How To Tie A Weaver’s Knot

Attempting to sew a book of even moderate size with a single long thread quickly gets out of hand (I know, I’ve done it). In the early stages one must endlessly pull thread through the sewing holes like a magician pulling handkerchiefs from his sleeve. This causes the thread to twist back on itself, often creating spontaneous knots. If you eventually succeed in reaching the end of the book without it devolving into a tangled mess, as often as not you find you’ve miscalculated and come up short anyway. There has to be a better way.

That way is the weaver’s knot. This knot has the advantages of being strong, slim, and easily tied to even very short lengths of thread. It allows the bookbinder to work with manageable lengths of thread, joining new pieces whenever it becomes necessary. In this video I’ll show you how to tie it.

I am generally following Keith A. Smith’s instructions from his book ‘Non-Adhesive Binding: Books Without Glue or Paste’. Smith recommends that when tying the weaver’s knot, one shouldn’t pull on the original, short thread when tightening. I find that once the knot is well formed, a light tug on the first thread helps to secure it firmly. Smith also prefers to make the weaver’s knot inside the signature, where it will be hidden in his exposed-sewing style. I prefer to make my knots on the outside of the signatures, as it is more accessible, and will be fully hidden under the spine coverings.

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