Thanks for the intro to knots.  One caveat though;  the reef or square knot (same knot, it just has two common names) should NEVER be used to "tie two ropes together."  It can spill under tension and turn into two half hitches in one rope that will slip right off the other.  It is a good knot for tying a rope around a bundle to hold it together.  The sheet bend is a much better choice for tying two ropes together, but some of the more slippery synthetics require more specialized handling.  If personal safety is going to depend on the knot (as in climbing trees or mountains) be sure you know what you are doing with your ropes.

The best "how to" for knots that I have found is:

http://www.animatedknots.com/

except for Ashley of course : )

it's pretty confusing

Very good! Some brief comments and suggestions: #1. aka "Overhand knot" #2. I think you meant "Reef Knot" (aka square knot) #4. For the beginner, it can be easy to mistakenly twist in the wrong direction (like a multi-turn overhand knot). The thing to remember is that the free end doubles back and wraps on itself. #6. aka "Sheet Bend" #7. aka "Sheep Shank" I must admit to never knowing about #8, what you're calling a Marlin Spike. I've tied these when needing something like an overhand knot but with the advantage of easily being undone. Which parts of the knot are under tension? Just the free ends, or also the bight? Can you explain further when you might use it? Nice work!

What about a trucker hitch, bow line, or square knot, those are the most important ones for a scout.

your "reef knot" is actually called a square knot btw :-)

Show how to make the knots.

Could you, like, maybe tell me how to make these knots?

that one's a bit hard to understand. could you make a clearer pic?

lets see... i use that one to connect my hair bands into a bracelet...

hey, i use that to tie my shoes! lol

sorry, forgot my manners. good instructable Thanks for your time.

scouts should study grammar a little more... but who cares? we're American!! "I'm a scout and knots is (should be are) one of ........"

looks just like a square knot

Hey man, I see your a scout too. I am star rank, and i enjoy knot tying and the best in my patrol and i just stumbled onto your guide and relized you got the name of one of the knots wrong. The first knot is not called a thumb knot, its called a overhand knot. Ofther than that nice instructable even though it didnt help me it could sure help some of my patrol members... happy knoting!

Because much few people still give to attention the so basic things. Without these bases, does not have as to have development in this art. In my Country, it is called Macrâmé. Thanks P.S. It pardons me for my precarious English

Wonderful Work! Congratulations!

Yes, all that, all that, and five more comments. 1. If you can find rope that is braided instead of twisted, your pictures will be easier to follow. Use 3/8 or larger rope. Find the macro button on your camera. Also if you have a background color different from the rope color it will be easier to see what you are doing. 2. If you can find two ropes of different colors your sheep shank knot will be easier to follow. 3. Spell check. I'm not sure what I'm reading. 4. As a sailor I am looking for your instructions on the bowline. I use three knots on my boat: the bowline, Figure 8, and the half hitch (often a slipped half hitch). If anyone ever ties an overhand or a reef knot on my boat, we stop what we're doing and have a little chat about ropes and knots. They waste far too much time for whatever minimal value you get from them. 5. Knots are very hard to make Instructables for. Thanks for trying. With a little tuning up this could be the definitive Instructable on knots.

I'm also a scout and I'd like to clear this up for everybody. There is such a thing as a marlins spike knot. It is similar to a slip-knot it's more useful. It is used by tying it around a short handle of some sort on a piece of rope that is being pulled. A person can then just pull on the handle and not (haha it's a pun) hurt their hands with rope burn. When done the handle can be pulled out of the knot and the knot just magically disappears.

nice. Eagle Scout?

The important thing is getting the knots right so good work. However Kozz is right, nearly all of them are mislabeled. And as for # 8 a Marlin spike is a tool for tightening,loosening, and braiding knots(if you don't have one i recommend you get one, I love mine). whipping is the process of finishing a knots free end so it doesn't unravel, and the knot you have pictured for it is just a basic slip knot. They are all very useful knots so good work, but you might wanna talk to your scout master about the names he is giving you for these knots. But keep up the good work and thanks for the instructable.

Nice job, very useful