How to Tie a Farmer's Loop

A farmer's loop is an old knot and is believed to have first been commonly used on a farm. It generally resists jamming, but you shouldn't use it with slippery or stiff rope because it can easily shift into different configurations.

Instructions

1. Tie the farmer's loop in the bight. This method of tying a farmer's loop will not require access to either end of the rope.

2. Form two complete loops of the rope around the fingers of your hand. The rope should come up across your palm and go over your index finger. Call this length segment A. The rope will come around and come across your palm a second time to the right of segment A. Call this length segment B.

3. Observe where the rope goes over your index finger again and comes up to form a third length in your palm to the right of segment B. This length will be called segment C.

4. Shift segment B over to the right so that it is over segment C. Move segment C over to the left so that it is over segment A. Move segment A all the way over to the right so that it is over segment B. Pull segment B through the resulting space between segments A and C.

5. Adjust the size of the loop made from segment B as desired. Remove your hand from the coils of rope and carefully pull both ends of rope to tighten the knot. Ensure that you keep the loop the correct size as you do so.