Welcome to Ian's Shoelace Site
Fun, fashion & science in the Internet's #1 website about shoelaces – and home of the Ian Knot, the world's fastest shoelace knot. If you want to lace shoes, tie shoes or learn about shoelaces – this is the place!
Table of Contents
Contains over 100 × step-by-step shoe lacing tutorials, over 2,700 × shoe lacing photos, plus the interactive “Create-a-Lace” for designing your own lacing.
Contains 25 × shoelace knots (including my world's fastest “Ian Knot”), plus info on tying correctly so that they sit straight and stay securely tied – yet can be untied without jamming.
Heaps of knowledge about shoelaces, including their construction, length calculations – even what the tips are called, as well as Ian's interviews, articles, Q&As and more.
Information about this website and the site's author, Ian Fieggen – including Ian's contact details. Also info on this site's sponsors plus various ways that you, too, can support Ian.
Looking for something? This website has more than 300 pages – which can be daunting to wade through! Search the whole of Ian's Shoelace Site using Google Custom Search.
Today's Photo
24-Dec-2025
Today's pic from the archives was contributed by Vinícius B. in Dec-2007.
Red Converse All-Stars with black & white trim laced with black & white Checkerboard Lacing.
All four lace ends have been run through the top eyelets and tied together for a neat result.
What's New?
Updated “Interviews & Articles”
04-Dec-2025 – During Australia's marriage equality debate, PUMA engaged me to create the “Equality Knot”, then sent a film crew to shoot this “content piece” video.
02-Dec-2025 – Following a visitor request, I added diagrams for the inverted variation of Pentagram Lacing for 7, 6 and 5 pairs of eyelets.
28-Nov-2025 – Following a suggestion from a website visitor, I added buttons to filter by either “Shortening” or “Lengthening” methods.
Updated “CAF Combat Boot Lacing”
07-Oct-2025 – Added animated images plus explanations of how “CAF Combat Boot Lacing” can be efficiently laced and efficiently tightened.
Recent Visitor Feedback
Learned so much, thanks!
– Elizabeth C., USA, Dec-2025
I use one of the quick tying methods on my sneakers in the emergency department, I changed my lace tying for my sneaker I go pedal biking with. I have taught patient's with accessibility issues how to change lacing for easy tying, and done the same to my outer snow boots. I've been able to reduce pressure on specific foot injuries, and I was pleasantly surprised to find ways to tighten heel fit today to help with flexor digitorum longus trigger point masquerading as plantar fasciitis.
I'm always very impressed with the ability for the site to show step-by-step instructions and to customise to the number of eyelets of anyone's shoes. Very impressed someone has made such a great resource for free.
– Yoseph A. MD CCFP, Canada, Dec-2025
3 cheers for Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot! Thanks, mate!!
– K. V., USA, Dec-2025
Hi Ian, Daniel my 7 year old wanted me to let you know that every day when we leave the house we do shoelace races and he always wins, because he uses your Ian knot.
– Caitlin H., California, USA, Dec-2025
It must have been at least fifteen years ago that I first found your website and I've never forgotten it. Today my wife was doing her daily word puzzle and asked “what do you call the things at the end of shoelaces” and I knew exactly where to go.
– Eric J., California, USA, Dec-2025
the girl I like said she loves my laces
– Jamie A., USA, Dec-2025
I never thought I'd be so pleased to relearn how to tie my shoes well into my adulthood. I was one of your classic granny knot cases. (But when I was younger and wore sneakers with thick, soft laces, there was enough surface area friction to mask the problem before going to dress shoes where it was revealed.)
– Vess V., Dec-2025
If you'd also like to send feedback, please Contact Ian.