https://i.redd.it/x70ma6wi9vbe1.jpeg
created by p1v4 on 09/01/2025 at 00:55 UTC
44 upvotes, 23 top-level comments (showing 23)
My laces ALWAYS come undone, doesn’t matter how tight I tie them. When my bf ties them for me, they don’t do that (he’s right handed ofc). Is it the direction where my bunny ears -or loops or whatever- go the issue? Am I alone? I feel like a child
Comment by BaboTron at 09/01/2025 at 01:04 UTC*
28 upvotes, 3 direct replies
I used to have this problem; then I read somewhere that tying the knot in a symmetrical manner would solve it. Specifically, the bow part. I dunno if there is anything to it, but it solved my issues.
Take the left and right laces, put the left one over and under the right one to make the initial knot.
Take the lace that is now on the left, make a loop, and drag the current right-side lace through, and snug it up. Done.
I hope that works for you.
Comment by DeathByPianos at 09/01/2025 at 01:37 UTC
30 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Comment by dcheesi at 09/01/2025 at 01:58 UTC
13 upvotes, 0 direct replies
My brother taught himself how to tie laces, and he had this problem his whole life (he was right-handed FWIW).
Shoelace knots are modified Square knots, but if you do one part of a Square knot backwards, you end up with a Granny lot, which slips open.
Fortunately, I learned to do mine the correct way, but I could easily see an unrecognized mistake creeping in when a right-hander tries to teach a left-hander how to do it?
Comment by Darth_Cuddly at 09/01/2025 at 02:02 UTC
14 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I learned if you switch the way you wrap the lace around the bow you'll make a square knot and it wont come untied.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTvtNbGBiCg
Comment by Previous_Bed_6586 at 09/01/2025 at 01:03 UTC
36 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Idk, but double knot is life
Comment by x7leafcloverx at 09/01/2025 at 02:18 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Yes loop it the opposite direction. The loops should lay to the sides of the shoe, not up and down. It’s not just a you thing. I used to sell shoes and this usually did the trick.
Comment by strawberrycircus at 09/01/2025 at 04:27 UTC
4 upvotes, 2 direct replies
My son is right handed, I'm a lefty. His grandmother LOOOOOVES to point out that he ties his shoes weird, "like a lefty," every chance she can. He and I both hate this and the implied judgment that is attached to it. Am I sensitive, or is that a weird thing to pick on? And what even is the difference?
Comment by fr33d0mw47ch at 09/01/2025 at 02:12 UTC
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
The folks over at r/knots likely have a few things to add to this discussion.
Comment by ChelseaOfEarth at 09/01/2025 at 07:10 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
It took me FOREVER to figure out how to tie my shoes
Comment by thedancingpanda at 09/01/2025 at 01:45 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
https://www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_how_to_tie_your_shoes?subtitle=en
Comment by solarmist at 09/01/2025 at 04:07 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Yes and no!
How to tie your laces so they don’t come undone
As in the video you need to alternate the direction that you cross over and under. If you do both left over right or both right over left your you’re not won’t sit straight. It’ll be diagonal and it’ll slowly come undone.
I do at the opposite of the video and I pass my cross under and then the second part I tie as normal.
In the video, they do the first part as normal and then do the opposite direction for the second part.
Both of these will stay tied and lay perfectly horizontal.
Comment by Sinborn at 09/01/2025 at 16:34 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I used to tie my shoes and the bow would be sideways and not stay. I had to reverse the overhand knot under the bow to fix this. I've tried a few different bows and while nice, getting the 2 knots to correctly bind against one another is how to keep them tied.
Comment by bigbluegrass at 09/01/2025 at 10:48 UTC
2 upvotes, 2 direct replies
It’s because you used the ‘bunny ears’ method. This is the less strong knot. Switch to the ‘bunny around the tree and into the hole’ method.
Comment by TeknoFurious at 09/01/2025 at 14:45 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I resolved this by changing how I tied it. Part 1 is the first wrap. Part 2 is making the bow. I flipped part 1 then tied Part 2 as normal. That gets the knots working together to hold. Like how you do a square knot.
Comment by pacman529 at 09/01/2025 at 16:10 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
https://youtu.be/zAFcV7zuUDA?si=jkX5iBBq0iANbwt-
Most useful TED talk ever. The thing I always remember is that you know you have it right when the bow rests across your foot and not up and down.
Comment by Oranges13 at 09/01/2025 at 17:47 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Yes!
You're likely making the knot backwards so it comes undone. I had to retrain myself and now it's not an issue.
Comment by xcxkelly at 10/01/2025 at 15:46 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I usually stuff the spare lace (not the loops but the strings) into the shoe, i rarely have them untie when I do that, I hate double knots, they’re the worst when you need to get them undone FAST
Comment by thearctican at 09/01/2025 at 02:41 UTC
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Veritasium put out a video describing exactly this.
Yes. Turning one direction is a knot, turning the other is not.
Comment by Magical_Star_Dust at 09/01/2025 at 01:25 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Mine do this too. Unsure if it's being left handed or fine motor skill issue
Comment by Yes-GoAway at 09/01/2025 at 02:04 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
There's a short TED talk on tying shoes. You have to turn the knot and bow in opposite directions.
I will say I don't have this problem because I'm a lefty. I never learned the double wrap around your finger, just couldn't figure it out. I do 2 bunny ears, shoelaces are tight!
Comment by TheCanuckler at 09/01/2025 at 15:21 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I just wear slip on sketchers
Comment by twowheeledfun at 09/01/2025 at 18:17 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
No, it's not because you're left handed.
Think about the laces before you start tying them, when it's just two end protruding from the holes in the leather. Ignoring the shoe itself, there's nothing asymmetrical about the laces, so which hand you favour doesn't affect it.
Comment by xterraadam at 11/01/2025 at 19:11 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Go around the bow twice
