THE SYMPATHETIC KNOTS
By Richard Robinson

The magician displays two silk handkerchiefs. The audience sees that each handkerchief has a knot tied in it.

Placing one of the handkerchiefs down on his table, the magician runs the other handkerchief through his hand and the knot disappears.

He then picks up the other handkerchief and two knots are seen to be tied in it. A spectator is requested to untie the knots.

Once the principle is understood, more involved presentations are possible, including having the spectator hold the one knotted handkerchief during the knot transposition.

Props

Two 24 inch / 60 cm square silk handkerchiefs of contrasting color. A small loop of rubber band made by tying a knot in a larger rubber band and cutting off the small section above the knot.

Setup

Vanishing Knot Handkerchief

A small rubber band loop encircles the center of the silk, creating a bunched together area that appears to be a knot.

Doubling Knot Handkerchief

Tie a knot in the other handkerchief just over a third of the length of the handkerchief from one end. A second loose knot is tied at the center of the handkerchief. The loose knot is gently moved along the silk until it covers the tight knot, making the silk appear as if it has only one knot tied in it.

Left above: the second knot covers the first knot. Right: during the presentation the first knot is secretly pulled out of the loose knot as the silk is run through the hand

In setting up the knot within a knot, leave just the slightest bit of the inner knot visible, extending fractionally out of the outer knot in the direction of the end of the handkerchief to which it was tied. You'll need to know this during the routine.

Presentation

Pick up and display the two handkerchiefs, one in each hand held by one corner.

Place the gaffed knot handkerchief down for a moment, then take hold of the opposite end of the double knot handkerchief to point it up to the audience.

Drop the handkerchief over the open left palm, the double knot lying in the center of the palm.

Bring the right hand over and grasp the handkerchief so that the right thumb is over the bit of the inner knot extending slightly out of the outer knot.

Lower the left hand slightly and move it forward so the outer knot is just above the edge of the left first finger and the tip of the left thumb. Apply a gentle pressure on the outer knot and curl the left fingers in slightly.

The right hand now pulls its end back into the left hand, in the process pulling the inner knot back as well so that it is no longer concealed by the outer knot.

Once this is done, fold the handkerchief into the left hand in a zigzag fashion which hides both knots from view. Place the bundled handkerchief on a table or give it to a spectator to hold.

Pick up the fake knot handkerchief and lay it across the open left palm, then close the left fingers around the knot.

Turn the left hand over so the back of the hand is up and with the right hand pull lightly on each end of the handkerchief. This will release the rubber band loop.

Open the left hand slowly to show that the knot has vanished. Gently pick up the bundled handkerchief to show that the knot has mysteriously traveled to the other handkerchief.

Advanced Presentation

Magicians familiar with tying false knots or using the untying handkerchief principle can avail themselves of these techniques in dealing with the single knotted handkerchief.

This effect is especially suitable for inclusion in a more elaborate Sympathetic Silks routine. It can also be dressed up a bit by using two small, open top containers in which the respective handkerchiefs are dropped and then removed to display the change of state.