Square knot -- In sewing, important mainly as the basis of the Surgeon's Knot and the Bow Knot.

Surgeon's Knot -- used when a square knot would loosen before you can tie the second half. Wrap the first twist two or more times instead of once.

Bow Knot -- a square knot that is easily undone. Make the second twist with the bights of the thread, instead of the ends.

Half Hitch -- a buttonhole stitch. Topologically equivalent to half a square knot, as you can see by tying half a square knot, then straightening one of the strings. There are two half hitches, one equivalant to the Overhand Knot, and one equivalent to the Underhand Knot. If you are making only one half hitch, it doesn't matter which, but when you make several, you usually want to make them all the same (as when working buttonhole stitch) or want to alternate them (as when tatting, tying square knots, or working Up and Down buttonhole stitch).

Clove hitch -- for closing storage bags and any other time you want to bind something tightly. Also called "scaffold hitch".

Wrap the string around the bag twice, ending with the two ends in your hand and one strand crossing the bag on the side next to you. Tuck the upper end of the string down under the crossing strand, then tuck the lower end up under the crossing strand, so that it comes out between the crossing strand and the upper strand. (The upper strand now comes out between the crossing strand and the lower strand.) Pull both ends to close the bag.

Bow clove hitch -- to make the bag easy to open again, tuck a bight instead of one of the ends. You end up with a single loop, and the ends lie side-by-side. I find it eaiser to make the upper end into a loop -- perhaps because I habitually have that one in my right hand. Anyway, it leaves the ends pointing up for easy package opening.

Reef Knot -- another name for Square Knot

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