Long time readers might remember when I first introduced fishing and other knots to our collective jewelry making repertoire. First it was the Grinner Knot  which is used to tie a lure onto the fishing line.  

Then I followed with the Cats Paw Knot and a modified version which are typically used to tie a rope to an object. They are lovely alternatives to the Lark's Head knot (shown above left). The other name for Lark's Head knot is the Cow Hitch which explains its original purpose!

The Palomar Knot is yet another alternative to the Lark's Head knot and is way more secure. Like the Grinner knot, it is used to tie a lure. It is a very popular knot because it is both very easy to tie and very secure. 

Here is a video tutorial by Wired2Fish on how to tie the Palomar Knot :


Here is my demo showing how to use it for a gemstone donut with a rat tail cord. I first doubled up the cord and passed the loop through the donut hole :

Then I made a simple knot by passing the loop around the main cord. 


After pulling the loop to the left of the donut, I opened it up so that the donut could pass through it. 

Ease the knotted area over to the right and slowly tighten down:


The knot might look lopsided as shown below.  If this happens, just adjust the knot by bringing the horizontal part down on the right. 

Now nice and even!  This is "front" side of the knot. 



This is the "back" view. You can certainly use this side facing forwards if you wish. 


How much you have to fiddle with the knot will depend on the cord you use.  Rat tail cords are the easiest because they are the softest and slippery.  The cream colored one below right was so soft, the knot's anatomy is not noticeable.  Also consider matching cord thickness to the pendant.  I used 1 mm waxed cotton cord on the Tierracast tree of life charm, below left.


Leather cord is trickier because it is not as soft and slippery as rat tail. But the final effect is just as pleasing. Definitely more secure than the Lark's Head knot :


You can also use the Palomar knot for large pendants like this gorgeous 3 inch Tierracast feather charm.  I teamed the rondelles and feather with thin brown rat tail cord.  

The Backstory 

The Palomar Knot was one of three knots I used on our recent vacation at a renovated 1950's log cabin by a lake in beautiful (and sparsely populated) Northern Ontario. A shout-out for Raoul and Monia of Fushimi Cabin for this little slice of wilderness paradise. 

It was a good retreat for a much needed break. Access to the cabin is by motorboat across the lake so there was no one around but us. We were also outdoors a lot of the time.  Plenty of wildlife judging from the loud calls of sandhill cranes and loons. One day, I spotted a bald eagle hunting on the lake which teemed with fish.

According to the seasoned fishermen in my family, fishing is really easy up north.  This is a good thing since I am a complete novice.  I caught this (delicious) large perch within my first few casts off the jetty!


I did lose a lure to an aggressive pike, the apex predator of the lake.  But that was probably due to my ill tied Grinner knot.  After I was shown the Palomar knot,  I never lost a lure again for the rest of the trip. Pretty strong knot indeed.  

I noticed how pleasing the knot looked and thought it might work for jewelry making.  Goes to show an idea for a blog post or design approach can strike when one least expects!





Photography I used  my iPhone 8+ for outdoor and final product photography in natural light. I used  the Orangemonkie studio which comes equipped with LED lights - for artificial light photography in my windowless basement studio. The Foldio2 Plus is excellent . I use the Foldio3 because I need the room for tutorial photography.  

My online class Easy Guide to Smartphone Jewelry Photography is now available. Read more about it here.  

Before You Go:

Disclosure 
This blog may contain affiliate links. I do receive a small fee for any products purchased through affiliate links. This goes towards the support of this blog and to provide resource information to readers. The opinions expressed are solely my own. They would be the same whether or not I receive any compensation. 
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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM