How to Knot a Prayer Rope

1). Cut one black and one white cord to the about 1 yard; since this is a practice run to help you understand prayer rope knot construction, you don't need to worry about your length accommodating an entire prayer rope.
2). Tie the cord pieces together and allow its two longer loose ends to meet in your hand. Place the two loose cords around your index finger of your left hand, with the knot at the back; arrange your cord so the black cord is on the right side of your index finger, and the white cord is on your left.
3). Wrap the right, black cord clockwise around your thumb, so that the cord hangs from behind the thumb on the thumb's right side. Pull that cord all the way to the right of the hand.
4). Grasp the section of looped black cord at the base of your thumb and pull it up and over your middle finger. Using your index finger on your right hand, pull at the black cord emerging from the knot at the back of your left hand's index finger. Once you can see the white cord beneath it, pull at that white cord section and bring it over your left hand's thumb after first slipping off the black cord.
5). Pull at your cords' loose ends to remove the slack from the configuration you just weaved around your fingers and across your palm; a sort of black corded square should be visible beneath your index finger. Arrange the loose ends so that the white cord is under the black cord.
6). Wrap the white cord up, around and behind your left hand's ring finger as well as behind your middle finger, too. Pull the white cord around your middle finger and down over the black square. Thread the white cord through the hole at the left of the black square, near your thumb.
7). Put your thumb through the black square. Wrap the loose black end up, around and behind your left hand's ring finger as well as your middle finger. Run the black cord between your index finger and thumb, which now have several cords between them. Wrap the black cord underneath these cords after passing over the tops of them.
8). Bring the white cord underneath the loose black cord, pass it again behind your ring and middle fingers and wrap in front of your index finger and let its end hang loose over the left side of your index finger.
9). Pull the white loop you just created in front of your finger down and through all the cords between your index finger and thumb except the white cord that runs behind your index finger. Pull the end of your white cord completely though so that it now dangles in front again.
10

Pull your ends to tighten things up. Grasp the white cord wrapped around your thumb that is directly attach to your first knot. Pull off all the cords from your thumb besides this one white cord, but don't pull them tight; let them sit loose to the right of your thumb, over the palm.
11

Grasp the cords at the back of your ring finger as well as the middle finger and slide them all off, holding on to the cord that was wrapped around the middle finger; once all the cords are off, put the middle finger cord back onto the middle finger.
12

Pull the black and white cord ends to tighten your cord weave. Pull everything off your fingers to reveal a knot flanked by two black and white "rabbit ears." Pull on these rabbit ears to move the knot up against the first knot; your rabbit ears have grown.
13

Grasp the white ear and both loose ends in your right hand and pull the black loop through the white cord loop at its base. Turn the rope halfway in your direction and repeat. Repeat once again, this time pulling the black loop through a black cord loop at its base. Repeat the procedure with the white loop.
14

Grasp the knot with your left hand and pull on both loose ends to safely pull out both ears without unraveling; you've completed your first knot.