A New Twist on the Nautical Knot - Remodelista
The monkey’s fist knot is a sailor’s classic, tied around a stone and used to add weight to rope and, on occasion, as a weapon. Which perhaps explains why I succumbed to a looped green-and-white monkey’s fist not so long ago at, of all places, a pet supermarket. Recently, I came across sculptor Cassandra Smith’s artful take on the form and felt vindicated. A sampling of Cassandra Smith’s hand-painted knots, size small; $42 each. Smith’s knots come in sizes ranging from extra small (6 inches in circumference) to large (12.5 inches in circumference) and are priced at approximately $14 to $58.Each knot has a wooden ball in its center. Custom color combinations are available on request via Smith’s Etsy shop, Made by Cassandra Smith. Smith reports that most people hang the knots or perch them on shelves; they also make good curtain tiebacks. Some of the knots are patterned with tiny dots. Smith’s next project is creating painted monkey’s-fist garlands, and, by popular demand, monkey’s-fist necklaces. For more maritime inspiration, browse our image gallery of Nautical Design, including DIY: Nautical Stripes on Stairs and High/Low: Nautical Rope Lights.