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)

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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.