The Ladies' Self Instructor

There is no author listed for The Ladies' Self Instructor in Millinery and Mantua Making, Embroidery and Applique, Canvas-work, Knitting, Netting and Crochet-work.  The linked, digitized copy was published in 1853.  Even though it is "illustrated with numerous engravings," none of those engravings are included with the netting information.

1. Explanation of Terms Used in Knitting (page 152)
2. Netted Mittens (page 162)
3. A Net Purse in Points (page 167)
4. Corkscrew Netting for a Purse (page 168)
5. Netted Curtain (page 175)
6. Netted Scarf (page 175)
7. Treble Diamond Netting (page 176)
8. Single Diamond Netting (page 177)
9. Tuft Netting (page 177)
10. Double Netting for a Mitten (page 180)
11. Patterns for D'oyleys, Basket, or Fish Napkins and Purses: No. 1 (page 182)
12. Patterns for D'oyleys, Basket, or Fish Napkins and Purses: No. 2 (page 182)
13. Patterns for D'oyleys, Basket, or Fish Napkins and Purses: No. 3 (page 183)
14. Netted Lambs'-wool Shawl or Handkerchief (page 183)
15. Netted Sofa Tidy (page 183)
16. To Work the Backs of Netted Mittens (page 184)
17. Netted Cuffs (page 186)
18. Netted Bag (page 189)
19. Striped Purse (page 189)
20. Bead Netting (page 190)
21. Bead Netting, with the Bead on the Knot (page 190)

Thanks to this book I have become acquainted with some new terms:  

• Mantua - "loose gown worn by women 17c.-18c.," 1678, from Fr. manteau "cloak, mantle," from O.Fr. mantel (see mantle); form infl. in Eng. by Mantua, name of a city in Italy. Mantua-maker (1694) became the general early 19c. term for "dressmaker."Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper 

• Tidy - (used as a noun) an antimacassar

• Antimacassar - "a cloth covering the back and arms of chairs, etc, to prevent soiling or as decoration"; "coined 1852, from anti- + macassar oil, imported hair tonic from Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The cloth was laid to protect chair and sofa fabric from people leaning their oily heads back against it. Macassar is from native Mangkasara, name of a district on the island." Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper 

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A mobius or moebius strip is a continuous, one-sided surface formed by twisting one end of a rectangular strip through 180° about the longitudinal axis of the strip and attaching this end to the other.  To see how to make one click here or here.

Several years ago I became acquainted with moebius knitting through the delightful Cat Bordhi.  She would knit a moebius strip, thereby creating a scarf.  Sometimes she would add a hat or bag to the moebius strip.  I wondered how I could use the unique and magical techniques she had developed for knitting and apply them to netting.   Then one day I figured out how to net a moebius bag.

Since I am going through my patterns and checking out the instructions, I decided to take the pattern for the spiral net bag I made a few weeks ago, give the handle a twist when joining it, and create a moebius bag.  

The fun thing with a moebius bag is that even though it looks like the bag has an inside and an outside, it is really a one-sided surface.   There is only one surface!   All I did was stretch one portion of the moebius strip a little and put a few extra stitches in it.

The only difference between the patterns for the regular bag and the moebius bag is the twist in the handle.