The gauge board, [Fig. 2], is used for making the long meshes at both ends of the hammock. It is a board about 3 ft. long, 4 in. wide, and 1 in. thick. An eight-penny nail is driven into the board 1 in. from the right edge and 2 in. from the end, as shown by M, allowing it to project about 1 in. and slanting a little toward the end; the other nail N will be located later.
The mesh stick, [Fig. 3], should be made of maple, 8 in. long, 1³⁄₄ in. wide and ¹⁄₄ in. thick. Round off the edges and sandpaper them very smooth.
The making of the net by a specially devised shuttle is called “natting,” or netting, when done with a fine thread and a suitably fine shuttle. Much may be done in unique lace-work designs and when coarser material and large shuttles are used, such articles as fish nets, tennis nets and hammocks may be made. The old knot used in natting was difficult to learn and there was a knack to it that was easily forgotten, but there is a slight modification of this knot that is quite easy to learn and to make The modified knot will be the one described.
The shuttle is first wound by looping the cord over the tongue, as shown in [Fig. 4], then bringing it down to the forked end and up to the opening on the opposite side; then the cord is again looped over the tongue and returned to the fork or place of starting. Continue winding back and forth until the shuttle is full. The shuttle will accommodate from 20 to 35 complete rounds. If the shuttle is too full it crowds in passing through the meshes and delays the work.
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
The Shuttle is First Wound and the Long Loops at One End Formed over the Gauge Stick
Attach one of the galvanized rings by means of a short cord to the nail in the gauge board, as shown in [Fig. 2]. At a point 2 ft. from the lower edge of the ring, drive an eight-penny finishing nail, N. Tie the cord end of the shuttle to the ring, bring the shuttle down and around the nail N; then bring it back and pass it through the ring from the under side. The cord will then appear as shown. A part of the ring projects over the edge of the board to make it easier to pass the shuttle through. Draw the cord up tightly and put the thumb on top of the cord O, [Fig. 5], to prevent it from slipping back, then throw a loop of the cord to the left over the thumb and up over a portion of the ring and pass the shuttle under the two taut cords and bring it up between the thumb and the two cords, as shown. Draw the looped knot tight under the thumb. Slip the long loop off the nail N and tie a simple knot at the mark P. This last knot is tied in the long loop to prevent looseness. Proceed with the next loop as with the first and repeat until there are 30 long meshes.
