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Mondano
Mondano is the period name for knotted fishnet (there is
another form of netting, buratto, which is discussed
under Tools. Making net,
whether you're making the finest silk lacis, hemp
fishnet, or the heaviest rope hammock, is done the same
with, with the same single stitch, the netting stitch (or
mondano stitch, if you prefer)
This process doesn't really have a left-handed or
right-handed version that I've been able to find. I'm
left-handed myself, and this is how I do the stitch; one
of my right-handed friends does it identically. But if
you can reverse the process, I'd be glad to see your
results.
Note: You have to RELAX!!!! This stitch won't work if
your fingers are stiff. The shuttle (and threads and
gauge) should lie gently in your hands. When you find
yourself muscling up on them, take a second to get a deep
breath, and will yourself to relax.
Step One: Fill your shuttle. this is
done by feeding the thread along the shuttle's length,
going from notch to notch, until it is filled, and looks
something like the picture. A word of caution: you do not
want to overfill the shuttle. The diameter of the filled
shuttle should not be larger than the diameter of your
chosen mesh gauge. Otherwise, it won't pass through the
meshes during the stitching process.
Step
Two: An anchor loop is attached to the netting
pillow. An anchor loop isn't complicated: cut a lengh of
thread, maybe eight inches long, tie it into a loop with
a sturdy knot, and anchor it to your pillow (a safety pin
works as well as a button; used one successfully for
years). Now, tie the end of your shuttle thread to the
loop. Use a firm knot, tight as you can comfortably
manage; it's going to endure some tugging, and you don't
want it pulling loose.
Step Three: Take the gauge in your left
hand, as shown in the picture. It should be held gently,
as though it were a fork or a pencil in your hand. Again,
the fingers and wrist should be relaxed. Now, take up the
shuttle
in your right hand, and guide the trailing thread --
which is tied to your anchor loop -- over the top of the
mesh gauge, pulling until the anchor loop knot is resting
against the gauge. You can put your left thumb on that
knot for stability, if it is comfortable.
Step Four: This step feels awkward the
first few times you do it; it looks distressingly similar
to threading a movie projector. However, repitition will
make it easy; I myself, do it so unconsciously by now
that I have trouble describing it.
Your left hand is going to be the heddle of a loom. To do
that, open your finger slightly, taking care not to drop
the mesh gauge. Follow the drawing to make your shed:
guide the thread down to the ring finger, then
back up behind and up to the index finger, where the
thread goes over and falls behind to your pinkie. Loop
the thread once around your pinkie. If you have some
dexterity (some find it un-comfy), close your pinkie
alone; this is a crucial loop, and if you drop it, you'll
likely lose control of the knot. Closing the pinkie is a
bulwark against that possibility.
Step Five: Guide the shuttle behind the
mesh gauge (be careful of your trailing tail; it has to
go behind as well), but over all of your shed. Put the
shuttle through the anchor loop, and pull it through.
Then put it through the loop on your index finger, and
pull it through (with practice, it is possible to do both
of these in one smooth motion). Bring the shuttle back
toward you, until the trailing thread is lying on top of
the mesh gauge again.
Step Six: Closing the Knot: Throughout
this step, you should be pulling steadily and gently on
the shuttle thread. there's no need to jerk on the
thread, or to pull it so tight that your fingers are
strangled; you're only taking up the slack.
Carefully pull your middle and ring fingers out of the
shed, and gently take up the slack. the thread should now
close around the mesh gauge, in a loop. when the slack is
drawn up, drop the loop on your index finger. Again, take
up the slack.
Now drop the pinkie loop. Very gently draw up the slack
until the knot closes. Give it a GENTLE tug, to set the
knot firmly.
Congratulations! You have made your first mesh! If you
have done it correctly, a loop of thread should be
comfortably snug around your gauge, and two knots sit
beside each other on the anchor loops. You can take out
the mesh gauge, and the loop will stay firm.
I have a tiny little video clip of me doing a little
netting. It's not the best quality, and from a bad angle,
but it's here if you would like to see it: CLICK HERE
FOR VIDEO CLIP
TROUBLESHOOTING
1. "I only did one knot, but there are two
loops on my gauge"
Your
shuttle's trailing thread was caught on the mesh gauge
when you started to make the knot. When you pull the mesh
gauge out, your loop will collapse, because the knot did
not form. Look to Step Five.
2. "I did all the steps, but no knot
formed."
You
missed feeding the shuttle through one of the loops. Look
to step Five: the shuttle passes
through first the anchor loop, then through the index
finger loop.
3. "My loop is fine, but it's loose on the
mesh gauge."
Your
tension was not smooth and steady. Pull all the while on
the shuttle's trailing thread through steps 5 and 6.
Don't jerk on it, but don't let it go slack either.
The Second Row
So, you've done 2 or 10 or 110 loops onto your anchor
loop. Now it's time to do the next row. All the other
rows after the first are done the same way as the second.
First, pull the mesh gauge out of your finished first
row. Don't be scared, it's okay. Now turn the thing over,
so that your last loops is on the far left. All mesh is
worked from left to right.
you're going to use the same technique to do the second
row, as you did for all the first row. The only
difference? Instead of feeding the shuttle through the
anchor loop in step Five, you're going to feed it
through the left-most loop of Row One. This first loop on
Row two will look a good deal longer than the others.
that's to be expected, as it's coming down twice as far
(all the way past Row One) to get to Row Two.
Don't worry, you haven't made a mistake.
The second stitch goes in the next loop (this one will
not look too long), and so on, until there is a new loop
knotted in each loop of the previous row.
To do a third row, turn your work over, so the last
stitch is on the left, and repeat the steps again, across
the mesh. The same with Row Four, Five, and so on.
Increases and Decreases
There are times, obviously, when you want to change the
number of stitches on the row. It's very simply done.
Decreases: two loops of the previous row are caught in
Step Five. Increases: Two stitches are made in
the same loop of the previous row.
Finishing:
What you have been doing so far is diagonal mesh, where
the loops fall into little diamonds. there is one little
trick to diagonal mesh that is not obvious while you're
working it. That is, it is only half as long as it is
wide. That means, to make a square that is six inches by
six inches, you may cast on 30 stitches (depending on
your mesh gauge). But you will have to work 60 rows in
order to get a mesh that is the same
length on all sides.
When you
have worked all the rows you're wanting on this project,
you finish the bottom edge merely by cutting away the
shuttle thread, and pulling the mesh gauge out. that's
it; there's no special stitch to cast off. You'll still
want to free it from the anchor thread, however. Cut your
anchor loop, and gently pull it out of the first row of
knots. It should slide out, however reluctantly.
TROUBLESHOOTING (part Deux)
1. "How do I refill my shuttle?"
Always
try to make your thread changes at the end of the row. It
doesn't hurt to break the thread between meshes, and
there are times you will want to do that on purpose. But
for most cases, restricting your breaks/thread changes to
the end of the row makes for a tider looking mesh.
Keep an eye on the thread in your shuttle, and when it
looks like you're about out, stop at the end of the row
you're on. Cut thread, leaving a good couple inches of
thread still hanging on the mesh edge. Now, clear your
shuttle of any remaining thread, and refill it as before.
Go back to where your tail of thread is hanging on the
mesh edge. In the loop where the last knot was formed,
thread your shuttle through that, and tie a good firm
knot with your shuttle thread. Trim the two tails back
(leave about an inch hanging, for the time being), and
turn and mesh as before. Your first stitch with the new
thread may look rather long, but that's normal and won't
show when you're finished.
If you have to make a break in the middle of a row,
either on purpose, because you had to make a repair, or
you ran out of thread, it's done the same way. Knot your
new thread above the last completed knot -- making
sure that your knot is quite firm, and that the tails are
trimmed, not too close -- and continue as before.
2. "I skipped a stitch half a row back. Do I
have to start over?"
No! One
of the nicest things about mondano is that mistakes can
be resolved with a little patience and judicious
application of your scissors. Cut your shuttle thread
away, as close to the knot as is safe, and lay it aside.
Now, carefully cut the loops one by one, until you reach
your error. If you cut very close to the knots, and tug
gently, often the knots will come loose, leaving no
evidence behind (a sharp, fine needle, gently applied,
can help encourage it to come loose). If the knot is just
too stubborn, that's okay; make sure the tails on that
knot are cut very close, and leave it where it is; it
won't interfere with your stitching, and shouldn't be
obvious (except on close examination, usually by another
netter).
On your last loop, the one just before your error, tie
your shuttle thread back in here (see "How do I
refill my shuttle?") and keep going as before,
correcting your error as you go.
[The
information and images on this website are Copyright of
Lady Cecilia Bartoletti (June). You may make a copy and
use any information contained herein for personal use
only, or for SCA documentation purposes. Unauthorised
publication is not permitted.]
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