How to Tie a Carrick Mat Knot

A Carrick mat is actually a series of knots based on the Carrick bend and one of the easiest Turks head knots to master. It will form a flat mat which may be used as a pad or it can make a cylinder around the opening in the center. The following steps will show how to tie a Carrick mat.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Allow enough rope on the working end to complete a Carrick mat of the desired size. Even a modest Carrick mat will require a lot of rope.
2. Form a loop with the working end of the rope over the standing end so that it points in the 2 o'clock position and call this loop A. Make another loop with the working end over the standing end and place it on top of loop A so that it points in the 10 o'clock position and call it loop B.
3. Observe that loops A and B should now form a pretzel-like shape with three distinct areas: loop A, loop B and the intersection of these two loops; call it loop C. Now pass the working end under the standing end.
4. Pass the working end over the lower half of loop B, under the upper half of loop A, over the upper half of loop B and under the lower half of loop A. This will form a fourth loop that faces the 6 o'clock position that we will call loop D.
5. Lay the working end over loop D next to the standing end. Follow the original standing end through the knot with the working end while making sure that these two lengths of rope do not cross or overlap.
6. Repeat Step 5 as often as desired to complete the Carrick mat.