Celtic Knots

Here are some examples of Celtic knots and how to draw them yourself.

How to draw a Celtic knot

	Felt-tip pen method
	Double strands
	Dots method
	Copying Celtic knots
	Non-square grid Celtic knots
	Making Celtic knots on computer
	Circular and Oval Celtic knots
	Triangular Celtic knots
	Why Celtic knots work

Celtic knot letters

Capital letters as Celtic knots

Examples from

	The Isle of Man
	Dublin, Ireland
	Wales
	Govan Old Church, Glasgow
	Rest of Scotland
	Cornwall
	Northumberland
	Derby

Extention of concept to real knots

	Reef or square knot
	Sheet Bend

Other examples

	Illuminated manuscripts
	Islamic interlacing patterns
	Tibetan Buddhist endless knot
	Daniel Loris' garden designs
	Mosaics
	Dürer
	Neanderthal pattern?
	Lace
	Knots

Things to do

	Design your own Celtic knots online
	Outline Celtic knots to colour in
	Outline Islamic interlacing patterns to colour in

Tapestry (needlepoint) patterns for some these knots

I have written a Kindle book: How to design Celtic Knots - a guide for beginners - Buy UK - USA (or look up Jo Edkins in Amazon)

Celtic knots are patterns representing ropes or threads tied in a knot. They are really mis-named. They appear in Roman mosaics, and were made by Vikings and Saxons as well as Celts.
Many knots are continuous, with no loose ends, and these are also called Gordian knots or Gordic knots. This refers to the myth of the knot of Gordias. It was said that only a future leader of the world could undo it. Alexander the Great cut it in two with his sword, showing that he would conquer the world by force. Another term for Celtic knots is plaitwork, or interlacing patterns.

I recommend the following books:

Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Painting by Carl Nordenfalk - buy UK or USA
Mosaics of the Greek and Roman World by Katherine M. D. Dunbabin - buy UK or USA

My links

You may also be interested in my website on mazes or mosaics or Greek keys or any of my other websites.

My name is Jo Edkins - contact me