How to Fix a Hammock

We got this awesome hammock from Nicaragua but unfortunately the attachment to the tree broke. The knot used is called the WWII US Navy Hammock Clew Knot. I used this video as my instructional but thought that having pictures step by step would also be helpful as I had to stop the video a bunch of times to finish the project.

Step 1: Make the Jig and Set Up the Rope

I purchased 3 packages of paracord rope purchased at Lowes. It comes in 50 foot sections but I needed a bit more per side, so I cut one packing in half and made two equal pieces for each side. I based my measurements on the prior hammock length that we had. I needed 18 strings, so I made 9 loops which would all be cut after I made the clew knot. You also have your two working ends, which were 4 feet in length which end up getting tied and cut. If I could have done this over I would have made the working ends longer and used them as one of the 9 loops I needed.

Each loop was 42 inches long. You tie your right working end to a tree or whatever you have. You weave the rope through the front of your metal ring and down to the right end of your screws on the bottom. Go around the outside of the screw and back in through the front of the loop. Repeat going around the right side of the screw and into the front of the loop until you are left with your left working side, which you can tie off to another tree branch.

Step 2: The Weave

Take a pen and start with all the right ends of your long loops and push it to the top. Weave the right working end through and tie it to the opposite side of the tree where the left working end is.

Then take the left side of all the long loops with the pen and push the pen all the way up to tighten the knot. Take the left working end and pull it through and tie it to the other side of the tree.

You've finished your first row!

Step 3: Subsequent Rows

So one thing that I did that was helpful which is not included in the video was using a clothespin to designate which loops I was done with so I didn't get confused. I pinned the top and the bottom of the loops that I did not want to include on the next row (first two pictures).

So the subsequent rows are the same, MOSTLY. You take the right long loops with your pen, excluding the two outer loops and pass the right working end through. ONE TRICKY THING!! You must pass the right working end between the outer loops so that it is free from your next row. The same is repeated on the left side. Take the left sides of the long loops excluding the outer two long loops, shore it up, and pass the left working end between the left outer loop to separate it, and then pull the left working end through.

Step 4: Continue Prior Steps

Continue to clip off the next row so that you do not include it when you make your next row. Continue until you finish the working ends, tie them off (or use them if you did it better than me). It should start taking shape as pictured above

Step 5: Cut the Loops and Tie to Your Hammock

I cut the loops and threaded it through the wooden post that came with my hammock. There were 18 ends, which went through 18 holes, which went to 18 knots to re-hang the hammock. I burned the edges so that the knots would not come undone. When you're finished you can jump in the hammock with your cute dog and have a cuddle session!

Step 6: