I decided to make a circular base, but since I am using such a small mesh stick -- 0000 size knitting needle, I decided to make it using decreases only. To accomplish this I need to start in the middle of the circle, with the maximum number of loops, and work toward one end gradually decreasing the number of loops and forming a half circle. Then I will go back and, starting again at the middle of the circle, work the opposite direction toward the other end decreasing the number of loops to create the full circle.
I started by netting a chain of 72 knots. That gave me two rows of 36 loops. I then ran a crochet thread through the 36 loops on one side to create my foundation cord.
I attached each end of the foundation cord to an old pillow using safety pins . . .
. . . then I net 1 row across the 36 loops not in the foundation cord, creating row 3.
Here is the 3rd row with the mesh stick still through the loops.
and the same without the mesh stick.
I gradually decreased the number of loops to create a half circle. When I had only 7 loops in the row, I cut the thread and joined the thread in the netting needle to the thread left hanging from the starting chain.
Here is the half circle attached to the pillow, with the needle joined to the thread from the starting chain.
Here is a close-up of the netting. The reason it looks more like a half oval than a half circle is because it is not stretched out. That will happen when it is blocked as a circle.
To start netting the other direction, I removed the foundation cord from the 36 loops of row 1 and replaced it in the 7 loops in row 36.
With the thread in the netting needle joined to the wide middle of the circle it is time to create the other half of the circle by repeating the process used in creating the first half of the circle.
The 0000 knitting needle mesh stick is at the bottom of this photo and the foundation cord is in the 7 loops at the top. The second half of the circle has begun.
