Tying the Clove Hitch

• 1). One can think of the clove hitch as a square knot tied around an object. Making sure to leave a lot of slack on the loose end, begin by turning the rope around the object once, bringing the loose end around on the right side of the object, and crossing it over the top and to the left.
  
  
• 2). Turn the end around the object again and now thread the end under the cross-over you created on the first turn.
  
  
• 3). Pull tight.
  
  

Securing the Rope with a Taut Line Hitch

• 1). A taut line hitch is like two half hitches with an extra turn on the first half hitch. Using the slack you have left on the loose end of your clove hitch, pass this end under the long-running end of the rope, and pass it through the hole that this makes (like tying a half-hitch).
  
  
• 2). Turn the loose end around the long-running end again and pass it through the same hole. (This is the extra turn.)
  
  
• 3). Bring the loose end around the long-running end again, and this time pass it through the new hole that this makes, rather than the previous one. This is the same as the first step in this section, in which you are tying a half-hitch.
  
  
• 4). Now pull the long-running end of the rope tight. You might find that the clove hitch is slipping a bit; if so, adjust the rope so that the taut line hitch is butted right up to the clove hitch, so there is no slack in between the knots. This will maintain a safe, secure knot, under tension or not, for years if necessary.