How to Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue

Tying a knot in a cherry stem with your tongue is a fun party trick, whether you use it to impress your friends or show off your seductive side. This trick will take some practice but is definitely achievable. To master it, try using either the classic method or the alternative method. For either one, you’ll need to choose a long and pliable stem, place it on your tongue, use your tongue and teeth to manipulate it into a loop, then finish off the knot.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Choosing and Preparing Your Stem

  1. Image titled Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue Step 1
    1
    Choose a long, large-tipped stem. The longer your stem is, the easier it will be to tie the knot. Look for a stem between 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 4 cm).[1] You should also look for a stem with larger tips at the ends. This will help you locate and twist the ends with your tongue.[2]
  2. Image titled Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue Step 2
    2
    Use a Maraschino cherry if available. Maraschino cherries are best for knots because the syrup makes their stems already soft and pliable. These are also cheap and generally readily available at bars and parties, so they’ll be available when you want to show off this trick.
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  3. 3
    Remove the cherry from the stem with care. Gently pull the cherry off of the stem and try to keep the connecting end of the stem as wide as possible. If you accidentally pull off the wider tip of the stem, find a new cherry and try again.
  4. Image titled Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue Step 3
    4
    Soften the stems of fresh cherries first. If you’re using a fresh cherry stem, soften it by holding it in your mouth for 10-30 seconds while chewing and swishing it around. Don’t chew the stem so much that it becomes mushy--you just want it to be malleable.
    • Be careful not to swallow the stem while moving it around in your mouth!
    • If you’re using fresh cherry stems, make sure they’re room temperature. Practicing too much with refrigerated stems can make your tongue bleed.[3]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using the Classic Method

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    1
    Lay the stem lengthwise on your tongue and push your tongue up slowly. Place the tip of the stem at the tip of your tongue.Because the stem is lying parallel to your tongue, the motion of pushing up will naturally bend the stem in half. Keep pushing your tongue up until it presses the stem against the roof of your mouth--keep it pressed there.[4]
    • During this step, your lips should remain closed.
  2. Image titled Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue Step 5
    2
    Bite down gently until the two ends of the stem cross over. Hold the stem between your front teeth, where it should form a loop with the ends in an X-shaped crossover. This motion should leave the tips pointing toward the front of your mouth.
  3. Image titled Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue Step 6
    3
    Use the tip of your tongue to push one tip through the loop. While still biting down on the stem with your front teeth, locate and push the longer end of the stem through the loop.[5]
  4. Image titled Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue Step 7
    4
    Grab one end of the stem with your fingers. Keep biting down on one end as you pull the knotted stem out of your mouth by the other end. This will tighten your knot and keep it intact before you reveal it.[6]
    • Present the tied stem with a flourish, holding the loop so everyone can clearly see the knot.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using an Alternative Method

  1. Image titled Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue Step 8
    1
    Hold one end with your teeth and then put the other end alongside it. This means that the stem will fold in half like a hot dog, with the left tip crossed over the right. The loop of the stem should face outward, sticking slightly out of your mouth.
    • Both ends may be even at this step, or you may want to make the left tip longer so it will be easier to locate.
  2. Image titled Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue Step 9
    2
    Use your tongue to move one tip of the stem. Locate the end of the stem that’s on top and use your tongue to push it down, then back up through the loop. The tip should hook down first in order for you to push it up into the loop. This will create a knot.
  3. Image titled Tie a Knot in a Cherry Stem With Your Tongue Step 10
    3
    Bite and pull away your teeth. Tighten the knot by biting down with your front teeth, then stick out your tongue to reveal the knotted stem. Be careful not to touch it too much before revealing it, as the knot could come apart.
    • When you reveal the the tied stem, hold it by the loop to showcase the knot and add a little theatrical flourish.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    Is the trick easier with a maraschino cherry?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, the stem on a maraschino is soft and moist, which makes it easier to work with.
  • Question
    Can I pretend to tie the knot by already having it tied and just putting it in my mouth?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You could, but that is classified as cheating. You wouldn't really learn how to do it that way.
  • Question
    Is it easy to do with regular cherry stems?
    Ruby_Fox_07
    Ruby_Fox_07
    Community Answer
    Like anything, it will become easier to do with time and practice. Maraschino cherry stalks are softer, so try practicing with them first.
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Warnings

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/23/magazine/how-to-knot-a-cherry-stem-with-your-tongue.html?mcubz=0
  2. ↑ https://jezebel.com/5121481/how-to-tie-a-cherry-stem-in-a-knot-with-your-tongue
  3. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/23/magazine/how-to-knot-a-cherry-stem-with-your-tongue.html?mcubz=0
  4. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/23/magazine/how-to-knot-a-cherry-stem-with-your-tongue.html?mcubz=0
  5. ↑ http://www.bitrebels.com/geek/how-to-tie-a-cherry-stem-with-your-tongue/
  6. ↑ http://www.bitrebels.com/geek/how-to-tie-a-cherry-stem-with-your-tongue/

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 1,632,307 times.
233 votes - 53%
Co-authors: 67
Updated: December 1, 2022
Views: 1,632,307
Categories: Featured Articles | Mouth and Nose Tricks | Tricks with Objects
Article SummaryX

To tie a knot in a cherry stem with your tongue, start by removing a large, long-tipped stem from a cherry and holding it in your mouth for 10-30 seconds to soften it. Then, lay the stem lengthwise across the top of your tongue and press it against the roof of your mouth with your tongue. Next, gently bite down until the 2 ends of the stem cross over each other and make an "X" shape near the front of your mouth. Once you've done that, use your tongue to push one end of the stem through the loop. Finally, grab one end of the stem with your fingers and pull on it to tighten the knot. To learn how to tie a knot in a cherry stem using other methods, scroll down!

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