Shibari Academy

The square knot is created by tying a left-over-right knot and then a right-over-left knot (or vice versa). Essentially, you're tying two overhand knots in opposite directions such that it creates a flat knot.

When you are in the middle of a Shibari session, it is common for you to run out of rope and need to attach another one to complete the tie. The square knot is is a great way to do this. The knot's flat profile makes it comfortable for the person being tied, reducing the risk of pressure points or rope burn. 

As simple as it sounds, the square knot does have its level of complexity. In this case, I have a confession to make: I have absolutely terrible memory. When I was starting out my Shibari journey and tying a square knot , more often than not, I forgot the direction of the first overhand knot that I tied so I never really knew if the second overhand knot was was left over right or right over left. If you tie two overhand knots in the same direction you will end up with a bulky knot known as the granny knot that is both ugly and uncomfortable.

So a quick tip for my students to avoid the dreaded granny knot is to literally say out loud the direction in which you are tying the overhand knots. So say "right over left" and then "left over right". Don't worry if your partner thinks it's silly. The simple overhand knot is so easy to tie that we sometimes do it automatically and get stuck when we actually have to remember what we just did. There are few things more embarrassing in Shibari than messing up a simple square knot, but don't worry, just remember to remember haha. 

Have fun tying!

Eve