Shibari Academy

The overhand knot on a bight is a variation of the basic overhand knot but is tied using a doubled-over section of rope, creating a loop, or "bight." I love the simple overhand knot on a bight because it introduces two very important concepts in Shibari:

1. The first one is the concept of the "bight". The bight refers to the U shape that is created in the rope when you tie the knot. This knot forms a fixed loop in the middle of the rope that can be attached to objects. You will hear a lot about bights in your Shibari journey, just know that they are basically a fixed loop.

2. The second aspect that is important here is the technique of folding the rope in half and using this folded rope to tie knots such that you are tying using two strands of rope instead of only one. In Shibari it is very common for ties to use two strands of rope instead of one because this makes the tie a lot more comfortable and safe for the person that is being tied.

Get acquainted with the feeling of tying using the folded rope, making sure that the ropes remain parallel to each other and don't cross. Being mindful that the ropes don't cross in this simple tie will do wonders for your technique.  Practice tying this knot around different anchors such as a bedpost, a chair, a table, a tree, your leg, etc. Get comfortable with the ropes and try out different sized bights.

One last word of advice before you dive into enjoying your Shibari practice: This knot, despite it being simple to tie, can become challenging to untie after bearing weight. Just make sure you don't tie anything that you won't be able to untie later!

Have fun tying!

Eve