Rope Making Fun

For Christmas Firm-Hand-Buddha made me a rope machine!  I ordered a tonne of yarn and have been chomping at the bit to get at making some jute.  I am a rope addict (as if calling myself aropedeevil didn't already give that away), and it was very hard to wait!  Finally, we had good weather (I actually got a sunburn) and I was able to try the machine out.

The first few attempts were TERRIBLE, resulting in kinky rope that felt rather bizarre, but after a few more tweaks things ran a great deal smoother!

As you can see, It was smooth enough that I was able to spend a weekend and spin a reasonable amount.  Note that the dark red, and the dark purple rope are treated.  The rest are still fuzzy and untouched. 

I am thrilled with this rope, but I admit, not everyone will like it.  It is single ply, which means even at 6mm, with 3 strands of 12 yarns, the rope lacks that hardness that many associate with rope.  This stuff is soft, alive and not for the faint hearted.  Single ply jute requires more love, more care, if one wants it to last.  But it is also incredibly responsive and sexy to have on your skin.  I may be a bit in love!

When I took a moment to quickly condition the rope, the colour darkened to reveal the rich undertones that make jute so damned special.
As soon as my bunny is feeling better I will be doing some body work to break mine in (purple is for MY BUNNY...)


For your amusement, here is the video I shot.  No go pro, so it is what it is.
Happy Rigging!

Shibari? Kinbaku? Rope Bondage? Which is it?

Shibari? Kinbaku? Rope Bondage? Which is it?

by aropedeevil

Disclaimer

I am not an expert in Japan, Rope, or any such. I am just a lady who loves the feel of rope in her hands, and when given free reign is passionate about applying rope to a bondage scene with a partner she connects with.
I love rope. Part of what fascinates me is the many, MANY different ways to use rope as bondage, from purely "cowboy", to "people macrame" to a Japanese orientated style. Those different styles and methods come with their own well debated and much debated explanations and definitions. My definitions are NOT the one TWUE way to define these, but reflect my own perspective.

My take on the various styles:

Rope Bondage: Using rope to restrain someone.
Functional Bondage: This works for the purpose it was intended, is not typically designed to look pretty.
Japanese Bondage A bondage style that originated in Japan and has been adapted by riggers in other countries into what many now label as Shibari.
Shibari: A style of rope bondage that looks pretty, is functional and originates from Japanese style rope bondage.
Kinbaku: Shibari with an emotional connection between the parties, creating an energy within the rope bondage scene.
Ichinawa: Kinbaku done with one rope, with the focus being on using the rope to connect, rather than on completing a specific tie.
People Macrame: Rope ties that use decorative knots and twists to create attractive harnesses, rope clothing, rope accessories that can be worn as decoration.
Cowboy Bondage: functional rope ties used for restraint that are not designed to be attractive and are fast and quick.
Predicament Bondage Ties in which the function is to create a predicament.
Suspension Bondage This is any tie in which a person is partially or fully suspended with rope. This can be done in various styles.
This is not an inclusive list. There are many more styles out there, many more labels. Please do feel free to add yours in the comments.

Rope Basic Workshop Updates!!

With all the overwhelming interest in a rope group the workshops have been split into two groups, rather than just one class.

One group will meet every Thursday, 7-930.  It already has 20 people registered in it.
The group will NOT meet Lupercalia weekend or on STAT holidays. 

The other group will meet every other Sunday.  It already has 17 people registered in it and will only permit 3 more to register.  The group meets from 1pm until 4pm.

I have dubbed them the Thursday Group and the Sunday Group!

Thursday Group has met once already and covered:
Basic Rope Info
Basic Rope Safety
Fred Kryel's style of storing rope
Single Column Tie
Double Column Tie
Variation 1 simple chest harness

Drills now include:
Single column tie
Double Column Tie
Chest Harness

The group was fantastic, and I REALLY appreciate that everyone was so respectful of the space and each other. It was absolutely wonderful.

This Thursday we will do our Drills.
We are going to learn my preferred way to roll up rope
Then we will learn the gunslinger harness and the Karada.
Then we will do our drills again.

Drills now include
Gunslinger harness (one side only)

The Sunday Group will cover
Basic Rope Info
Basic Rope Safety
Fred Kyrels style of storing rope
My preferred way of rolling rope
Single Column Tie
Double Column Tie
Variation 1 Chest Harness
Gunslinger
Karada

Don't panic, we will drill these until you can tie them with your eyes closed before you have your first coffee.

I look forward to the next class!
Hugs, spanks and ROPE
Aropedeevil

Sooo... you wanna be a rigger?

So, you want to be a rigger

by aropedeevil  

I love rope.
I love touching it, smelling it, rubbing it between my fingers. I love feeling it on my skin and I love wrapping it around yours. I have made my own jute, I dye my own rope, I do self bondage and I tie up all kinds of people for all kinds of reasons (but always consensually).
I have taught quite a few people how to use rope, and it can be very frustrating when you are new. We do not learn rope skills by memorization, watching, talking or reading. We learn by body memory.
There is no lecture that will teach you how to feel the ropes tension and know what to adjust.
There is no demonstration that will teach you how to make your bottom feel connected to you as you wind rope on them.
No video, powerpoint, book, diagram or workshop that will create a rigger.
The only thing that will absolutely build your skill is practice. Rope bondage is a body memory skill. Your body needs to do it over and over and over and over and over (etc) to develop the skills to rig with confidence and ease.
We need the lectures in order to learn about the safety and care required to rig safely. We need the demonstrations to learn the structure of different ties, harnesses and 'knots'. We need the videos to be able to check our work as we practice. We need those diagrams and workshops as our building blocks to learning.
After that it is practice.
Over and over.
Learned to do a two column tie?
Do it on everything. tie your ankles, tie a chair to a stick. Tie your hand to your thigh, tie , tie tie. Over and over. Then get a volunteer. Tie two column ties all over the place. Finger to a toe, ankle to a forearm, ankle to ankle, over and over and over. Tie their ankle to your wrist. Think you have it? do it again tomorrow, next week, next month. Over and over. When you can grab rope, close your eyes and tie it on any two columns, you are getting close.
Learned a chest harness? Tie it on your bunny. Tie it on yourself. Tie in on a chair. Get volunteers. Tie it on all shapes of people. think you have it down? tie it again.
Forgot a tie? Google it, relearn it. Tie it over and over and over and over.