Windows XP or above.
Also runs under Wine for Linux and MacOS X.

Overhand Knot Variations:



Bowline:



Fisherman's Knot:



Adjustable Grip Hitch:



Figure-Eight Loop:



Alpine Butterfly Bend:

These links will open up in a new browser window:

• KnotMaker Downloads
• Online Help for KnotMaker
• KnotMaker discussion thread on the forum of the International Guild of Knot Tyers.
• Original discussion of this tool (formerly called "FCB Cypher") on the forum of the International Guild of Knot Tyers.
• Derek Smith coined the term "Nodeology" and created a Nodeology wiki for the purpose of documenting a science of bindings (including knots). The "Lexicon of Nodeology" contains a list of new definitions that I started putting together for various types of bindings and for the parts of knots and actions relating to knots. The "Methods" section contains a link to a new knot-tying notation.

• Post your questions about knots and rope to one of the forums of the International Guild of Knot Tyers for some expert advice.
• Please feel free to email any KnotMaker issues to me (Dave) at dave@Layhands.com.

• v1.3

  • Released on: July 23, 2010
  • Enhancement: When you open or insert or save a KnotMaker drawing (.KM), the folder which you select will now be written to the INI file so that it will be the default folder the next time you open or insert or save a KnotMaker drawing. This should make these file functions more convenient.
  • Enhancement: When you save a .BMP picture of a drawing, the folder which you select will now be written to the INI file so that it will be the default folder the next time you save a .BMP picture of a drawing. This should make the .BMP save function more convenient.
  • Enhancement: When you view a KnotMaker drawing using the KnotTyer3D program, a .KT3 file is generated. The folder which you select for this file will now be written to the INI file so that it will be the default folder the next time you view a KnotMaker drawing using the KnotTyer3D program. Also, if the KnotMaker drawing doesn't have a filename then the KnotTyer3D file will now default to temp.kt3 (you won't be prompted to over-write this file). These things should make the KnotTyer3D function more convenient.
  • Enhancement: The File menu contains the nine most recent filenames which you have opened or saved, and these filenames are written to the INI file so that they will be displayed in the File menu the next time you run KnotMaker. Before displaying the filenames under the File menu, the program will now first remove any filenames which point to files that can't be accessed. This will prevent "File not found" messages.
  • Enhancement: Updated the Help files. The first time you run the new version of the .EXE file, it will create the new Offline Help file on your machine (in the folder which contains KnotMaker.exe).
  • Bug fix: The "View With KnotTyer3D" window had two controls with Alt+R as their shortcut keys. This has been fixed.
  • Bug fix: Fixed a broken link to the KnotTyer3D website.
  • Bug fix: The Cancel button on the "Individual Ropes" panel was causing the "Tool Panel" pictures to disappear. This has been fixed.

• v1.2

  • Released on: May 31, 2009
  • New feature: Scrollbars.
  • Enhancement: The "Direct Draw" feature will now anticipate your next click, making it easy to draw a continuous rope using single clicks.
  • Bug fix: The "File/Save As BMP" menu item will now prompt you to overwrite the file if it already exists.
  • Bug fix: When you click "File/New" followed by "File/Insert," then the "File/Save As BMP" and "Edit/Copy To Clipboard" and "Tools" menu items will now be enabled.

• v1.1

  • Released on: April 26, 2009
  • New feature: When you hold down the Alt key and right-click a "crossing" tile in the drawing grid, then that tile's "Main" and "Behind" colors will now be swapped.
  • New feature: The "Individual Ropes" panel (under the "Tools" menu) has a new checkbox called "Show All Spars/Poles." Selecting this checkbox will show all of the spar/pole tiles, and unselecting this checkbox will remove all of the spar/pole tiles.
  • New feature: Under the "Tools" menu there's a new menu item called "View With KnotTyer3D."
  • New feature: On the "Tool Panel" there's a new checkbox called "Direct Draw."

• v1.0
  • Released on: April 18, 2009