Welcome to Shibari 101, your chance to learn the building blocks of Japanese rope bondage! If you missed them, check out shibari’s history, rope basics and safety, and brush up on the foundational single- and double-column ties and basic chest harness.
Start a leg tie, which will immobilize one leg, by tying a single column tie on the ankle. It looks cleaner if you start the single column tie by spiraling the bight down the ankle, instead of up, so the working ends are on top. Once you’ve tied the single column, push the bottom’s shin to bring the ankle as close to the lower thigh as you can. (Note that, because it leaves most of your body and your arms free, this is a really fun tie to practice on yourself.) The muscles of the leg will relax as the bottom sits in this tie, and often the ropes will get slacky and loose if you do not do this step.
Next, spiral the working ends up the leg, making sure the first wrap is low on the thigh. Depending on the size of your bottom’s leg you can do anywhere between two to four wraps here (you can also extend rope and do as many as you want!). You can try with three as shown, and if you find you have run out of rope before the tie is done, back up and try with two, etc., or if you have too much left over rope, back up and try with four.
Pass the final rope of your spiral over itself on the inside of the knee. Bring your finger through the triangle you just created, and grab the rope and pull underneath. Use your other hand to pinch where the ropes cross so they don’t slide. Take the working ends and bring them over the top rope, and then under the left rope.
Repeat this knot on each rope working down the spiral, including the bottom rope. Pass the working ends through the leg and around to the other side.
On the outside of the leg now, pull the working ends to cinch tight. You’re going to repeat this knot again on the outside of the leg, but this time backwards, as your working ends are now running up the leg instead of down. Bring the working ends up over the bottom rope, back down on the right, then over the bottom rope, and back up under the left.
Repeat this step on each rope of the spiral until you get to the top.
On the top rope’s knot, finish it off by bringing the working ends through the loop, so they reverse direction and go back down the leg again.
If you have leftover rope, you can twist it around the stem. Tie it off with a hitch and tuck the ropes around the stem or between the leg.
You’re done! Next week, you’ll learn how to combine a few different shibari ties together.
I loved the tutorial at A-Camp! I’m not sure I can pull off some of the more complicated ties yet, but this looks really cool.
These tutorials are outstanding!
I am finding your series very thought provoking too. One of those things that make you hmmmmm.
who knew? Not me. It’s a nice surprise.
For those of us with bad joints Is there a way to bind the upper and low leg that doesn’t require hyperflexing the knee? Do you use a spacer or is there some way of making a rope rod-like knot to use between the hip and ankle?
Thank you!
I don’t recommend hyperflexing any joint – don’t push beyond where you feel comfortable. You can do a double column tie at the ankle/upper thigh and wrap the excess rope ends around the tie, filling the space between. That may be the most comfortable option for a leg tie in that case. Let me know if that doesn’t make sense and I can try to explain better!
Do you happen to know the length and thickness of the rope used here? As well as the height of the model, even? I’m trying to decide what type of rope to buy. Thanks!
Hi! Please read the first article in this series, which explains out the type or rope to use, and it’s length. You should be able to get away with one or two hanks of rope for this tie, per leg.
I used a 10metre rope I can’t remember the thickness but it did one leg with a little left over to twist around the stem
I picked up some really helpful knowledge from this. Without a doubt, reading should be saved for later. I’m interested in how much effort you put into creating this wonderful website with so much insightful content.
great things here. Your post makes me incredibly happy.
I’m getting ready to touch you and truly appreciate it.
Can a mod do something about these weird posts & spam on older posts please?
not sure how many people are working in light of recent events, so they might not have folks available to moderate content just now