Maedeup
Maedeup · Insects
Dragonfly knot
잠자리매듭jamjari maedeup
A figurative knot shaped like a dragonfly with spread wings, used as a small accent on pouches and pendants.
- Meaning
- A dragonfly with spread wings. Regional names 온정자 (Daegu), 오발창매듭 (Namwon).
- Wishes for
- Warding off evil (벽사) and good fortune (길상), a calm, composed mood.
- Cord
- One cord folded in half.
- Used on
- pouch tassels (귀주머니, 두루주머니), 향낭 scent bags, 선추 fan pendants, small norigae accents, modern brooches, keyrings, bookmarks
- Learn first
- Dorae knot (double connection knot), Lotus bud knot (button knot)
- Level
- Involved
- 1Tie a 연봉매듭 (lotus bud knot) for the head.
- 2Below the head, pull loops out to left and right to form the upper pair of wings.
- 3Form a second, slightly smaller pair of wings below the first (or keep one pair for a simpler version).
- 4Tie a 도래매듭 directly under the wings so they cannot slip loose.
- 5Tie further 도래매듭 down the cord for the tail - about five in total looks well proportioned.
- 6Use the awl to even out wing size and symmetry.
History & tradition
Joseon
Small and lively, the dragonfly knot decorated women's and children's things: pouch drawstrings, scent bags, fan pendants and small norigae, and also blind hooks and wall-pocket tassels, in palace ritual objects and village crafts alike. Its regional names were 온정자매듭 (Daegu) and 오발창매듭 (Namwon). It was read as warding off evil and bringing good fortune.
Popular in modern brooches, keyrings and bookmarks.
Researched with medium confidence.
Sources for this entry
나비매듭nabi maedeup