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I never knew, I knew so little…

A couple months ago, Jackson brought a pledge sheet home from school. The kindergarteners were raising money with a Skill-A-Thon and one of the six skills the children would be tested on was tying their shoelaces.

Of course, I knew that Jackson would have to learn how to tie his shoes eventually. But I had no idea how to teach him. So I just kept buying him velcro shoes and putting off the inevitable.

But now there was no more room for procrastinating. Jackson had to learn and he had to learn fast. We had less than one week.

So, I pulled out a pair of shoes and sat Jackson down. But I quickly became one of the countless, frustrated parents attempting to teach a child how to tie their shoes. I mean, “How do I tie my shoes? And how on earth do I teach him?”

Finally, I gave up teaching him the standard method that I use and tried the bunny ear method. But the knots were messy and came undone. I simply concluded that either this was an inferior method or that I was doing it wrong.

I was lost. So, with Jackson in his pajamas and bedtime quickly approaching, Jackson and I threw on our coats and knocked on our neighbor’s door. She is a grade one teacher and I figured I needed some professional help.

But she was out, so I was left on my own. I felt like a parenting failure.

It was getting late, so we gave up for the night.

The next day, before I picked up Jackson from school, I took to the internet to educate myself. After looking at a couple sites, I clicked on to Ian’s Shoelace Site.

There it was. All laid out. Simply and clearly illustrated and explained. Google and Ian “Professor Shoelace” Fieggen saved me!

I was stunned to discover that when I had tried to teach my son the bunny ear method (what is actually called the two loop method,) I was doing something called a Granny Knot!

Who Knew?!? But I was making the incredibly common error which leaves shoelace knots perpetually slipping and coming undone.

Do your shoelaces always come undone? Do your shoelace bows sit vertically instead of across the shoe? If so, you’re probably tying a “Granny Knot“, and one simple change to your technique will result in a balanced knot that sits straight and stays secure. – Ian Fieggen

I quickly phoned my school teacher neighbor, whose door we had knocked on in desperation the night before, and told her that not only did I not need to bring my son over BUT I told her about the Granny Knots!

I felt empowered, enlightened and ready to take on this parenting rite of passage.

With Ian’s Shoelace Site open and guiding us, Jackson and I mastered tying shoelaces. We learned the simple cure for a Granny Knot and how to effectively use the Bunny Ear (Two Loop) method.

But I didn’t want to stop there! I wanted to tell the blogosphere – to let you all know that there is a cure for slipping, messy “Granny Knots” and to tell you about Ian’s Shoelace Site and Ian “Professor Shoelace” Fieggen who changed my shoe tying life!

Now, if you already know how to tie a secure knot and there are no Granny Knots in your life, the Professor still has a wealth of shoe-tying knowledge that you couldn’t even have imagined existed.

Ian Fieggen is the creator of his own knot! The Ian Knot is the world’s fastest knot and with the site’s step by step method, you can soon be tying your shoelaces faster than ever before.

review-laces-2.jpg
Ian Fieggen has also written a book called, Laces – 100′s of Ways to Pimp Your Kicks. Indebted to his site and intrigued by his book, I wrote to Ian and he sent me a copy of his book to review and a copy to giveaway to one of you!

Laces goes further than you knew shoelaces could go! With an incredible variety of fascinating and fabulous ways to lace and tie your shoes, this book could keep you and your kids busy for years! You can learn lacing styles such as the Riding Boot used for equestrian and motorcycle boots, the Army used on combat boots, the Hidden, the Shoe Shop, the Corset, the Checkerboard and so many more. And of course, Laces includes numerous knotting methods, including the Standard Knot, the Two-Loop knot, the Ian Knot and several more knots I had never heard of!

review-laces.jpgLaces walks the reader through the innovative and creative methods with step by step instructions and easy-to-follow diagrams. With its unique triple fold design, the book’s cover can be folded over the left page so that you can use the color-coded laces to follow the diagram and instructions on the right page.

All ages will enjoy Laces – whether it is a kindergartner mastering their first knot, a teenager “pimping their kicks” or a parent enlightening themselves about the world of lacing and tying knots.

I never knew there was so much to learn – and Ian “Professor Shoelace” Fieggen is a great teacher!

If you want to win a copy of Ian’s book, Laces, just leave a comment here to enter. We will announce the winner April 19th. This contest is open to US and Canadian shipping addresses.


About Janice

Janice is co-founder of 5 Minutes For Mom.Along with her twin sister Susan and their mother Joan, Janice also owns two online toy stores -- one specializing in Ride on Toys and the other in Rocking Horses.Janice has a spunky little girl and a rambunctious boy who love to make it difficult for her to work from home.

288 Comments

  • 251
    Brittany Rebello
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    Please enter me!

  • 252
    vanessa hunter
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    My little fashionista would love this!

  • 253
    Janet
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    ty 4 the great contest

  • 254
    claudette flanigan
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    what a great idea…wish I thought of it! :) Please enter me in your great contest!

  • 255
    kathy pease
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    please enter me :)

  • 256
    Pamela White
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    I want to learn a better way to keep my shoes laced.

  • 257
    Brooke
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    Please pick me!!

  • 258
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    We’d love to win a copy!

  • 259
    Tonya Woods
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    My two girls would love this book.

  • 260
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    I would love to win!!

  • 261
    chris swanson
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    WOW both my kids do not know how to tie shoe laces. I have been trying for a while to teach them. Please enter me. Thanks

  • 262
    Michelle H.
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    I would love to win this for my young toddlers.

  • 263
    Susanne Troop
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    Wow…way cool book!

  • 264
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    please count this grandpa in

  • 265
    ~ Aliesa ~
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    ~ Great Book! ~

  • 266
    dorothy
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    what a cool book

  • 267
    Veronica Garrett
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    I would love to win this very interesting book.

  • 268
    Ed Nemmers
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    Sweet prize!

  • 269
    * * HeLeN * *
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    ** Need new laces, these are “way cool”! **

  • 270
    Vicki Weisshaar
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    Wow! How different and cool.

  • 271
    Sean
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    I just bought a new pair of Puma drift cats and would love to find new ways to pimp them out with some sweet strings. I wish I could win Ians book “Laces”.

  • 272
    ~ * MiC * ~
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    ** Regular lacing just won’t do anymore! It’s all very exciting. **

  • 273
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    isn’t this the great part of being an adult!!!! I Never knew I knew so little!!!!! Best of luck to all who enter. Many Thanks

  • 274
    Taryn S
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    I would love to win

  • 275
    Amy Pedersen
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    PICK ME

  • 276
    Suanne Giddings
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    What a great book and site! I actually need this for my mother! I always have to stop in the aisle at various stores and re-tie her shoes for her because they have come undone. How funny is that??? Thanks for the chance to win!

  • 277
    Donna Kozar
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    It looks cool.

  • 278
    theodore esteghamat
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    cool book.

  • 279
    Rickey Moham Jr.
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    WIN WIN WIN!!!

  • 280
    Lily Kwan
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!

  • 281
    Heather C
    April 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    Ooo, I’d love to win this for my daughter!

  • 282
    Stacey
    April 19, 2008 | Permalink |

    Looks like a great book. Is there one that will encourage my 6 year old not to believe that it is cool to just walk on his laces for the sake of convenience/laziness? :)

  • 283
    SARAH
    April 19, 2008 | Permalink |

    GREAT BOOK! WISH I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THESE IDEAS EARLIER.

  • 284
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    This is a nice post about how we can remove Stretch mark and its a very needed information.
    Thanks for such an important post.

  • 285
    December 17, 2008 | Permalink |

    Thanks for providing information and prices of different variety of rugs. I need this info because i am using online shopping services.
    Thanks

  • 286
    December 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    Excellent Post, thanx for sharing the same.. Will keep on reading the post :D Stumbled yourpost .. cheers

  • 287
    December 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    :P It a nice site collecting all info about stretch mark.I use to buy ifferent variety of stretch markS and i need this information.Thanks for your time to post this article.

  • 288
    December 18, 2008 | Permalink |

    This is a nice post about how we can remove Stretch mark and its a very needed information.

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