Carrick mat

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title: "Carrick mat" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["alternating-knots-and-links", "fibered-knots-and-links", "fully-amphichiral-knots-and-links", "hyperbolic-knots-and-links"] description: "Flat woven decorative knot" topic_path: "general/alternating-knots-and-links" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrick_mat" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Flat woven decorative knot ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox knot"]

Field	Value
name	Carrick mat
names	Prolong knot
image	Carrick mat Brianetta.jpg
caption	Carrick mat made with three passes
type	decorative
related	Carrick bend, Turk's head, Austrian knot
uses	Mat for padding or decoration
abok_number	#2242, #2244
instructions	http://www.animatedknots.com/carrickmat/
::

| name=Carrick mat | names= Prolong knot | image=Carrick mat Brianetta.jpg | caption=Carrick mat made with three passes | type=decorative | type2= | strength= | origin= | related= Carrick bend, Turk's head, Austrian knot | releasing= | uses= Mat for padding or decoration | caveat= | abok_number= #2242, #2244 | conway_notation= | ab_notation= | instructions= http://www.animatedknots.com/carrickmat/ ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Adventuress_-on_deck-_detail_01.jpg" caption="Carrick mats on schooner ''Adventuress'', used to protect woodwork from the blocks when the lines are slack."] ::

| name= 818 knot | common name= Carrick mat | image= 8crossing-symmetrical.svg | caption= Basic seamless form | arf invariant= 1 | braid length= 8 | braid number= 3 | bridge number= 3 | crosscap number= 4 | crossing number= 8 | genus= 3 | hyperbolic volume= 12.35090621 | stick number= | unknotting number= 2 | conway_notation= [8*] | ab_notation= 818 | d-t name= 8a12 | dowker notation= 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 2, 4 | thistlethwaite= | last crossing= 8 | last order= 17 | next crossing= 8 | next order= 19 | alternating= alternating | fibered= fibered | pretzel= | prime= prime | slice= | symmetry= fully amphichiral | tricolorable= | twist= | class = prime The carrick mat is a flat woven decorative knot which can be used as a mat or pad. Its name is based on the mat's decorative-type carrick bend with the ends connected together, forming an endless knot. A larger form, called the prolong knot, is made by expanding the basic carrick mat by extending, twisting, and overlapping its outer bights, then weaving the free ends through them. This process may be repeated to produce an arbitrarily long mat.

In its basic form it is the same as a 3-lead, 4-bight Turk's head knot. The basic carrick mat, made with two passes of rope, also forms the central motif in the logo of the International Guild of Knot Tyers.

When tied to form a cylinder around the central opening, instead of lying flat, it can be used as a woggle.

References

References

1. Budworth, Geoffrey. (1999). "The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Knots & Ropework". Hermes House.
2. Ashley, Clifford W.. (1944). "The Ashley Book of Knots". Doubleday.
3. Pawson, Des. (2002). "Pocket Guide to Knots & Splices". Chartwell Books.
4. "IGKT Publications". International Guild of Knot Tyers.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::