Knotty stocking stuffers...

I bought a few tire pressure dial gauges to give as Christmas gifts/stocking stuffers this year, and have added some knot work to them.  A  couple of examples shown were done with 3/32" orange tether cord tied into a gaucho knot on the larger gauge, and a three pass gaucho tied with red 1.4mm cord on the smaller one.

I've done some Turk's head knots on the pen type gauges in the past, and their longer lengths allow for other knotty variations and more room for paracord.  Tires are expensive, and keeping them properly inflated helps with maintaining proper traction, better fuel economy, and getting good mileage out of them.

I try to remember to check the tire pressure on my truck a couple of times a month, or at least monthly, besides the habit of doing an almost OCD visual walk-around inspection every time I get ready to drive somewhere.  I have one of those combo jumpstarter/light/power inverter/air compressors that I keep in my truck, and although slower than the self service air compressors you may find at your local gas station, at least you don't have to feel like you're in a NASCAR pit crew and race around a vehicle to fill up all your tires before the timer runs out and you have to feed the machine more quarters, lol.

And a gaucho knot, doubled, one pass with purple and another in yellow, using 1.4mm cord, for an LSU fan in the family.

I did some Sailmaker's Whipping, also called Palm and Needle Whipping, on the end of some 3/8" twisted nylon rope to prevent the end from fraying, using some black 0.9mm cord.  Although the end was already melted, the whipping insures it doesn't start untwisting/coming apart, and this version of whipping is more secure than common, West Country, or snake whipping.  There are brief descriptions of whipping in Creative Ropecraft by Stuart Grainger and The Marlinspike Sailor by Hervey Garrett Smith.

And if you're still looking for a gift for yourself or friends and family for an upcoming birthday/Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus, the Limited Edition VENOM mochi drawstring backpacks with Stormdrane logo are still available. :)