wrap the left end around the
back of the right loop" can be changed to "Wrap the left end around the
front of the right loop". Same goes for passing through a hole from the front/behind. |
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Reverse Instructions TOP to BOTTOM
Like Front to Back variations, most knots can also be reversed Top to Bottom. Any instructions such as "Put the
left end
over the right end" can be changed to "Pass the left end
under the right end". |
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Use DIFFERENT FINGERS
You may find it easier, more comfortable, or even necessary, to use different fingers than those that I describe.
So long as you retain the "core" of the technique to achieve the same result, you are welcome to use whatever
finger movements are best for
you. |
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Keeping it Secure
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If you have used any of the first three variations above, you will have "reversed" your knot and made it less
secure. As I discuss in more detail on my
Slipping Shoelaces page, a secure knot depends on a balance between the Starting Knot and the Finishing Bow.
In short, if you reverse
one thing, your knot ends up un-balanced and will come undone more easily. To avoid this, you need to reverse
two things. Or four. Or any even number.
For example, if you use the first variation to reverse your knot left to right,
PLUS the second variation to reverse it front to back, you will have restored balance and your finished knot
will be just as secure as the original:
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Here's the normal shoelace knot.
(1) The
RIGHT lace is made into a loop.
(2) Then the left lace is wrapped around the
BACK of the loop and ends up in front before feeding through.
The result is a secure finished knot.
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Here the knot is reversed
TWICE.
(1) The
LEFT lace is made into a loop.
(2) Then the right lace is wrapped around the
FRONT of the loop and ends up behind before feeding through.
This results in the identical knot.
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In the above example,
two separate stages of the Finishing Bow have been reversed, resulting in a secure finished knot.
For left handed people, it is usually easiest to reverse
ALL of my instructions left to right (ie. reverse both the Starting Knot and Finishing Bow). This will still
result in a secure finished knot.
In summary, if you follow my instructions exactly, your finished knots will be secure. If you follow all of my
instructions in reverse, your finished knots will also be secure. If you do need to reverse any one thing, then
you will also have to reverse something else in order to re-balance the finished knot.
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