Vandyke had also appended the chain to his stocking-frame, and the zigzags formed by the ribs of his stockings were called "Vandyke," hence the term now generally applied to all indented edges.
Mechlin net was disused in 1819 from its too great elasticity.
The "bobbins" on which the thread is wound for the weft consist of two circular copper plates riveted together, and fixed upon a small carriage or frame which moves backwards and forwards like a weaver's shuttle.
The Old Loughboro' employed sixty movements to form one mesh—a result now obtained by twelve. It produced 1,000 meshes a minute—then thought a wonderful achievement, as by the pillow only five or six can be obtained. A good circular machine now produces 30,000 in the same time.
The quality of bobbin net depends upon the smallness of the meshes, their equality in size, and the regularity of the hexagons.
Bobbin net is measured by the "rack," which consists of 240 meshes. This mode of counting was adopted to avoid the frequent disagreements about measure which arose between the master and the workmen in consequence of the elasticity of the net. The exchange of linen to cotton thread was the source of great regret to the Roman Catholic clergy, who by ecclesiastical law can only wear albs of flax.