The Illustrated Girl's Own Treasury

Although no author is listed for The Illustrated Girl's Own Treasury, published in 1861, the title page indicated that it was created by editors of The Illustrated Boy's Own Treasury.  I was surprised that netting was only mentioned once in The Illustrated Boy's Own Treasury, and that was in reference to harvesting coral.  Nothing was said about how to make it.

The Illustrated Girl's Own Treasury does mention netting several times and describes how to make it, both  plain and fancy stitches.  There are also several illustrations included.

1. Preparation for Netting (page 91)
2. Plain Netting (with illustration) (page 91)
3. Square Netting (with illustration) (page 91)
4. Oblong Netting (with illustration) (page 92)
5. To Make a Piece of Netting of Six, Eight, or Ten Sides, Working from the Centre (page 92)
6. Round Netting (with illustration) (page 92)
7. Honeycomb Netting  (with illustration) (page 93)
8. Long Twisted Stitch  (with illustration) (page 93)
9. Grecian Netting (with illustration) (page 93)
10. Ground Net  (with illustration) (page 93)
11. Spotted Netting (with illustration) (page 94)
12. Diamond Netting  (with illustration) (page 94)
13. Large Diamond Netting  (with illustration) (page 94)
14. Spotted Diamond Netting (with illustration) (page 95)
15. Leaf Netting  (with illustration) (page 95)
16. Double Stitch (page 95)
17. Long Stitch (page 95)
18. To Work with Beads (page 95)
19. Mesh (page 95)
20. Embroidery on Netting (page 96)
21. Implements (page 123)
22. Contractions in Netting (page 128)
23. Printer's Marks (page 129)
24. Jewel-Box for Mama (page 136)
25. Silk Net for the Hair (page 144)

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     

Back in 2007, I net a small bag using crochet thread.  The base of the bag was net first in the shape of a circle.  I wrote down everything except the amount of thread I used.  Recently I figured it would be a good idea to know how much thread I used, if I wanted to let others use my pattern, so I followed what I had written down and made the following bag.




When I showed my newly-completed bag at a local knitting group, one of the women exclaimed how perfect it would be to use when she went to an event where she did not want to carry a large handbag.  This bag would hold her wallet, keys, and maybe even a sandwich.  She could place it on her arm, and it would not slip off.













I liked her idea but explained that the size 10 crochet thread I had used may not be up to the stress which keys and a wallet might place on it.  Some of the threads had broken on my original bag, and that bag had just carried lightweight self-inking stamps.




I suggested making it with larger mesh and and string.  The string would be much sturdier and less likely to break.


I finished making this bag at the Connecticut Sheep, Wool, and Fiber Festival.  I thought that location was very appropriate since that is just the type of event my friend would use it at.





She thought it was just perfect, and now I know just how much thread or string each bag takes to make.

The Ladies’ Complete Guide to Needle-work and Embroidery by Miss Lambert

In 1859, Miss Lambert published another needlework book, The Ladies’ Complete Guide to Needle-work and Embroidery.  While items 1-28 listed below appear in her earlier books, items 29- 41 are not included in either of her other books.

1. Netting (page 15)
2. Plain Netted Gentleman's Purse (page 228)
3. A Lady's Purse (page 229)
4. A Gentleman's Purse with Ends of Different Colours (page 229)
5. A Lady's Purse with Points (page 229)
6. A Pretty Purse with Chine Silk (page 230)
7. Netting With Beads (page 230)
8. A Plain Netted Purse with a Bead Mouth (page 230)
9. A Pretty Seme purse with steel or gold beads (page 231)
10. An Elegant Netted Purse with Steel Beads (page 231)
11. Plain Netted Mittens (page 232)
12. A Knitter's Bag with Ring (page 232)
13. A Checked or Dice Pattern Purse (page 233)
14. Grecian Netting, or Filet Rose (with illustration) (page 233)
15. A Purse in Grecian Netting (page 234)
16. Mittens in Grecian Netting (page 234)
17. Netted Fringe (page 235)
18. Single Diamond Netting (with illustration) (page 235)
19. Treble Diamond Netting (page 236)
20. Diamond Netting of Five Stitches (with illustration) (page 236)
21. Seme Purse, Diamond Pattern (page 238)
22. Plain Open Netting, or Filet a Baguette (page 239)
23. Fond de Berlin (in French) (page 239)
24. Filet Rose (in French) (page 240)
25. Filet a Baton Rompu (in French) (page 240)
26. Filet Rond (in French) (page 241)
27. Netted Mittens with Silk and Wool (page 241)
28. Netted Cuff with Silk and Wool (page 242)
29. Long Net Purse for a Lady (page 301)
30. Long Net Purse for a Lady (different pattern) (page 301)
31. Round Netting for a Gentleman's Long Purse (page 302)
32. Honeycomb Netting for Veil (page 303)
33. Very Pretty Long Grecian Net Purse for a Lady (page 304)
34. Grecian Net for a Veil (page 305)
35. Single Diamond Netting (page 306)
36. Diamond of Five Stitches for a Long Purse (page 306)
37. Dotted Net (page 308)
38. French Ground Net (page 309)
39. Scollop for Borders of Veils, Collars, Caps, Etc. (page 310)
40. Another Scallop for Border (page 310)
41. Scollop (page 310)

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Since I  have only one of my grandmother's patterns left to make, and that one is over 38 inches in diameter, I decided to make some smaller doilies for a few weeks.  There are still many doilies I designed that need to be made again so I can photograph the entire doily instead of photocopy just a rectangular portion.

I started this one, Double Star, during the afternoon I was demonstrating at the Connecticut Sheep, Wool, and Fiber Festival.  

This doily was originally the result of two questions:

1. How would a 5-pointed star look in the center of a doily? 
2. Can I make a doily with only 5 points for its edge?

Many of my grandmother's doilies had centers with multiple points.  Those centers all had more than 5 points.  She had also made several doilies with multiple points along the edge, but none with only 5 points.  The answer was this 13 inch doily.

The Ladies’ Hand Book of Fancy and Ornamental Work by Florence Hartley

Several years ago I ordered a paperback copy of The Ladies’ Hand Book of Fancy and Ornamental Work by Florence Hartley.  It was originally published in 1859.  If I had known that it was online, I would have just downloaded it.  The contents are the same.

1. Netting (page 177)
2. Plain Netting (page 178)
3. Grecian Netting - with illustration (page 179)
4. Plain Open Netting - with illustration (page 179)
5. Diamond Netting - with illustration (page 179)
6. Diamond Netting, of Five Stitches - with illustration (page 180)
7. Netting With Beads - with illustration (page 181)
8. Net for the Hair - with illustration (page 182)
9. Netted Curtain - with illustration on 183  (page 184)
10. Short Purse in Netting - with illustration (page 186)
11. Needles (page 188)

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Over the years I have re-created 62 different doilies patterns that my grandmother created.  She did not write down any instructions; she just made the doilies.  She taught me how to "read" a net doily and then make it.  These doilies included those she gave me to use as patterns, some my mother owned, one owned by her sister-in-law, Ida Winter, and photocopies of doilies in the possession of her daughter, Elaine.  

I finished writing the doily instructions several years ago.  At that time, after I finished making the doily, I made a photocopy of as much of it as I could.  Often that was just a rectangular section from the center to the edge.  Eventually I purchased a digital camera and started taking a photograph of each doily so I could see what the entire doily looked like.  Since I had given away most of the doilies I had made, I had to start making them again.

This week I finished Sunburst.

I thought it was the last one I needed to photograph; however, while looking through my patterns, I discovered an additional Pineapple Doily that Grandmother had made.  The edges of the two doilies are slightly different, so I guess I have one more doily to finish and photograph before I can say I have digital photographs of all the doilies I have access to that my grandmother designed.  To see those I have made, look at Grandmother's Legacy.

The Lady's Manual of Fancy-work: A Complete Instructor in Every Variety of Ornamental Needle-work by Mrs. Matilda Marian Pullan

Mrs. Matilda Marian Pullan  was busy promoting needlework in the mid to late 1850s.  This week I'm listing the netting information found in her book, The Lady's Manual of Fancy-work: A Complete Instructor in Every Variety of Ornamental Needle-work.  This book was published in 1858.

1. Plain Stitch - with illustration (page 84)
2. Square Netting (page 85)
3. Oblong Netting (page 85)
4. Honeycomb Netting - with illustration (page 85)
5. Round Netting - with illustration (page 86)
6. Grecian Netting - with illustration (page 86)
7. Long Twisted Stitch (page 86)
8. French-Ground Netting - with illustration (page 87)
9. Spotted Netting - with illustration (page 87)
10. Diamond Netting - with illustration (page 88)
11. Large Diamond Netting - with illustration (page 88)
12. Spotted Diamond Netting - with illustration (page 89)
13. Leaf Netting - with illustration (page 89)
14. Double-stitch (page 90)
15. Long-stitch (page 90)
16. Netting With Beads (page 90)
17. Darned Netting (page 90)
18. Flanders Lace - with illustration (page 90)
19. Embroidery on Netting (page 91)
20. Vandyke Square Netting (page 91)
21. Another Pointed Edge (page 92)
22. Shell Edge (page 92)
23. Another Shell - with illustration (page 92)
24. Another Lace (page 93)
25. Another Edging (page 93)
26. Netting Needles (page 182)

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

I'm nearly done making and photographing all the doilies I have photocopies of that my grandmother designed.  This is the next to the last one.  I would have finished the last one, but I ran out of thread and had to order more so it would match. Fortunately it was a "no dye lot" type of crochet thread.  It arrived today, so maybe by next week I can have the last one completed.

I named this doily Gyre.  The heart stitches in the middle made me think of circular motion, and that is what gyre means.  The Block Edge was a favorite of Grandmother's.

I spent most of today at the Connecticut Sheep, Wool, and Fiber Festival held in Vernon, Connecticut.  A good friend, who belongs to the Society of Creative Anachronisms (SCA), invited me to join with her group as they demonstrated some of the fiber arts that were done during the Middle Ages.  She offered me a ride and furnished some garb (so I would not look out of place with the rest of the group).   How could I refuse to demonstrate netting?

I met many wonderful people who had no idea what I was doing when they first saw me.  There was also a handful of people who recognized what I was doing.  It was a great experience.  I'll have to do it again.

The Lady's Dictionary of Needlework by Matilda Marian Pullan

As I looked at Matilda Marian Pullan's book, The Lady's Dictionary of Needlework , published in 1856, I noticed that the patterns are for stitches and not for objects.  She describes how to get ready to net and how to tie the netting knot.  She has an illustration at the beginning of many of the stitches. 

1. Preparation for Netting (page 18)
2. Plain Netting - with illustration (page 18)
3. Square Netting - with illustration (page 19)
4. Oblong - with illustration Netting (page 19)
5. To Make a Piece of Netting of Six, Eight, or Ten Sides, Working from the Centre (page 20)
6. Round Netting - with illustration(page 20)
7. Honeycomb - with illustration Netting (page 20)
8. Long Twisted Stitch - with illustration (page 21)
9. Grecian Netting - with illustration (page 21)
10. Ground Net - with illustration (page 21)
11. Spotted Netting - with illustration (page 22)
12. Diamond Netting - with illustration (page 22)
13. Large Diamond Netting - with illustration (page 22)
14. Spotted Diamond Netting - with illustration (page 23)
15. Leaf Netting - with illustration (page 23)
16. Double Stitch (page 23)
17. Long Stitch (page 23)
18. To Work with Beads (page 24)
19. mesh - definition (page 24)
20. Embroidering on Netting (page 24)
21. Implements For Netting (page 57)
22. Printer's Marks (page 63)
23. Contractions in Netting (page 63)

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

I want to have a photograph showing the entire doily for each doily I have a photocopy of.  This doily, Star In The Center, is one of the last of those that my grandmother designed that did not have a digital photograph.  Here is the photocopy.

 Here is a photograph of the full doily I just finished.

It's hard to see the individual stitches on the photograph.  I think both the photocopy and the photograph have a use.

Treasures in Needlework by Mrs. Warren and Mrs. Pullan

Many of the net patterns included in Treasures in Needlework by Mrs. Warren and Mrs Pullan are accompanied by an illustration.  Several of the patterns, both diamond-mesh and square-mesh, have designs darned into them.  The digitized copy was published in 1855.

1. Introductory Chapter - page xi
2. Piece of Netted Lace (with illustration) - page 13
3. Net for the Hair (with illustration) - page 42
4. Netted Mitten (with illustration) - page 46
5. Lady's Netted Cap (illustration on p. 131) - page 132
6. Netted Tidy - page 176
7. Instructions in Netting (with illustrations) - page 178
8. Round Netting (with illustration) - page 178
9. Square Netting - page 178
10. Grecian Netting (with illustration) - page 178
11. Honeycomb Netting (with illustration) - page 179
12. Herringbone Netting (with illustration) - page 179
13. Netted purse (with illustration) - page 185
14. Netted Mat (with illustration) - page 186
15. Fairy Purse (with illustration) - page 227
16. Harlequin Hand-screen in Netting (with illustration) - page 229
17. Gentleman's Long Purse in Netting - page 234
18. Doyley, in Portuguese Guipure (with illustration) - page 238
19. Netted Music-Stool Cover (with illustration) - page 258
20. Netted Shell Edging - page 289
21. Nepaul Smoking Cap (with illustration) - page 295
22. Square-Netted Antimacassar (with illustration) - page 300
23. Round Netted Antimacassar (with illustration) - page 344
24. Darned Netted Vandyke Edging (with illustration) - page 373
25. Octagon Antimacassar (with illustration) - page 384
26. Netted Vandyke Trimming (with illustration) - page 407
27. Doyley in Portuguese Guipure (with illustration) - page 440

*      *      *     *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *

Back in the early 1980s I was able to obtain photocopies of many of my grandmother's doilies.  My aunt, who still had the doilies, placed the doily on a copier, covered it with something black, and copied it.  That meant I could tell how big it was supposed to be and what size mesh sticks Grandmother had used.  Over the years I have gradually written up the instructions.  Once I got a digital camera I photographed the doilies.

One of the doilies was too large to entirely fit on one copier screen, so my aunt made two photocopies of that doily.  Eventually I combined the two photocopies into one - to remind me what the doily looked like. 

I kept putting off making this doily because I knew it would take many hours to complete.  Then, in January of this year, I had the opportunity to travel for several hours and no other project to work on, so I started Grandmother's Pineapple Doily.  I finished it in March.  It contains 13,240 knots, measures 38" in diameter, and uses 400 yards of size 10 crochet thread.

Looking back, it did not take me nearly as long to make as I had anticipated.  Life is like that sometimes.  We put off doing something, only to find that when we get started, it is quicker and easier than we expected.

The Ladies’ Complete Guide to Crochet, Fancy Knitting and Needlework by Ann Sophia Stephens

Although she lists several uses for the "delightful art of netting" in her introduction to The Ladies’ Complete Guide to Crochet, Fancy Knitting and Needlework, published in 1854, Ann Sophia Stephens leaves the instructions and patterns for "sleeves, cuffs, rigolettes, and over-shoes" to others.  Besides the introduction, which briefly discusses the uses of netting, the book contains only two patterns for netting.  Both of those patterns involve square-mesh netting.  She does note on page 94, "All the designs given for D'oyleys and AntiMacassars in square crochet may be equally well worked in square netting, the pattern being darned in afterwards."

1. Introduction (page 12)
2. Square Netting (page 94)
3. Netted Scarf (page 114)

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

One of the net bag patterns I had sitting on my computer was for a single-handle, spiral, top-down gift bag.   I decided to make it not once, but twice, since I needed two gift bags for a baby shower for twins.  I decided to make the blue one with a moebius handle.  The pink one has a regular handle.

The pattern claimed to have a hexagon base.  It's true that when I started decreasing for the base there were six decreases that occurred in several rows, but I'm not sure I could truly call it a hexagon base.  

This is because, when making it, once I reached the point where I had only six loops left in the round, instead of netting them all together with one knot, like I did for the pentagon bags, I decreased the loops down to three and then joined them with one knot.

If you look closely at the base, you can see where the six decreases are.

The base does not look like a triangle because the bag was made using spiral rather than circular netting.



What would you suggest I call the base of this bag?