Edging of Fairy Purse from Treasures in Needlework

On pages 227-228 of  Treasures in Needlework, I found a netting stitch I had never seen before. It was located in the instructions near the top of this purse. It's name - the Egyptian Stitch. This stitch involves pulling loops through each other. I started by using the knitting needles it called for (a size 0000 and a size 0) and size 60 crochet thread, but found the loops were too small for me to see what I was supposed to do. So I changed to a 1/4" and a 3/8" mesh stick, and size 20 crochet thread.

The larger mesh sticks and thread made it possible for me to see what the loops were doing.

My directions for the border - using larger mesh sticks

Row 1: (1/4" flat mesh) Net 18 loops into the foundation loop. [multiple of 6]

Rows 2-6: (1/4" flat mesh) Net 1 knot in each loop.

Row 7: (3/8" flat mesh) Net 1 knot in each loop.

Row 8: (1/4" flat mesh)   Net Egyptian stitches, in the following manner:  *Skip the first loop, draw the second loop through the first loop,net 1 knot in the second loop by wrapping the thread around the fingers as usual, move the netting needle completely through the loop around the fingers and enter the second loop from above rather than from below as usually done, draw the first loop through the second loop and net 1 knot in the first loop in the usual way*; repeat from * to * across the row.

Row 9: (1/4" flat mesh) Net 1 knot in each loop.

Row 10: (3/8" flat mesh) Net 1 knot in each loop.

Row 11: (1/4" flat mesh)   Net Egyptian stitches, in the following manner:  *Skip the first loop, draw the second loop through the first loop,net 1 knot in the second loop by wrapping the thread around the fingers as usual, move the netting needle completely through the loop around the fingers and enter the second loop from above rather than from below as usually done, draw the first loop through the second loop and net 1 knot in the first loop in the usual way*; repeat from * to * across the row, ending with net 1 knot in the last loop.

Rows 12-17: (1/4" flat mesh) Net 1 knot in each loop.

Point:
For the only first point on the row - Net, without a mesh stick, 1 knot in the first loop. Thereafter follow the instructions for row 18

Row 18: (1/4" flat mesh) Net 1 knot in each loop for 5 loops. Turn the netting over.
Row 19: (1/4" flat mesh) Net 1 knot in each loop for 4 loops. Turn the netting over.
Row 20: (1/4" flat mesh) Net 1 knot in each loop for 3 loops. Turn the netting over.
Row 21: (1/4" flat mesh) Net 1 knot in each loop for 2 loops. Turn the netting over.

Cut the thread to the netting needle. Fasten the end of the thread onto the next loop in row 17 and repeat from row 18 to row 21.



Once I had figured out the instructions for the Egyptian Stitch, I was able to return to the smaller mesh sticks and finer thread and, with the aid of a size 12 crochet hook to catch and move the loops, finish this sample also.

My directions for the border -  original mesh stick sizes

Row 1: (#0000 knitting needle) Net 17 loops into the foundation loop. [multiple of 6 minus 1]

Rows 2-6: (#0000 knitting needle) Net 1 knot in each loop.

Row 7: (#0 knitting needle) Net 1 knot in each loop.

Row 8: (#0000 knitting needle)  Net Egyptian stitches, in the following manner:  *Skip the first loop, draw the second loop through the first loop,net 1 knot in the second loop by wrapping the thread around the fingers as usual, move the netting needle completely through the loop around the fingers and enter the second loop from above rather than from below as usually done, draw the first loop through the second loop and net 1 knot in the first loop in the usual way*; repeat from * to * across the row, ending with net 1 knot in the last loop.

Row 9: (#0000 knitting needle) Net 1 knot in each loop.
Row 10: (#0 knitting needle) Net 1 knot in each loop.
Row 11: (#0000 knitting needle) Net Egyptian stitches, in the following manner:  *Skip the first loop, draw the second loop through the first loop,net 1 knot in the second loop by wrapping the thread around the fingers as usual, move the netting needle completely through the loop around the fingers and enter the second loop from above rather than from below as usually done, draw the first loop through the second loop and net 1 knot in the first loop in the usual way*; repeat from * to * across the row, ending with net 1 knot in the last loop.
Rows 12-17: (#0000 knitting needle) Net 1 knot in each loop.

Point:
Row 18: (#0000 knitting needle) Net 1 knot in each loop for 5 loops. Turn the netting over.
Row 19: (#0000 knitting needle) Net 1 knot in each loop for 4 loops. Turn the netting over.
Row 20: (#0000 knitting needle) Net 1 knot in each loop for 3 loops. Turn the netting over.
Row 21: (#0000 knitting needle) Net 1 knot in each loop for 2 loops. Turn the netting over.

Cut the thread to the netting needle. Fasten the end of the thread onto the next loop in row 17 and repeat from row 18 to row 21.



A side-by-side comparison of the two samples shows how a change in the size of the mesh stick can affect the size of the final sample.