Quote - I'm going to have to re-create the knot section so there aren't any overlapping layers to confound Poser's Cloth room.  It will be simpler in appearance, and not quite as realistic up close.

Watching with interest. Could you perhaps 'bake' the MD simulation for the knot, then include it in the soft- or hard- decorated groups to preserve it during the Poser simulation? Just thinking out loud. A simplified knot would be perfectly adequate most of the time.