Welcome to the International Guild of Knot Tyers

International Guild of Knot Tyers

IGKT National Organisations

Do come for one day or the whole event - you'll get a warm welcome.

Program details and online booking form.

For those of you who can't come, this is the link to the AGM on Zoom

This will be at 7pm London Time (18:00 UTC) on Friday May 8th 2026

Good News - the new IGKT forum is up and running & open to all.

We now have a brand new IGKT Discourse Forum, which replaces both the old Archive forum, and the forum that was on this website. We have migrated all the old forum posts to the new forum. We do still have access to the data from the old forums, so if you find anything missing, please let the forum admin know. 

Knots for the Cut

This beautifully produced book is now back in print and is available from our sales volunteer, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at £15. There are more details in the December issue of Knotting Matters and a review is at https://shorturl.at/C3Vkt. It is a must for all knotters' bookshelves.

About the Guild

The International Guild of Knot Tyers (IGKT) is a very friendly association of people whose interests are in ropes, knots and knotting techniques of all kinds.

We have about a thousand members world-wide from all walks of life including knitters, surgeons, sailors, climbers, anglers, scouters, magicians, lace-makers, farmers, miners, macramé fiends and mathematicians. Membership is open to anyone interested in knotting, ropes, cords and yarn (whether expert or simply hoping to learn from others).

We celebrated our 40th anniversary in 2022 and have now produced over 160 issues of our journal Knotting Matters. They contains news and ideas about all aspects of knotting and the journal is full of useful and interesting articles, letters, queries and opinions.

Issues of Knotting Matters 1 - 165 are readable online. Issues of Knotting Matters 1 - 165 are readable online.. The issues from the latest 12 months are only available to members.

There are active branches of IGKT around the world and we are always very happy when another group starts up. The UK has most of these (it is a small country which makes travelling to events fairly easy) at eight, and there are national organisations in Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands and North America (IGKTNA and two informal branches on the Pacific coast and Alaska). Non-English-speaking knotters can join their national organisations without needing to join IGKT.

Latest News


Books on Knots for Sale

IGKT publishes a number of books on knotting and also sells a few others on related subjects which are not easily available. These are distributed by our sales volunteer, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and are in the catalogue.

We have just been donated the copyright for Knots for the Cut by late IGKT member, Ben Selfe. The book was first published in 2008 and has been out of print for nearly a decade.

Review of Knots For The Cut.

The new copies have just arrived with Andy and can be ordered from him for £15 


George Hart Bursary

Thanks to George's generosity, the IGKT has been able to provide funds for help to encourage members, especially younger ones, to engage in an ‘extraordinary’ activity which involves knotting and the Guild. For full details please see the Members' News section or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We really would like to give money away to suitable applicants, so do give it some serious thought. Non-member applications are also given serious consideration.

Permanent home for IGKT Library Books

In July 2022 we arranged with the Brunel Institute, an organisation set up by the SS Great Britain Trust and the University of Bristol, England, to house our collection of knotting and ropework books in the Institute’s library. The collection consists of books the IGKT has amassed over its 43 years, along with a considerably larger number of volumes kindly donated by a founder member.

The Brunel Institute library is open daily to the public throughout the year and is free to visit. The cost of incorporating the books into the Institute’s library is being funded by a very generous donation from a member in the USA.

The Library has finished the long task of adding the books to their database, which is searchable on the Brunel Institute’s website.

Search the uploaded IGKT books.

Forthcoming Special Events


IGKT AGM & Exhibition 2026

Next year's main meeting will be held from 6th to 10th May 2026 at the Rough Close Scout Campsite, near Coventry, UK. This will be our second visit to this excellent set of facilities run by City of Coventry Scout County.  Details are set out in the December 2025 and March 2026 issues of Knotting Matters. 

The venue is about 5 miles to the west of Coventry City Centre. Address: Tanners' Lane, Coventry CV7 7DD, UK.

Preliminary details and progam.

Annual Meeting of IGKT France 2026

The splendid Maritime and River Museum in Rouen is the venue of this year's annual Meeting (AG) of IGKT France. We shall be on board the péniche (a canal or river barge) Pompon at Hangard 13, Quai Emile Duchemin, 76000 ROUEN France.

The dates are Saturday and Sunday, March 28 & 29 2026. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., President of IGKT France for more details. You're assured of a warm welcome and splendid food - and some knots too.

Meeting of IGKT Australia 4-6 April 2026

Brisbane 2026 is the next meeting of IGKT Australia, to be held over the Easter weekend. More details will be here soon or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. directly.

IGKT Autumn Meeting 18-20 September

Our President, Mikko Snellman, is organising this event, All About Knots, aboard the ship Suomen Joutsen in the harbour of Turku in Finland. There will be lots to do so please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for more information. 

This is earlier than our normal autumn weekend because the weather in Finland rapidly becomes cooler as winter approaches. We're sorry that the time conflicts with the AGM of IGKTNA in Ohio - see the notice below.

The annual meeting of IGKT-NA in Ohio

18-20 September is the date for the 2026 AGM of our North American cousins. It will be held at the Maritime Museum of Sandusky, 125 Meigs St, Sandusky, OH 44870, USA, situated on the southern edge of Lake Erie.

President This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. will give you a very warm welcome. 

Advance warning for IGKT AGM & Exhibition 2027

We shall be the guests of the National Maritime Museum, Cornwall over the days 6-9 May 2027.  NMMC is on the waterfront of the beautiful and historic harbour in Falmouth. There will visits and workshops on Thursday and Friday with a public exhibition and ropewalk(s) on Saturday and Sunday.

There is plenty of accommodation in the holiday town of Falmouth but no large hotels. Please start your search for places to stay earlier than usual for this meeting. It isn't a busy period and so there will be lots of choice of small hotels, bed & breakfast and AirBnB properties. There's an excellent campsite a short drive away from the museum.

Netherlands Branch Meeting - Dordrecht

07-02-2026 10:00 am -4:00 pm
 Contact - André van der Salm This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: +31 (0) 625 067 174

North West Branch UK

21-02-2026 12:00 pm -5:00 pm

NW Branch contact Ian Rogers. Everyone welcome at

The George & Dragon, 67 High St, Tarvin, Chester CH3 8EE, UK

This year's projects are:

January 17th Dorset Buttons

February 21st Globe Knots

March 21st Pineapple Knots

April 18th Sailors Cross or Guild Badge

May 16th Trays

June 20th Square Mat or rope making Weather permitting.

July 18th Elongated Mat or Ropemaking

August 16th Worming & parceling or Ropemaking

September 20th Bell rope made from Rope made over Summer .

October 18th Skeletons Solomon dolls

November 28th Christmas decorations

December 12th Christmas lunch

 

Netherlands Branch Meeting - Dordrecht

07-03-2026 10:00 am -4:00 pm
 Contact - André van der Salm This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: +31 (0) 625 067 174