The learning curve: It's easy to get confused in the early stages. To help stay focused on the knot you are tying, pull the working end out and away from you. Always assume the working end is attached to something, even if it's just coiled up on a spool. It's important to keep that working end straight, out, and away from your hands so you can concentrate on the job of tying.

2torial #0540: Learn2 Tie Basic Knots (Continued) Knot 5: Tie a sheet bend A sheet bend is more secure than a square knot, but a little more difficult to untie. It's useful for joining two lines together of different sizes or quality. Use a sheet bend if you're going to put heavy stress on the knot, if one end is hard to bend or tie, or if you don't want the knot to come undone any time soon. Step 1: Loop it Bend one end (call it end A) into a J shape, where the working end is the long part of the J. Hold it in your nondominant hand. Step 2: Thread it Take the other end (end B) in your dominant hand and move it under the loop of the J. Then thread end B up through the loop of the J. Step 3: Wrap it Wrap end B around the short side of the J shape. Pass end B all the way under the loop and up the long side of the J shape. Step 4: Thread it Now, you want to pass end B across the loop. Push end B through the section of end B where it first snakes up through the J shape. Then pull end B out--it should pass over the short side of the J shape. If you were to walk end B across the J shape, the pattern would be Over, Under, and Over again. Pull tight on end B first. Then pull the two working ends to secure the knot. Step 5: Tie ropes of different qualities If you are joining two ropes of different qualities, notice which end is harder to tie. Is one end thicker, stiffer or rougher? This one should be end A. The thinner, more flexible, or more slippery of the two ends should be end B. Then tie the sheet bend as described above. Knot 6