I think the most common question I get from people who know I make kandi is how I get the perfect kandi knot. Although I’d love to be able to just use one knot, the reality is there isn’t any one “perfect” kandi knot. It’s all about knowing which knot to use in what situation. Here is a list of some of my favorite kandi knots!

1. The Overhand Knot 

You probably don’t know it, but you use the overhand knot probably every day. If you tie yours shoes, you use the overhand knot. If you tie grocery bags, that’s an overhand knot. You get the idea.

In terms of kandi, the overhand knot is the simplest and most basic knot. It’s used for tying off singles, finishing cuffs, and adding more string to a project. It’s done by crossing the two ends of string, pulling one end through the loop, and then pulling both ends to tighten the loop. See below:

2. The Square Knot

The square knot is another kandi knot that I like to use. It’s basically one overhand knot on top of another overhand knot. Like I said, it’s great for more slippery materials and for more stability.

3. The Surgeon’s Knot

The surgeon’s knot is another great kandi knot. While the square knot is also great for slippery strings and generally gets the job done, on the rare occasions it doesn’t, I prefer to use the surgeon’s knot. The surgeon’s knot is also a good one to rely on if you really don’t want something to come undone. There are even some people who exclusively use surgeon’s knots. Better safe than sorry, right? It’s basically like the square knot, but the string is crossed through the bottom loop two to three times instead of one. I’ve rarely had problems with the surgeon knot slipping!

4. The Figure 8 Knot

Another kandi knot I like to use is the figure 8 knot. I use this one when tying off bigger creations like cuffs. The most well known use for this knot is in rock climbing. If rock climbers trust this knot to keep them from falling to their deaths, then I trust this knot to keep my cuffs from exploding into oblivion.

My favorite way I’ve heard someone teach a figure 8 knot is to:

1) Make an alien with the rope (or string in this case)

2) Strangle the alien

3) Poke the alien through the eye away from you. Simple!

…Annnnd that probably didn’t make any sense to you. In case that’s true (and let’s be real, it probably is), here is a handy diagram:

5. The Lark’s Head Knot 

I like to use this kandi knot for attaching things like perlers, charms, or little toys. If you’ve tied a phone charm onto your phone, then you’ve used this knot. Basically, you fold your string in half, pass the folded part through the hole of a perler creation, charm, or one you’ve created in a toy, grab the ends of the strings, and pull them through the hole towards you.

And those are the 5 kandi knots I use the most! If you have other favorite knots or want to share more, leave it in the comments below.