[SpaceNugget]

Likely the author was tying granny knots instead of slipped/bowed reef knots

If your first cross is left over right you need to make your second cross right over left, or vice versa. I found an image showing the difference for the un-slipped version, but it's the same with a bow: http://www.tikalon.com/blog/2020/square_granny_knots.png

Granny knots untie themselves and the bow will end up perpendicular to the knot instead of parallel.