Net Making Made Simple - A Guide to Making Nets for Sport and Home

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 in all kinds of twines and lines and whose products have a world-wide reputation. There will be no disappointment in regard to quality, if the make of a really reliable firm only is used.

Advice should also be sought from the supplier if treatment against weather or water is likely to be required.

FILLING THE NEEDLE WITH TWINE

Having obtained the correct kind of twine for the job, cut off enough for filling the needle and stretch it well to prevent it from kinking while in use: this stretching is most important. Then wind it tightly and neatly onto the needle. To do this, put the end of the twine round the tongue of the needle, then take it down one side of the needle, round the U-shaped recess at the lower end, up the other side, and round the tongue again. Bring the twine back again to the other side as before. Carry on winding lengthways until the needle is full enough.

Be careful when filling a plastic needle as there is very little clearance between the tongue and body of the needle and the tongue is frail. Hold the needle in the left hand and with the twine held between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, press A slightly over with the right thumb. The twine can then be easily slipped past the tip of the tongue.

Fig. 2. The plastic needle

The needle, when filled with twine, must be able to pass freely through the loops made by the mesh in use; so needle and mesh must match each other. For a net with a large mesh, use a large needle, and with a small mesh, a narrow needle. If a narrow needle carrying only a short length of twine be used with a large mesh, constant refilling will be necessary; but if a narrow needle has to be used, the longer it is the more twine it will