History of Knot Tying and All the Knots of the Sea
"A knot... is either exactly right or it is hopelessly wrong."

What did Spanish and English sailors do in port between ship assignments? To earn extra money and to keep themselves busy, they would make decorative knots to sell to the travelers visiting the seaport towns. Their knots included knot boards, bell ropes, lanyards, button knots for coats and fancy knots for hanging inside or outside the home.