The beauty of netting consists in its firmness and regularity. All
joins in the thread must be made in a very strong knot, and, if pos-
sible, at an edge, so that it may not be perceived. The implements
used in netting are a netting-needle and a mesh. In filling a netting-
needle with the material, be careful not to make it so full that there
will be a difficulty in passing it through the stitches. The size of
the needle must depend on the material employed, and the fineness
of the work. Steel needles are employed for every kind of netting
except the very coarsest. The fine meshes are usually also of steel ;
but as this material is heavy, it is better to employ bone or wooden
meshes when large ones are required. Many meshes are flat, and in
using them the width is given. The first stitch in this work is
termed diamond netting, the holes being in the form of diamonds.
«7
?58 THE hearthstone; or, life at home.
To do the first row, a stout thread, knotted to form a round, is
fastened to the knee with a pin, or passed over the foot or on a hook,
sometimes attached to a work-cushion for the purpose. The end of
the thfv^ad on the needle is knotted to this, the mesh being held in
the left hand on a line with it. Take the needle in the right hand,
let the thread come over the mesh and the third finger, bring it back
under the mesh, and hold it between the thumb and first finger. Slip
the needle through the loop over the third finger, under the mesh
and the foundation thread. In doing this a loop will be formed,
which must be passed over the fourth finger ; withdraw the third
finger from the loop, and draw up the loop over the fourth gradually
until it is quite tight on the mesh. The thumb should be kept firmly-
over the mesh while the stitch is being completed. When the neces-
sary number of stitches is made on this foundation, the future rows
are to be workc-d backward and forward. To form a round the first
stitch is to be worked immediately after the last, which closes the
netting into a circle. Round netting is very nearly the same stitch,
the difference is merely in the way of putting the needle through
the loop and foundation, or other stitch. After passing the needle
through the loop it must be brought out and put downwards through
the stitch. This stitch is particularly suited for purses. Square
netting is exactly the same stitch as diamond netting, only it is begun
at a corner on one stitch and increased (by doing two in one) in the
last stitch of every row until the greatest width required is attained.
Then by netting two stitches together at the end of every row, the
piece is decreased to a point again. When stretched out all the holes
in this netting are squares. Square and diamond netting are the
most frequently used, and are ornamented with patterns darned on
them in simple darning or in various point stitches ; in the latter
case it forms a variety of the sort of work termed guipure. Stitches
in netting are always counted by knots.
Fireplace curtains are often only half a yard wide, and just long
enough to touch the floor, but then again rep ones with a worsted
worked border are much fuller. For stamped velveteen we should
HOUSEHOLD ORNAMENTATION. 259
Page 167
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The beauty of netting consists in its firmness and regularity. All joins in the thread must be made in a very strong knot, and, if possible, at an edge, so that it may not be perceived. The implements used in netting are a netting-needle and a mesh. In filling a nettingneedle with the material, be careful not to make it so full that there will be a difficulty in passing it through the stitches. The size of the needle must depend on the material employed, and the fineness of the work. Steel needles are employed for every kind of netting except the very coarsest. The fine meshes are usually also of steel ; but as this material is heavy, it is better to employ bone or wooden meshes when large ones are required. Many meshes are flat, and in using them the width is given. The first stitch in this work is termed diamond netting, the holes being in the form of diamonds. «7
?58 THE hearthstone; or, life at home.
To do the first row, a stout thread, knotted to form a round, is fastened to the knee with a pin, or passed over the foot or on a hook, sometimes attached to a work-cushion for the purpose. The end of the thread on the needle is knotted to this, the mesh being held in the left hand on a line with it. Take the needle in the right hand, let the thread come over the mesh and the third finger, bring it back under the mesh, and hold it between the thumb and first finger. Slip the needle through the loop over the third finger, under the mesh and the foundation thread. In doing this a loop will be formed, which must be passed over the fourth finger ; withdraw the third finger from the loop, and draw up the loop over the fourth gradually until it is quite tight on the mesh. The thumb should be kept firmlyover the mesh while the stitch is being completed. When the necessary number of stitches is made on this foundation, the future rows are to be workc-d backward and forward. To form a round the first stitch is to be worked immediately after the last, which closes the netting into a circle. Round netting is very nearly the same stitch, the difference is merely in the way of putting the needle through the loop and foundation, or other stitch. After passing the needle through the loop it must be brought out and put downwards through the stitch. This stitch is particularly suited for purses. Square netting is exactly the same stitch as diamond netting, only it is begun at a corner on one stitch and increased (by doing two in one) in the last stitch of every row until the greatest width required is attained. Then by netting two stitches together at the end of every row, the piece is decreased to a point again. When stretched out all the holes in this netting are squares. Square and diamond netting are the most frequently used, and are ornamented with patterns darned on them in simple darning or in various point stitches ; in the latter case it forms a variety of the sort of work termed guipure. Stitches in netting are always counted by knots.
Fireplace curtains are often only half a yard wide, and just long enough to touch the floor, but then again rep ones with a worsted worked border are much fuller. For stamped velveteen we should