How does your garden grow? With diamond-mesh and square-mesh trellis

It's been just over a month since I "planted" the last of my trellises. I was out weeding today and decided to show you that the trellises are no longer empty.

The beans have completely taken over this trellis.  In a couple of cases the vines reached the top, went over, and started growing down the other side.



















While not all the vine plants are taking over the trellis at the rate the beans are, they are attaching and climbing up.















And it does not seem to matter whether the mesh is square or diamond shaped.

I call it Netting - others call it Modano Lace?

This week I received an email from a friend on the other side of the country.  She sent me a link to an article written many years ago by her mother.  The article, about 9 pages into the May 1980 issue of International Old Lacers (page 92 in the actual paper copy), was titled Modano Lace and was by Bertha Cragun of Washington. Judging by the drawings that accompany her description of how to start the center of a doily as well as the text of her explanation, I would say she is talking about the type of netting my grandmother taught me. She also tells how to create a tool holder for needles, mesh sticks, and other tools.

I had never heard of Modano Lace.  So I did what any internet user would do - I Googled the phrase.  Once I got rid of the dinnerware and the hockey players, I found another issue of the International Old Lacers, this time from January 1980.   About 12 pages into the file, or page 52 in the paper copy, I found another article about Modano Lace written by Bertha Cragun of Washington.  This article, titled "Circle It," contained "...things you can do with a circle --- of Modano Lace, ..."  These things include "a charming skirt for a Shirley Temple collector doll," a pillowcase decoration, a "Lacy Shawl," a "Garden Hat," and a 6-pointed star.  There are photos of all these items and basic instructions.  It certainly looks like my kind of netting.

Both issues of International Old Lacers were located on a section of the University of Arizona's website.  When I searched that section for Modano, I found the following tidbits of information:

On page 12 of A Guide to Old and New Lace in Italy:

"Modano, a very ancient net lace that is made without any embroidery is quite artistic in effect.  The meshes of Modano may be large or small, round, square or shell-shaped, according to the size and form of the stick which is held in the left hand and the number of meshes taken or skipped in knotting into the row above.  This netting can be varied indefinitely; it is often very pretty and to the untrained eye, it greatly resembles some of the varieties of pillow lace."  (Brazzà, Cora A. A Guide to Old and New Lace in Italy, Exhibited at Chicago in 1893. Chicago: W.B. Conkey, 1893.)

And, in the Old Lace Manual

"Lacis: -- See Punto a maglia, Sfilatura, Modano, Filet, Netzarbeir.  The ground net work is usually of linen thread, sometimes in colored silk, green, brown, and yellow a favorite combination.  Square meshes, darned in with patterns, crossing and interlacing threads.  Made from the beginning of the XV century, till the present time.  The earliest designs, conventional diapers, religious emblems, two birds divided by the sacred tree, etc."

"Modano: --See Lacis.  The early was not generally embroidered, but had knotted meshes in different shapes.  Italian square meshed knotted lace, in white linen thread and colored silks, the design darned in.  made in all countries, and in each century, after XIV."  (Kohlsaat, Amy Milton. Old Lace Manual. New York: Privately Printed, 1910.)

So, do any of you know more about Modano Lace and how it relates to netting?  Does anyone know how Modano Lace relates to Mezza Mandolina?  If you know, please comment, so the rest of us can learn.

Net Gifts: Beautiful, Practical, and Unique

Knowing how to net has given me the ability to create unique gifts for people in my life.  This week has been no exception.

A young woman I have known since she was born was married in April in beautiful New Zealand.  On Friday her parents held an open house for her and her new husband.  I figured that weight would be at a premium as they returned to New Zealand, so I made the young couple a net doily. 

Double Star is about 14" in diameter.   

I still needed to make three more gifts this week.  So I decided to make some 3" doilies.  Yes, I can count.  I made 4 doilies.  I wanted to give those three people the opportunity to choose.  Besides, I may keep one for myself.

Flower

Tier

Web

Well

 

 Somehow a 3" doily did not seem like enough, so I decided to place each doily in a coaster.

I really like the way they turned out.

Beautiful, practical, and definitely unique.

For the first time in a long time, I found myself netting with thread instead of yarn.  It felt different, but I enjoyed working with size 20 crochet thread and size 70 tatting thread.

What is a Chain of Netting?

Most people are familiar with a chain of crochet.   The crochet chain is one way to start a crochet project.  The chain is also useful as a cord.  Some people even use it to start knitting.

A chain of netting serves some of the same purposes.  It is a way to start a netting project, and I have used it as a cord.

While working on the videos for my upcoming class Netting, More or Less, I put together a short video discussing a net chain, what it is, and when to use it.  Come on over to Rita's Netting Nook, where you can view the video.

What is Square Mesh Netting?

This month I  mentioned square-mesh netting and trellises in the same blog more than once.  I realized, because of this, some may think that a trellis is the only thing you can make with square-mesh netting.    That is far from the truth.  Come over to Rita's Netting Nook and view an introductory video about square-mesh netting.

Rectangles in Square-Mesh Netting

For the past several weeks I've been working with square mesh netting. Several of the trellises I made were with square meshes rather than diamond meshes. By the time I had finished those trellises, I had the directions for making a square of square-mesh netting written and well tested. This week I have been working with square-mesh netting again - but with rectangles instead of squares. I made four different samples.

Two had an even number of squares across the width.

 

Two had an odd number of squares across the width.

I also made sure that the samples included two with an even number of squares along the length and two with an odd number of squares. I carefully wrote down the directions, for both the width and the length, noting the changes that occurred when an even or odd number of squares was wanted. I thought I had the directions figured out and accurately put into the computer.

I guess it was a good thing I looked at my garden yesterday and noticed that the tomato plants at one end of one garden box were starting to sprawl all over the place. The poor tomato plants were in need of a trellis of their own - the one spot in the garden where I had not already supplied one!

We picked up the materials to make the frame, and last night I found some unused seine twine Mason Line to use for the netting. As I was netting the trellis, I found a mistake in the instructions that I thought were all finished and correct. I guess it pays to check and double check the instructions.








And this morning, with the help of my youngest son, we threaded the netting onto the frame.

















The tomato plants are no longer sprawling; they are climbing instead. I even saw a few small, green tomatoes.

Net Doilies and Networking Dreams

I had other ideas for this blog until I sat down at the computer and read two blog posts this morning, and I have been thinking about them both all day.  So, while I have been busy making another video for the upcoming class, I'm not going to talk about the class.  You will just have to visit the syllabus for the class and see for yourself what I've done.  And I'm not going to send you to Rita's Netting Nook today to get the rest of the blog, either.

Now for those posts that have stuck with me all day.

The first was Round Knotted Netting. The net doilies shown there are simply gorgeous. There are also a couple of links that show more net doilies. Be sure to look at those doilies also.

As I looked at these doilies, my fingers started itching to start another project. Only time will tell who wins - me or my fingers. Seeing these lovely doilies makes me want to start right now on my next class, Netting Around, which will deal with circular netting (including doilies), instead of finishing Netting, More or Less, the current class I'm working on.

The second post talks about social networking, but with a twist. It points out that :

"The truth is that all the social networking and Internet ‘world shrinking’ is making us more distant. It’s virtual connection. There are only two ways to make it real – real world interactions, interactions that are so strong (because of shared passion or shared purpose) that they are nearly as good as real world interactions."

It mentions there are three ways that a social based network could help make the network less virtual and more real.

1. "Help people make real friends. A shared passion is perhaps one of the best ways to build great friendships."
2. "Strengthen the art/pursuit itself. You help people get more of what they want . . ."
3. "Provide recurring real human connection. Not the meaningless type of ‘who has the longest friends list’ type of connection – the real human connection where both of you are in love with . . ."

While this post began by talking about Ravelry and then about books and reading, I immediately thought about Rita's Netting Nook. This is the kind of experience I want us to have. In order for us to achieve that, I need your help. What do you want (as far as netting goes)? More netting patterns, more basic instructions, more advanced stitches, less of me asking you questions? Help me out.