Edmonds artist Mona C. Smiley-Fairbanks’ latest collaboration ‘SEVEN,’ aka ‘Not Knot,’ spent the summer as part of the City’s On the Fence project. Recently Fairbanks struck up a pen pal friendship with Des Pawson of Footrope Knots, a Museum of Knots & Sailor’s Ropework, in England. Fairbanks recently sent word of her correspondence with Pawson:

In New York Times Style Magazine for Sept. 17, I noticed an article ‘In Praise of the Humble Knot.’ After having spent months making a recycled paper knot as an art installation with my friend Lisa Wickstrom for the Art Works fence in Edmonds, I was curious to see if others had my passion for all things nautical. Not only did the article assure me that our humble beginnings are still appreciated I made a new friend in Des Pawson a knot enthusiast featured in the article. What really tickles me is that even though Des is a prolific author, co-founder of the international Guild of Knots Tyers, and runs the Museum of Knots and Sailor’s Ropework, he had time to advise me on a few upcoming projects and exchange a few charming emails- by the way he lives in Suffolk England! You have to love our small world. Here is what he said:

“Wow! Some knot, what a splendid piece. Ah, the lay of the rope now there is many a puzzle, why mostly Z laid 3 strand (or occasionally 4 strand ). The piece in the photos is actually a piece of cable that can be no younger than from 1703 when the ship from which it came was sunk, but probably from 1699 when the ship was refitted. The lay usually but not always starts right at the beginning with the twist for the yarn, the strand usually being twisted in the opposite way to the yarn, that strand then being twisted in the opposite to make rope and the ropes being twisted the opposite way to make cable. It looks to me that you have twisted the opposite way to your many strands, which is why you had to do it that way. I love the way that material tells you what to do if you have the feel for it. Your piece is fine as a piece of well made cordage not sure how many yarns/ strands you have but it looks great and I am sure is great. Well done!!! How did you make your yarn/ strand? Keep on making things like this.”

I asked for advice on choosing a knot for a project of leather purses that need to attach a thong to rings for handles. I am considering the scaffold knot, cow hitch variant, buntline hitch, anchor bend or jansik knot. In response, Pawson suggested: “I have a feeling that the cow hitch variation called Pedigree Cow hitch may well be the neat solution. I have a bit of a play you may be able to double the loop by bring it round twice before tucking the 2 ends through and then tucking the short end through to lock but even on its own it is pretty neat. Try it.”

I’ll let you know how it goes!