A Text-Book of Netting and Net Making

By B. Collard

Originally published in the 1940s. A comprehensive book of advice on the very ancient handicraft of Netting or Braiding.Contents Include: Needles and Tools Planning Many Different Types of Nets Rabbit Nets Fishing Nets Sports Nets Landing Nets Hammocks Square Mesh Circular Netting Fancy Pattern Netting Repairing Splicing etc. The contents are well illustrated with explanatory diagrams and photos. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Mar 23, 2011
• ISBN: 9781446545249

Book preview

PREFACE

MANY young people learn to make nets; in fact a large number were employed during the war of 1939–1945 in making camouflage nets in square mesh, but netting is soon forgotten if the practice is not kept up, and particularly the way to start. If, later on, it is desired to make a net, it may be difficult to find an instructor.

Nets of large dimensions, such as fishing nets, are often made by machinery but small nets and nets of particular shapes are still necessarily made by hand, so that there is no danger that this very ancient handicraft will die out.

There are a great many kinds of nets that an amateur can make, from a full-sized lawn tennis net to a shopping bag: there is no end to the list. War has taught many people how useful a netted bag can be for bringing home the rations, while a roomy bag rolled up in one’s pocket may be just what is wanted on many other occasions.

It seems that an elementary but comprehensive text-book is required from which a person with little or no previous experience could learn enough to make a net without the help of an instructor. Such, then, is the object of this book: it is written for the beginner and for those who have forgotten how to start, but not for the experienced netter for whom the elementary and often repeated instructions would be tedious.

A word of advice is offered to beginners. Until Chapters I and II have been thoroughly mastered and a perfect piece of plain netting has been produced, any attempt to make the more intricate nets described in later chapters will inevitably lead to discouragement.

The drawings are not to scale but have been drawn so as to show, as clearly as possible, the run of the twine. They have been drawn from actual bits of twine and pieces of netting, the latter specially netted from the instructions given in the text, so that, if these instructions are carefully followed, the piece of netting illustrated will result.

I am much indebted to Mr. William Collins of Harting Combe, West Sussex, who, by making many nets, tested the accuracy of this statement.

B. St. G. C.

CHAPTER ONE

PREPARATION

Needles. Mesh. Twine. Filling the needle. Netting stitches. Old Netting Stitch. Fisherman’s Stitch. The knot. Various kinds of netting.

THIS very ancient handicraft, Netting or Braiding, as it is called in many places, consists essentially of loops of twine secured by knots and the materials required consist merely of a needle, a mesh and suitable netting twine.

A needle is required to hold a supply of twine and to pass this twine through and round the loops in order to tie the knots.

A mesh is required to control the size of the loops.

NEEDLES. See Plate III.

Needles can be made of wood, ivory, bone, metal or plastic material. Modern needles are mostly made of plastic but very small needles are usually made of ivory, bone or steel. They should be as thin as the material of which they are made allows, and must be pointed so that they will thread easily between the loops of the netting.

Amateur net makers are advised to buy needles from suppliers of netting twine, ship chandlers, ships’ stores, etc., and not to make them themselves.

Plastic needles of all suitable sizes can be bought for a few pence each and will be found most satisfactory.

Fig. 1. The mesh of the net

THE MESH, MESH-GAUGE OR BOARD

The mesh, mesh-gauge or board, all names for the same thing, is merely a piece of thin tough material, usually wood, from 4 to 8 inches long, smooth and with rounded edges. It is the width of the mesh that controls the size of the loops, that is the mesh of the net. So, the mesh must be of uniform width and thickness throughout, so that the loops or meshes, as they should be called, may be all of equal size and easily slipped off the mesh.

It may at first be found confusing that the word mesh is used throughout this book to indicate not only the piece of wood or other material which controls the size of the loops but also the mesh of the net. It is considered best, however, to adhere to these old terms and confusion will soon disappear.

Round meshes are sometimes used for making nets with very small mesh as it is difficult to make very small, yet strong, flat ones.

Nets are often made without using a mesh, the size of the loops being controlled by the fingers.

When contemplating making a net, the mesh of the net is the first consideration.

THE TWINE

For whatever piece of netting is to be made, always use a proper netting twine; string is not suitable for making a net. Nearly every different kind of net requires a special sort of netting twine in material and strength.

The twine specially made for netting is usually laid and twisted cotton or hemp twine.

Many nets require to be treated against the effects of weather or water and this treatment is usually carried out after the net is made. Nets like cricket stop nets, tennis nets, etc., are usually steam-tarred after being made. Fishing nets, fruit nets, etc., are cured, after being made, in Cutch (Catechu), a preparation made from an East Indian bark. Nets, sails, etc., so treated keep their strength much longer. Twine, however, is often treated before being netted up, and after the cutching process is known as Barked Twine.

Anyone contemplating making a net is recommended to apply to a supplier of netting twine who would be in a position to give information as to the most suitable twine for the job. If possible, order twine made by a really reliable firm, such as Messrs. Hounsells (Bridport) Ltd., who are spinners and manufacturers and who specialise