The Priscilla Netting Book

In 1914 The Priscilla Publishing Company added The Priscilla Netting Book to their list of craft publications.  It was edited by Belle Robinson.  There are several locations where this book may be found on-line;  The Hathi Trust Digital Library, The Open Library, On-Line Digital Archive of Documents on Weaving and Related Topics, and Internet Archive, to name four.  While much of the information is related to lacis or net embroidery, both on square-mesh as well as diamond-mesh, some patterns and stitches are not.  Most of the patterns and stitches include illustrations.

1. Netting (page 3)
2. Equipment - with illustration (page 3)
3. To Work Netting - with illustration (page 4)
4. Figures 6 and 9 - To make circular netting - with illustration (page 5)
5. Figure 10 - To make a circular netting by increases - with illustration (page 6)
6. Lace - with illustration on page 10, 37 - fig 85 (page 10, item 601)
7. Centerpiece - with illustration (page 11, item 602)
8. Doily - with illustration (page 11, item 603)
9. Doily - with illustration (page 12, item 604)
10. Netted Cape Collar - with illustration (page 14, item 608)
11. Netted Round Yoke - with illustration (page 15, item 609)
12. Centerpiece of Square and Circular Netting - with illustration (page 19, item 613)
13. Centerpiece - with illustration (page 20, item 615)
14. Netted Centerpiece - with illustration (page 25, item 620)
15. Netted and Embroidered Doily - with illustration (page 26, item 621)
16. Netted and Embroidered Doily - with illustration (page 26, item 622)
17. Wide Netted Edging - with illustration (page 27)
18. Netted Edging - with illustration (page 27)
19. Doily - with illustration (page 28, item 623)
20. Doily - with illustration (page 30, item 624)
21. Doily - with illustration (page 30, item 625)
22. Doily - with illustration (page 30, item 627)
23. Netted Bow - with illustration (page 32, item 626)
24. Centrepiece in Gros Filet - with illustrations (page 32, item 628)
25. Doily - with illustration (page 33, item 629)
26. Doily - with illustration (page 34, item 630)
27. Netted Scallop - with illustration on page 32 (page 37, item 631)
28. Insertion - figure 64 - with illustration on page 32 (page 48)
29. Insertion - figure 65 - with illustration on page 32 (page 48)
30. Insertion - figure 66 - with illustration on page 32 (page 48)
31. Insertion - figure 67  - with illustration on page 32 (page 48)
32. Edging - figure 68 - with illustration on page 33 (page 48)
33. Netted Scallop - with illustration on page 33 (page 48, item 632)

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Last week I mentioned that I had five more ornament ball covers to photograph.  By the time the week was over and I had finished the netting and photography, there were a few more than five.  My son made quick work of posting them online, and there are now 31 unique net ornament ball covers for you to look at.

Beeton's Book of Needlework by Isabella Beeton

In 1870, Beeton's Book of Needlework by Isabella Beeton was published.  Years ago I had picked up a hard-backed copy.  Here is a list of the netting items included in her book.

1. Netting - with illustration (page 301, item # 302)
2. To net - with illustration (page 302, item # 303)
3. Square Netting - with illustration (page 303, item # 304)
4. Round Netting - with illustration (page 304, item # 305)
5. Diamond Netting (page 304, item # 306)
6. To Net Rounds - with illustration (page 304, item # 307)
7. "English" Netting (page 305, item # 308)
8. Lace Edging (page 305, item # 309)
9. Open Lace - with illustration (page 305, item # 310)
10. Shell Border - with illustration (page 306, item # 311)
11. Netted Fichu or Cape - with illustration (page 316, item # 315)
12. Netted Nightcap - with illustration (page 361, item # 343)
13. Netted Nightcap - with illustration (page 363, item # 344

I loved the Netted Fichu or Cape, especially the edge.  When I finally made it several years ago, I was disappointed in the size. It would have worked nicely for my young granddaughter.  

I wanted to wear it as a Cape or Shawl, so I tried again.  This time I used larger mesh sticks and was pleased with the result.

One of these days I'm going to experiment and use another decorative stitch instead of the plain stitch for this shawl.

The Practical Companion to the Work-table by Elizabeth Jackson

The best digitized copy I could find for The Practical Companion to the Work-table Containing Directions for Knitting, Netting & Crochet Work by Elizabeth Jackson is located here.  Even though it is missing pages 14 and 15, which tell how to use the knitting needle gauge she has pictured in her book, at least it has all the netting patterns, which some online copies do not seem to have. This copy of the book was published in 1845.

These netting patterns all include the material and the mesh to be used.  Care needs to be taken, though, when selecting the mesh.  The numbering starts with the largest size at 1 and the smallest at 26.

1. Remarks on Netting (page 135)
2. Netted Mittens (page 137, item 89)
3. Netted Mittens (page 138, item 90)
4. Netted Border for a Cap (page 139, item 91)
5. Tulip Purse (page 140, item  92)
6. Purse in Points (page 141, item 93)
7. Handsome Long Netted Purse (page 143, item 94)
8. Netted Long Purse (page 144, item 95)
9. Round Netted Gentleman's Long Purse (page 144, item 96)
10. Round Netted Mat (page 145, item 97)
11. Netted Scarf (page 146, item 98)
12. Round Netted Scarf (page 146, item 99)
13. Netted Cuffs (page 147, item 100)
14. Netted Cuffs (page 147, item 101)
15. Netted Half Square Handkerchief (page 148, item 102)
16. Netted Cardinal Cape (page 149, item 103)
17. Scallop for Veil Borders, &c (page 150, item 104)
18. Scallop for Curtains, &c (page 150, item 105)
19. Single Diamond Netting (page 151, item 106)
20. Grecian Netting (page 151, item 107)
21. A Round Netted Purse (page 153, item 108)

Last week I mentioned I had received an email from Solange Oliveira.  What I did not mention was that she included in her email some net jewelry.  I wanted to get her permission to share these photos before I posted them.  These works of art are from a group of women in the city of Marechal Deodoro, in the state of Alagoas, Brazil.

Corresponding with someone who speaks a different language is a challenge.  Google Translator is fine for an overview but is poor when it comes to specifics like types of laces.

When describing what type of lace these ladies made, Solange wrote in Portuguese, "O nome de artesanato e 'clareza de Renda' e é igual ao italiano faça chamado 'ad Puntino atrás' na cidade de Latronico. O artesanato que faço chama Renda turco, mas é semelhante ao Singeleza de Renda."

Google translated it as, "The name of handicrafts and 'Income Plainness' and is equal to the Italian make called 'ad Puntino ago' in the city of Latronico. The crafts I make calls Income Turkish, but is similar to Income Plainness."

Hoping for some clarity, I contacted my son who lived in Brazil for about two years.  He replied with this translation, "This type of craft/art is called 'Clearness of Lace, or Lace Clarity', which is the same as the Italian art called 'ad Puntino atras' from the city of Latronico.  The craft I make is called Turkish lace, which is similar to Single Lace (or Solitary Lace)."

He also added, "The translation problem with the craft names is that I haven't really met anyone who does these in English.  If I recall correctly, Turkish lace is similar to macrame, but not identical.  Clearness of Lace could be something as simple as needlepoint, knitting, or netting, since I never met anyone who called it that while in Brazil, and don't have the photos.  Renda can mean lace, but there's a feel there of a woven (or worked) textile as well."

Whatever you call it, it is beautiful and demonstrates something else that can be made with netting.

Knitter's Friend by Mrs. Hope

I discovered that I have links to two books named The Knitter's Friend.  One is by Mrs. Gaugain and the other is by Mrs. Hope.  They both contain netting patterns.  I wrote about The Knitter's Friend by Mrs. Gaugain almost a month ago.  Today I picked up The Knitter's Friend by Mrs. Hope.  It was published about 1847.

There are instructions for 10 different items related to netting.

1. Stirrup for Netting   (page 44) - This is what I would call a tension device.
2. Plain Netted Purse   (page 78)
3. Rounded Neckerchief   (page 82)
4. Invalid's Supporter   (page 84)
5. Double Netted Shawl   (page 85)
6. Circassian Cap   (page 86 - picture included)
7. Front of an Upright Piano, or A Window Blind   (page 88)
8. Cardinal Cape (page 90)
9. Bottle Stand   (page 93)
10. Round Netted Doyley   (page 94)

I recently made two long snoods with staggered beads.  One was with 6 mm glass beads and brown thread.

The other was made with 6 mm beads that were much lighter than glass.  The red beads were netted with black thread.

If the hair color matches the thread color of the snood, the netting vanishes into the hair and only the beads are left to be seen.  

I finally finished all the projects for my Circular Netting class, photographed them, and put them up on Rita's Netting Nook.  I purposely created many smaller projects so those taking the class would be able to practice starting net circles without getting bored.