About a two years ago I learned how to make a "Casa knot". Which is just a longer turks head knot than the 7part 6 bight or 9part 8 bight turks head knots I was used to making.. I was inspired by Tom Hall's More Turks head knots book. I Saw that Susan Bensema Young had used this book to teach herself how to do Casa knots about 10 years ago. I felt like my bosals needed a "level up" and I needed to learn to make a proper nose button.
After a LOT of trial and error I finally learned how to make a casa knot. I created several new type pieces (to me) with braidwork on them. Most Notably Sue's Saddle Tan Colored Bridle and A Dk Brown Bridle I made to keep (FOR ONCE! LOL) so that I'd have an example of my work.
I felt like these were a triumph at the time! Not only did I manage a long knot, I learned to also interweave it! I'm still sort of proud of myself about that.
Although I was/am proud of the above work, I wanted to work on being able to make a knot and get that "solid" knot look.
So I tried a bunch of things. I tried really complicated casa knots- For instance the bosal below with the brown nosebutton- that nosebutton is so small, and so complicated, that I can't even see the structure well enough to interweave it. It will stay plain but the side buttons and heel knot are interwoven.
I tried looser casa knots with the same color "backgrounding" or Ground work (the green bosal above employs this method). I am really happy with how that looks but of course, in the back of my head, I decided that I really needed to figure out how to do a same color interweave to mimic the nosebutton on a real life bosal.
Which lead me to:
THE CULPRIT AKA the Mean Knot
The above bridle I have been working on, on and off for over a year. The shank/bridle piece on the left, I finished a year ago. This is a "Giant" casa knot (I can't remember the parts) with 6 bights, interwoven with the same colored thread. It was so hard.. There is so much to learn with doing such intricate braidwork on a smaller scale on 3/32nds" leather lace with the same color interweave. I tried over and over and over and over and over again and finally, I was able to make that beautiful knot on the Left. I loved it! I was so excited!! I daydreamed about all of the tack I could make that way! SO Proud of myself..( ALSO maybe I could eventually interweave it!?) Then I went to the piece on the right. And there I have been stuck for over a year. I kept mentally beating myself up because the first one "Came so easy" (ha!) "WHY can't I just duplicate it on the other one!?". I think I tried for at least a month - every night coming into my studio and trying to make a matching piece. NO DICE! Either I missed a string and the whole thing was off or the knot became too tight as I was interweaving. Also with a knot that tight, the leather beneath it eventually gets destroyed. Not only did I have to CUT the knot off, every 3rd or 4th try I had to redo the leather too. Since this was a project just for me, so that I could learn, I eventually put it down so that I could move onto other things that I could finish. (And that didn't steal my self-esteem)
At the end of March of this year, I picked it up again to see if I could finish it. I have had a lot more practice with casa knots and with interweaving so SURELY I could make a matching piece! And I did! Unfortunately it was a 4 bight instead of a 6- because I forgot I had made a six bight one until It was finished. So again, I cut the knot off and tried again. And again. And Again. And AGAIN, and again until it was in the state it's in now. REALLY Close.. LIKE IT'S REALLY CLOSE!!!! But I had given myself a timeline this time, of two days solid, and again I couldn't finish it. One of these years, if I ever finish it.. I will keep it forever BECAUSE IT WAS MEAN TO ME! LOLOLOL Actually I'll keep it because it is SUCH a lesson!!
Its reins are already braided. Black reins with off white casa knots near the part that connect to the bit that are interwoven with black. The reins have black tassels on the end as well. The bit on this was a Rio Rondo prototype bit so it is the only one I have. It is a snaffle with a star in the middle of it. It also has matching star buckles. I'm still excited for this thing but I don't know when I'll ever be able to finish it! Lol
But I will KEEP trying...........
When a piece is mean to me I say of it, "Fought like a tiger!" I also believe that when I say a piece is 'stupid,' that means I'm near the end of it. "A piece is done when I'm no longer interested in it," is another thing I tell myself. So your "mean" knot is clearly interesting! Keep at it! It's a monster. You've gone way beyond me on this one.
ReplyDeleteI think you could do that knot no problem, probably better than me!
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