SOME KNOTTY POINTS
SECRETS OF HANDKERCHIEF MANIPULATION
[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Handkerchief twisted for the performance.]
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--The one hand knot.]
THE following explanations are intended to provide the beginner with the
knowledge necessary to perform a few of the simple but neat tricks which
can be done with no other apparatus than a handkerchief. For a short
turn or “gag” these tricks are effective and useful, whilst their very
simplicity renders a quick return for the little trouble required to
learn them.
A good-sized silk handkerchief must be procured. Before making any of
the knots it should be twisted like a rope (Fig. 1). Being of silk, the
handkerchief will not untwine easily.
THE ONE HAND KNOT
This knot is very simple to make. Hold the handkerchief, bent double,
across the right hand (Fig. 2). Now, suddenly drop the hand, letting the
fingers pass over the end, A, and catch the end, B, at the point, C,
between the first and second fingers. Let the remainder of the
handkerchief slip off the hand, giving it a sharp flick, which will
tighten the knot already loosely formed.
Practice constantly until the whole movement can be done very rapidly.
To the spectators it will appear as if you have suddenly flicked the
handkerchief into a knot, and the effect will be striking.
THE WRIST KNOT
Stretch the handkerchief between the finger and thumb in both hands, as
in Fig. 3. Cast a loop towards the left hand, taking care that it is
thrown outwards. As the loop is made, the left hand, still with the end
of the handkerchief between finger and thumb, is passed smartly through
the loop from the outside--shown by the dotted lines in the
illustration.
This loop is now loosely round the left wrist, and the knot can be made
taut by pulling the ends with both hands. The instant it is drawn tight
let go of the ends of the handkerchief, and the result will be that a
simple twitch of the right hand has seemed to tie a knot firmly round
your left wrist.
THE DOUBLE BOW
This very pretty trick can be accomplished by making a double bow with a
rapid turn of the hands.
Hold the twisted handkerchief in both hands, as shown by Fig. 4. The two
hands are marked L and R--_i.e._, left and right respectively. Now bring
the right hand round and past the left, as indicated by the dotted
lines, and nip the handkerchief at the point A with the first and second
fingers of the right hand.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.--The wrist knot.]
[Illustration: FIG. 4.--The double bow.]
By doing this you have naturally brought the point B opposite the first
and second fingers of the left hand, between which it should be
similarly nipped. During all these movements the remaining fingers and
thumbs of each hand should retain their original hold on the
handkerchief.
Having now taken hold of both the points A and B, straighten your hands
and pull apart, still retaining the hold of the first and second
fingers. As a result you will find the handkerchief tied in a double
bow, which, if the movements have been done quickly and well, will seem
to have been accomplished by some strange effect of magic.
THE INSTANTANEOUS KNOTS
These knots can be made at each end of the handkerchief by the following
method. Hold the handkerchief in the position shown in Fig. 5, where it
appears lying over the third and fourth fingers with the two ends, A and
B, hanging beyond the thumbs. The movements are done in the same way and
simultaneously with both hands, and it will therefore suffice to
describe the action of your right hand.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Instantaneous knots.]
Bring the first and second fingers (1 and 2, Fig. 5) over C, catching
hold of the end, A, behind the wrist. This will be easy after a few
attempts, but you must be careful to see that the end A is of fair
length, otherwise the trick will be impossible.
Now bring the end A up through the resulting loop by means of the two
fingers. The consequence will be a knot in the end of the handkerchief.
Your left hand has, meanwhile, been doing the same thing and with equal
rapidity, so that it will appear to the spectators that, by a sudden
flash of the hands, you have formed two tight knots, one at each end of
the silk.
A FLICK KNOT
Hold the handkerchief stretched between your two hands in the manner
shown in Fig. 6--that is, inside the first and second, and outside the
third and fourth fingers of each hand.
[Illustration: FIG. 6.--A flick knot.]
Give the left hand a half turn, as in Fig. 7, thus enabling the first
and second fingers of the right hand to grip the end A, whilst at the
same moment the thumb and third finger of your left hand catch hold of
the end B.
[Illustration: FIG. 7.--Second stage of the flick knot.]
Slip free the fingers of the left hand, excepting those holding the
handkerchief, and you will find a loosely made knot. A smart flick of
the right hand will now complete the trick, and if you have done all
this very rapidly none of the movements will have been noticed by the
audience.
THE DISAPPEARING KNOT
The foregoing remarks have dealt entirely with making knots in the
handkerchief. By following the instructions now given you will be able
to make a knot disappear entirely.
Take two differently colored handkerchiefs--red and white, for instance,
and cross them, as in Fig. 8. Now make a simple knot similar to that
shown in Fig. 9. By laying D over C and making another simple knot, as
in Fig. 10, the red end will appear on the left, whilst the white end
will be on the right. This is called a Grannie’s knot.
[Illustration: FIG. 8.--Colored silks for disappearing knot.]
[Illustration: FIG. 9.--Simple knot for disappearance.]
[Illustration: FIG. 10.--Grannie’s knot.]
It is now plain that if you take hold of each end of the red
handkerchief it can be pulled quite straight and entirely free of the
turns so closely resembling a genuine knot. Heighten the deception,
however, by seizing the end D and the bulk of the red handkerchief and
pulling them with all your strength. The knot will now appear to have
been tied most securely.
Take several handkerchiefs and tie them in the same way, making
apparently a well-fastened rope to be exhibited to the spectators. Bunch
them all together on a table, and under cover of the folds pull all the
ends free, exhibiting as a result a number of separate handkerchiefs,
not one of which has a knot of any description.