Netting in Magazines - International Old Lacer's Bulletin

Several years ago I stumbled across some articles on netting that had been published between 1968 and 1982 by the IOLI.  This week I found those same articles located in two places, here and here.

According to their website, IOLI was founded in 1954 as Old Lacers.  Their name has been changed several times: 1959 to National Old Lacers, 1970 to International Old Lacers, Inc., and 2012 to International Organization of Lace, Inc.

Here are some of the articles about netting I found in this quarterly magazine.

1. September 1970
1. Section: Art of Netting; Article: Corner in Darned or Guipure Netting (page 11)
2. Section: Art of Netting; Article: Netted Neckerchief (page 11)
2. January 1971
1. Article: Filet (page 40)
3. January 1973
1. Section: Netting and Guipure; Article: Netting (page 39)
2. Section: Netting and Guipure; Article: South Beloit Women Preserve Lacemaking, Antique Lace Made (page 40)
4. May 1973
1. Article: Netting (photo of doily made by Mrs. Frank Nelson) (page 65 )
2. Section: Book Review; Author: Mary Lou Kueker; Article: Netting by Primrose Cumming (page 78)
3. Section: Book Review; Author: Mary Lou Kueker; Article: La rete a Rosoni (Rosette Netting) (page 78)
4. Section: Book Review; Author: Mary Lou Kueker; Article: A Treasury of Needlework Projects from Godey's Lady's Book by Arlene Z. Wiczyk (page 78)
5. November 1976
1. Article: Netting (page 26)
2. Article: Filet Lace (page 27)
6. November 1977
1. Author: Sheila Bottorff; Article: Tatting-Frivolite [includes illustrations for tying the netting knot] (page 44)
7. May 1977
1. Section: A Book of Modern Netting Designs; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: "Kissin' Cousin" fantail fish design (photo only) (page 98)
2. Section: Filet Square; Author: Kay Asahi; Article: Single or plain mesh (page 99 )
8. January 1978
1. Section: A Practical Use of Netting; Article: Netted Doily (page 70)
2. Section: A Practical Use of Netting; Article: Netting the New Wool Scarfs (page 70)
3. Section: A Practical Use of Netting; Article: Netted Edging (page 70)
9. July 1979
1. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Modano Lace (page 139)
10. January 1980
1. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Circle It [net doll skirt] (page 52)
2. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Garden Party [netting on Pillow Cases] (page 52)
3. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Lacy Shawl (page 53 )
4. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Garden Hat (page 53)
5. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Lace on Lace (page 53)
6. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Modano Lace Star for a Birthday Calendar of Calligraphy (page 53)
11. May 1980
1. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Modano Lace [forming a center without a foundation loop] (page 92)
2. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Tool Keeper Tip (page 93)
12. November 1980
1. Section: Book Review; Article: The Technique of Filet Lace by Pauline Knight (page 26 )
13. May 1981
1. Section: Modano Lace; Author: Mrs. Bertha Cragun; Article: Pauline Knight [author of The Technique of Filet Lace] (page 69)

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Last Saturday I went to two baby showers.  Although they were not held at the same time, they were held in the same large building.  That made it easier to go from one to the other.  As a gift, I brought what everyone who knows me expected - a net bag.

Since I am trying to get my instructions correct for my net bags before I publish them, I have two different styles here.

The blue bag is a rectangular bag with a single tied handle.  

The pink bag is a circular bag made from the bottom up and has two handles.

Of course the bags contained some of my favorite baby bibs.  

Judging from the comments at the baby showers I attend, the bibs are a favorite with other mothers also.

The baby bibs are made of tea-towels and have ribbing around the neck edge.  

Encyclopedia of Needlework by Therese de Dillmont

Therese de Dillmont authored many books on needlework.  I recently learned that her Encyclopedia of Needlework, published in 1886,  is available in digitized format. Among the types of needlework, she includes a section on netting, which includes the following:

1. Netting (page 395)
2. Implements and Materials (page 395; illustrations 611-613)
3. Stitches (page 397; illustrations 614-116)
4. Patterns Produced in Netting (page 400; illustrations 617-633)
5. Embroidered Netting (page 410; illustrations 634-691)

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

I've been promising to post the photos of the sun catchers I net during the last two weeks of September.  So here they are.  There are some 4", 5", and 6" ones.  If you want to see all the sun catchers I have designed, click here.

Chrysalis 

Flame

Ferris Wheel

Masaka

Jellyfish

Merry-Go-Round

Mum

Waves

Winter Festival

Glisten

Scallops

Music

Zinnia

Sand Dollar

Peony

Pompom

Moonlight

Poinsettia

Ferris Wheel, Poinsettia, and Zinnia are in 6" rings.  Glisten and Waves are in 4" rings.  All the others are in 5" rings.

A Text-book of Needlework, Knitting and Cutting Out: with Methods of Teaching by Elizabeth Rosevear

A Text-book of Needlework, Knitting and Cutting Out: with Methods of Teaching by Elizabeth Rosevear was published in 1893.    She includes a brief history of netting, the tools used to make netting, how to tie the knot, and how to make square-mesh, diamond-mesh, round netting (what I call spiral netting), and the twisted stitch.  With only four pages devoted to netting, there is no room for patterns.

1. Netting (page 439)
2. Implements (page 440)
3. Method (page 440)
4. Square Netting (page 441)
5. Oblong Netting for Window Curtains (page 442)
6. Round Netting (page 442)
7. Twisted Stitch in Netting (page 442)

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Several months ago my oldest daughter asked me to make three handkerchiefs edged in netting, one each for herself and her two daughters.

It took me a while, but I finally found some gorgeous white handkerchief linen.  I traveled to a fabric-filled shop, Delectable Mountain Cloth, in Brattleboro, Vermont.  

I didn't realize I might want my camera, so I left it home.  However, I found a wonderful blog post about the shop that included many photos.








I cut out several of the handkerchiefs that very day, put them in a bag, and there they sat.

I knew I wanted to hemstitch the edges, but I was scared to try.














This week I took one of the scraps from that lovely linen and jumped in.


There were only three of us at the library knitting group this week.  I almost finished hemstitching the sample while there.

It's a good thing I started with a sample and that I have several more samples.  It's going to take some time to learn how to make the corners look neat.

The Ladies’ Hand Book of Fancy and Ornamental Work by Florence Hartley

Several years ago I ordered a paperback copy of The Ladies’ Hand Book of Fancy and Ornamental Work by Florence Hartley.  It was originally published in 1859.  If I had known that it was online, I would have just downloaded it.  The contents are the same.

1. Netting (page 177)
2. Plain Netting (page 178)
3. Grecian Netting - with illustration (page 179)
4. Plain Open Netting - with illustration (page 179)
5. Diamond Netting - with illustration (page 179)
6. Diamond Netting, of Five Stitches - with illustration (page 180)
7. Netting With Beads - with illustration (page 181)
8. Net for the Hair - with illustration (page 182)
9. Netted Curtain - with illustration on 183  (page 184)
10. Short Purse in Netting - with illustration (page 186)
11. Needles (page 188)

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Over the years I have re-created 62 different doilies patterns that my grandmother created.  She did not write down any instructions; she just made the doilies.  She taught me how to "read" a net doily and then make it.  These doilies included those she gave me to use as patterns, some my mother owned, one owned by her sister-in-law, Ida Winter, and photocopies of doilies in the possession of her daughter, Elaine.  

I finished writing the doily instructions several years ago.  At that time, after I finished making the doily, I made a photocopy of as much of it as I could.  Often that was just a rectangular section from the center to the edge.  Eventually I purchased a digital camera and started taking a photograph of each doily so I could see what the entire doily looked like.  Since I had given away most of the doilies I had made, I had to start making them again.

This week I finished Sunburst.

I thought it was the last one I needed to photograph; however, while looking through my patterns, I discovered an additional Pineapple Doily that Grandmother had made.  The edges of the two doilies are slightly different, so I guess I have one more doily to finish and photograph before I can say I have digital photographs of all the doilies I have access to that my grandmother designed.  To see those I have made, look at Grandmother's Legacy.

Treasures in Needlework by Mrs. Warren and Mrs. Pullan

Many of the net patterns included in Treasures in Needlework by Mrs. Warren and Mrs Pullan are accompanied by an illustration.  Several of the patterns, both diamond-mesh and square-mesh, have designs darned into them.  The digitized copy was published in 1855.

1. Introductory Chapter - page xi
2. Piece of Netted Lace (with illustration) - page 13
3. Net for the Hair (with illustration) - page 42
4. Netted Mitten (with illustration) - page 46
5. Lady's Netted Cap (illustration on p. 131) - page 132
6. Netted Tidy - page 176
7. Instructions in Netting (with illustrations) - page 178
8. Round Netting (with illustration) - page 178
9. Square Netting - page 178
10. Grecian Netting (with illustration) - page 178
11. Honeycomb Netting (with illustration) - page 179
12. Herringbone Netting (with illustration) - page 179
13. Netted purse (with illustration) - page 185
14. Netted Mat (with illustration) - page 186
15. Fairy Purse (with illustration) - page 227
16. Harlequin Hand-screen in Netting (with illustration) - page 229
17. Gentleman's Long Purse in Netting - page 234
18. Doyley, in Portuguese Guipure (with illustration) - page 238
19. Netted Music-Stool Cover (with illustration) - page 258
20. Netted Shell Edging - page 289
21. Nepaul Smoking Cap (with illustration) - page 295
22. Square-Netted Antimacassar (with illustration) - page 300
23. Round Netted Antimacassar (with illustration) - page 344
24. Darned Netted Vandyke Edging (with illustration) - page 373
25. Octagon Antimacassar (with illustration) - page 384
26. Netted Vandyke Trimming (with illustration) - page 407
27. Doyley in Portuguese Guipure (with illustration) - page 440

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Back in the early 1980s I was able to obtain photocopies of many of my grandmother's doilies.  My aunt, who still had the doilies, placed the doily on a copier, covered it with something black, and copied it.  That meant I could tell how big it was supposed to be and what size mesh sticks Grandmother had used.  Over the years I have gradually written up the instructions.  Once I got a digital camera I photographed the doilies.

One of the doilies was too large to entirely fit on one copier screen, so my aunt made two photocopies of that doily.  Eventually I combined the two photocopies into one - to remind me what the doily looked like. 

I kept putting off making this doily because I knew it would take many hours to complete.  Then, in January of this year, I had the opportunity to travel for several hours and no other project to work on, so I started Grandmother's Pineapple Doily.  I finished it in March.  It contains 13,240 knots, measures 38" in diameter, and uses 400 yards of size 10 crochet thread.

Looking back, it did not take me nearly as long to make as I had anticipated.  Life is like that sometimes.  We put off doing something, only to find that when we get started, it is quicker and easier than we expected.

The Handbook of Needlework (5th edition) by Miss Lambert

Several weeks ago I listed the netting patterns that were in The Handbook of Needlework by Miss Lambert.  This week I decided to list the netting information found in The Handbook of Needlework (5th edition).  The digitized copy of the 5th edition of Miss Lambert's book was published in 1846.

Many of the patterns listed in the two editions appear to be the same, since the name is the same, but that is not necessarily true.  In looking closer at such patterns, I noticed a difference in the number of starting loops between the patterns in the two editions, the mesh stick size, or the number of rows.  These small changes are easy to miss and may make a difference in the way the final product looks.

There is one new pattern - #21 - Chain Pattern Netting for a Purse.

1. Netting (page 431)
2. Plain Netted Gentleman's Purse (page 435)
3. A Lady's Purse (page 436)
4. Gentleman's Purse with Ends of Different Colours (page 436)
5. A Lady's Purse with Points (page 436)
6. A Pretty Purse with Chine Silk (page 437)
7. Netting with Beads (page 437)
8. A Plain Netted Purse with a Bead Mouth (page 437)
9. A Seme purse with steel or gold beads (page 438)
10. An Elegant Netted Purse with Steel Beads (page 438)
11. Plain Netted Mittens (page 439)
12. A Knitter's Bag with Ring (page 440)
13. Grecian Netting (page 440)
14. A Checked or Dice Pattern Purse (page 441)
15. A Purse in Grecian Netting (page 442)
16. Mittens in Grecian Netting (page 442)
17. A Fringe (page 443)
18. Single Diamond Netting (page 443)
19. Treble Diamond Netting (page 443)
20. Diamond Netting, with Five Stitches (page 444)
21. Chain Pattern Netting for a Purse (page 446)
22. Seme Purse, Diamond Pattern (page 447)
23. Open Plain Netting, or Filet a Bagaette (page 448)
24. Fond de Berlin (page 448)
25. Filet Rose (page 449)
26. Filet a Baton rompu (page 450)
27. Netted Mittens with Silk and Wool (page 450)
28. Netted Cuff with Silk and Wool (page 451)

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I am gradually going back through my net doily patterns and remaking the ones that have only a partial picture - such as this one.

Here is how it looked when I finished it this week.  

I designed the pattern back in the 1980's and named it Friendship in honor of the wonderful friend to whom I gave it.  When I made it, I knew how to make only spiral netting.  In looking at the directions I discovered I needed to either increase or decrease the number of loops in the center by 16 to make the pattern work.  Since I no longer have the doily, I have no idea how I got the numbers to work the first time.  I chose to decrease the number of loops, since in my opinion it was already too full and did not show the stitches to their best advantage.

The Ladies' Work-table Book (2nd ed)

Recently I discussed the netting patterns and instructions found in The Ladies' Work-table Book.  The on-line copy was published in 1845.  Today I picked up the second edition of The Ladies' Work-table Book to list the netting information it contained.  I was surprised to notice that the online version of the second edition was published in 1844.

The netting information found in the two books is not identical.  Some of the information and patterns are worded differently.  Some patterns included in the first edition are not in the second edition, and there are some new patterns in the second edition.  Here is what the second edition contains for netting:

1. Netting (page 158) [this introduction contains a brief history of netting]
2. Plain Netting (page 160)
3. Bead Stitch (page 162)
4. Diamond Netting  (page 163)
5. Diamond Netting, of Five Stitches (page 163)
6. Grecian Netting (page 164)
7. Shaded Silk Netting (page 164)
8. Dotted Netting  (page 165)
9. French Ground Net (page 165)
10. Honeycomb Netting (page 166)
11. Honeycomb Netting, with Two Meshes (page 166)
12. Another Kind of Honeycomb Netting (page 167)
13. Leaf Netting (page 167)
14. Maltese Netting, in Spots (page 168)
15. Plain Open Netting (page 169)
16. Round Netting (page 169)
17. Shaded Silk Netting (page 170)
18. Honeycomb Mittens (page 171)
19. Netted Cuffs (page 172)
20. Netted Opera Cap (page 173)
21. Netted Scollop Edging (page 174)
22. A Plain Scollop (page 175)
23. Cap Border Scollop (page 175)
24. Net Cravat (page 175)
25. A Net Scarf (page 176)
26. A Long Purse, in Points (page 176)
27. Netted Wool Scarf (page 177)
28. Small Half Neckerchief (page 177)
29. Square Wool Neckerchief (page 177)
30. Netted Mittens (page 178)
31. Netted Fringe (page 179)
32. Striped Netted Purse (page 179)
33. Round Netting Purse (page 180)
34. A Purse, in Points (page 180)
35. Netted Curtain (page 180)
36. Curtain for a French Bed (page 181)

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

This week I got an email from Solange Oliveira. She lives in Brazil and has a website devoted to netting.  As I looked at her website again, I was reminded that many of her decorations are made with a stitch I have named Tufts.  She is very creative with that stitch, and I really liked one of her variations.  To be able to refer to it easily, I have called it Tufts Eyelet Decorative Stitch.  This week I decided I would try to make that stitch using a #3 size knitting needle, which is equivalent to a 1/8" flat mesh stick.

It did not look like this before it was starched.  The hole in the middle of the Tufts did not appear.  So, I made another sample.  This time I used a #8 knitting needle, which is the same as a 1/4" flat mesh stick.

Once I starched the stitch, I could see the hole in both of the samples, though I like the first one better.  Solange Oliveira has several patterns on her website which use this stitch.

The Ladies' Hand-book of Knitting, Netting, and Crochet by the author of "The Ladies' Hand-book of Fancy Needlework and Embroidery"

There are at least two digital copies of  The Ladies' Hand-book of Knitting, Netting, and Crochet  by the  author of The Ladies' Hand-book of Fancy Needlework and Embroidery.  This link is to the one that seems to have all its pages scanned.  The other copy is missing many of the even numbered pages.  As far as I could tell, the earlier book by this author, The Ladies' Hand-book of Fancy Needlework and Embroidery,  does not appear to have been digitized yet.  A few libraries and museums have copies.

The following list of netting history, equipment descriptions, stitches and patterns are included in The Ladies' Hand-book of Knitting, Netting, and Crochet:

1. history of netting (page vii)
2. Necessary Implements for Netting (page 7)
3. Plain Netting (page 13)
4. Net with Points (page 16)
5. Net with Beads (page 16)
6. Grecian Netting (page 17)
7. Diamond Netting (page 17)
8. Plain Open Netting (page 19)
9. Plain Netted Mittens (page 39)
10. Netted Cuff, with Silk and Wool (page 40)
11. Netted Fringe (page 41)
12. Plain Netted Gentleman's Purse (page 41)
13. A Lady's Purse (page 41)
14. A Purse with China Silk (page 42)
15. A Seam Purse, with Beads (page 42)
16. A Netted Bag, with Ring (page 42)
17. Dice Pattern Purse (page 42)

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Mother Nature has a way of putting a hold on activities otherwise planned.  The beginning netting classes I was planning to teach today at  Novice Schola were cancelled because of the feet of snow dumped on us last night.  

This is what I saw when I opened the door to the carport.

The front door would not open because of the snow piled against it on the outside.

We measured about 21" depth of snow in the driveway. (photo on the right)

Last week, while we still thought the event would happen, I was trying to come up with a quick, easy project to make in square-mesh netting.  My SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) friends made a suggestion.

When I showed it to them, they agreed it was just what they had envisioned -- a Cup Cover

What is that?  Think back to the last picnic you had.  You had a cup of something to drink that the flies wanted to sample.  This net cup cover, placed over your cup, will keep the flies, bees and other flying creatures out of your drink.  At least that's what my friends assured me.  Today, there are no flies outside to experiment with, and I'm not going to take a cup of anything outside in this weather.  I'll sip my hot chocolate by the heater.

The netting is 6" square and made with string and a 3/8" mesh stick.  The glass beads at the corners add weight to the cover so it won't blow off.

The Handbook of Needlework by Miss Lambert

Published in 1842, Miss Lambert's book The Handbook of Needlework can be found online in two different places.  Click here to see it at one location and here to find it at the other location.  She includes information on the tools used in netting, some information on the history of netting, a description of how to tie the netting knot, some stitches (with illustrations of the finished stitch), and some patterns.  Four of the instructions are in French, and, since I don't read French, I can't say what she is describing in those four portions.

1. Implements: Netting Needles and Meshes (page 92)
2. Antiquity of the Art (page 224)
3. Plain Netted Gentleman's Purse (page 228)
4. A Lady's Purse (page 229)
5. Gentleman's Purse with Ends of Different Colours (page 229)
6. A Lady's Purse with Points (page 229)
7. A Pretty Purse with Chinè Silk (page 230)
8. Netting with Beads (page 230)
9. A Plain Netted Purse with a Bead Mouth (page 230)
10. A Pretty Sème Purse with Steel or Gold Beads (page 231)
11. An Elegant Netted Purse with Steel Beads (page 231)
12. Plain Netted Mittens (page 232)
13. A Knitter's Bag with Ring (page 232)
14. A Checked or Dice Pattern Purse (page 233)
15. Grecian Netting or Filet Rose (page 233)
16. A Purse in Grecian Netting (page 234)
17. Mittens in Grecian Netting (page 234)
18. Netted Fringe (page 235)
19. Single Diamond Netting (page 235)
20. Treble Diamond Netting (page 236)
21. Diamond Netting, with Five Stitches (page 236)
22. Sème Purse, Diamond Pattern (page 238)
23. Open Plain Netting, or Filet a Bagaette (page 239)
24. Fond de Berlin (page 239, written in French only)
25. Filet Rose (page 240, written in French only)
26. Filet a Baton Rompu (page 240, written in French only)
27. Filet Rond (page 241, written in French only)
28. Netted Mittens with Silk and Wool (page 241)
29. Netted Cuff with Silk and Wool (page 242)

I have been asked to teach a beginning netting class for Novice Schola this coming Saturday.  I have been trying to come up with a pattern that teaches the basic skills, uses the sizes of the inexpensive mesh sticks I got, can be finished within 2-3 hours, and is something that might have been used several centuries ago.  I decided on a net bag.

In trying to create a pattern that would fit my needs I felt a bit like Goldilocks.



The first bag had way too many knots - 618.

The second bag was better, but still had too many knots - 558.

Finally, the third bag looked just right - 360 knots.

I can finish it in under an hour.  I hope the students can get close to being done within two to three.