Came across a good tip the other day: Keep a couple of short lengths of paracord handy at all times (or 3mm and 2mm cordage, or something similar). This makes it easy to learn and practice and gain facility with tying new and useful knots -- in spare moments, or as the spirit moves you. Or while in a waiting room. Or in camp, or in a tent during a storm....

Just tried this. It works. The guy in the mountaineering department cut me some four-foot lengths of cord, and I've been enjoying learning some very cool knots. The cordage is very light and easy to keep in a pocket. And it can even be useful for lashing things on a bike or a pack.

He showed me how to tie a Prusik knot, which can be very useful when camping. And a double barrel knot.

He highly recommended a website, www.animatedknots.com

I just checked it out, and this site is very, very well done. The animation really helps in learning the knots. You can even slow it down. And it works even on a Kindle.

If anyone has any other ideas or recommendations -- good sites or resources, or ways of learning, or even some other good knots to know, or anything else related to this subject -- please feel free to post.