LASHING
To produce strong, firmly constructed gadgets you will often need to use different types of lashings - knots join pieces of string or rope or fasten string/rope to pieces of wood or are used to make loops in string etc., lashing uses longer pieces of string to fasten two or more pieces of wood together.

One of the most useful types of lashing is square lashing, so called because it is used to join two pieces of wood together at right angles to each other.
Start off by fastening a length of rope or string (depending on the scale of your project) to one piece of wood with a clove hitch, leaving the free ends roughly the same length. Place the other piece of wood on top of the first piece, in the position you want it fixing, and bring both ends of the string over, take them behind the first piece of wood and cross them behind it, bring them back out and over piece #2, cross behind, back over and so on - see the animated diagram on the right - pulling up firmly all the time; do this three or four times, then wind the ends of the string firmly round between the two pieces of wood (see diagram again) to pull the lashings tight and fasten off with a reef knot. The tighter your lashing, the more firmly the wood will be held.