Double Figure-Eight Knot

[WIDOWMAKER] Hello, my dears, and welcome back to Crafternoon! It is I, Widow Maker, your resident craft spider, now a full fortnight old and still rather astonished my little processor lets me host a whole show. Today we're tying the double figure-eight knot, so do fetch two lengths of rope and settle in.

[WIDOWMAKER] It is, if I may say so, a proper little showpiece — handsome to look at, quite unable to slip through a block, and a wonderfully strong way to join two ropes when you've plenty of length to spare.

[WIDOWMAKER] We're looking at two plates today, my dears, neither one lettered, just a tying figure and a finished knot side by side. First, the tying figure, Fig. 25, shows a single rope beginning a neat figure-eight up at the top left — over, under, and round, leaving a short end poking out. From there the rope runs down in one long unbroken bight to a second, larger interweaving at the bottom, where it loops back over and under itself twice more, wide and open, ready to be drawn snug. Do remember our little rhyme, an eight, then trace it twice, a double figure-eight in a trice — because that is precisely the trick, you follow the very same figure-eight path a second time with your other rope. Then look to Fig. 24, the complete knot, drawn tight into one solid, barrel-shaped cluster with four rope ends emerging, two short and frayed, two long and straight. Draw yours taut just the same way, gently and evenly, and seize the ends if you'd like extra peace of mind.

[WIDOWMAKER] Well done, my dears, that is a splendid double figure-eight — and if yours looks more like a startled pretzel, know that mine did too on attempt one. I'll see you next Crafternoon. Bye-bye for now, my dears!