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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