To Be or Knot to Be...Then What?

That's a very good question! I think some one asked that a very long time ago, but he had his own problems. My problem: how to tie this incredible knot, one of my life's ambitions. (Yes, I know this is a rather odd ambition, but we all have something weird we want to do before we die. Sky diving is NOT on my list.)

This is the Pan Chang knot. Lydia Chen, in her book "Chinese Knotting", describes it as "one of the eight Buddhist treasures. It twists and turns...representing the cyclical nature of all existence".

Suzen Millodot, in her "Chinese Knots for Beaded Jewellery" (English spelling), adds: "...it also represents the mysteries of the Universe and is also known as the Mystic Knot. As such it is considered to bring great fortune to the wearer and beholder alike." After three months of getting really frustrated I took a good long look at her directions. Suzen suggests starting out with two colors of cords so that you can follow the overs and unders, pulling loops here but not there. ("Duh!" experience. Ms. Millodot's illustrations are the best I have found, I just need to learn to read the whole paragraph.)

Click on the photo and what do you see? A flat piece with loops? WRONG! After weaving the cords in the right directions, you start to tighten the knot up by pulling the loops in a special order. Wonder of wonders, the tangle of cords becomes a two-layered structure!

My original idea was to hang a stone pendant from it, and now that I look at it, what a great idea! I will add a few Button knots, maybe some large holed beads and a clasp. (Check out the photo again and you will see a Button knot on the very top of the Pan Chang knot.) So, in the future when I have some spare time (who needs to do housework, anyway?) you will see a completed necklace. In fact, I already have a pic of a necklace with double Button knots and the Snake knot. Of course I may have deleted that at the same time I deleted this pic.(Had to re-post this. Aaaarghhh!)