It is most often made in small line or string, such as that used for hand baling, parcel tying, and binding roasts.

[1] [2] A lightly tightened figure-eight knot is formed around the standing part of the line such that both ends emerge from the same point.

After the desired degree of tension is reached, a locking half-hitch is added over the working end and pulled taut.

Even without the locking half-hitch the knot will generally maintain tension while additional tying is accomplished, such as putting a second, perpendicular, wrap on a package.

In fact, Clifford Ashley claimed that there were more knots of this type to be found than any other used for a single purpose.