Step 1

Let us number the 4 cords 1 to 4 anti-clockwise from the blue cord as shown in the diagram below. For illustration, each cord in this guide is a different colour to help you see how the knot is made.

Step 2

Begin by bringing the blue cord 1 round in an anticlockwise direction and across the front of the next cord (yellow cord 2). Leave the loop wide open to the left of cord 2 as we will need to find this hole later.

Step 3

Next bring the yellow cord 2 up and over blue cord 1 and also over the next cord around the clock anti-clockwise (green cord 3). Still keep all the cords loose and the loops wide. We will tighten them all up together at the end of the first complete crown knot.

Step 4

Continue in an anti-clockwise direction, bringing green cord 3 across yellow cord 2 and red cord 4 as shown in the diagram opposite.

Step 5

And lastly bring red cord down over green cord 3, over the first blue cord 1 and then down into the loop formed in step 1 and under the second part of the blue cord 1.

Step 6

Now we can gently start to pull each of the cords, a little at a time to close the loops and form a crown in the middle. Eventually pull each of the cords tight to produce a neat square pattern in the middle as shown opposite.

Step 7

Now we can create another crown knot. It doesn’t matter which of the 4 cords you start from, in this guide I start the second crown with red cord 4, bringing it round anti-clockwise and over the next cord (blue cord 1).

Step 8

Continue round as we did in steps 3-5 above and remember the last cord goes into the loop made by the first cord. In the example opposite this is green cord 3 coming around over yellow cord 2, over the first red cord 4 and then under the second red cord to complete the crown.

Step 9

Again gently pull tight to form a crown in the middle.

Step 10

Repeat as many times as you wish to grow your string of crown knots. It doesn’t matter where you start as long as the last cord threads through the loop made by the first cord.

Step 11

And pull tight again.

Step 12

Seen from the side you can see how the crown knots create a thick rope effect. And the repeating colours show a spiral or double helix pattern.

You can also make a crown knot pattern using more cords. Below there are 16 cords; 4 cords are used together for each of the coloured cords in the guide above. The method is the same and the result is a chunkier thicker rope.