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It is easy to net, as the saying is, "when you know how." The only art required is, in drawing up the loops to have them all exactly the same size. But simple as the operation is, it is difficult to describe. Your best teacher would be someone who has made fishing-nets with a longitudinal ball of twine for a mesh-needle and a lath for a mesh-stick. You will want a netting-needle first. A netting-needle or mesh-needle, as it is sometimes called, is a long piece of steel with eyes in both ends. A needle should never be wound too full, or it will be hard to handle. You also want a mesh-stick. These are of hone or ivory, and are both flat and round, tin- flat ones being especially adapted to the making of antique lace. Steel knitting-needles are often used for mesh-sticks when small loops are desired. The circumference of the mesh-stick, whether round or flat, is equal to two sides of the mesh; the size of tin mesh-stick decides tin size of the netting needle to be used Mesh-sticks are numbered by the actual measure around the stick, as 1-inch, 3/4-inch. or 3/8-inch. The i-inch mesh corresponds very well with the "lead-pencil" one often finds in directions. A i-inch mesh-stick makes a mesh one-half-inch square, and the same proportion is true of any other size that may be used.  Linen thread, spool or skein thread, is used for netting principally; but much of the circular netting is done with cotton spool thread. For the net a firmly twisted thread is to be desired, with the darning done with a soft floss which fills ir closely and smoothly. The general rules for making the stitches must first be learned. Netting is started from a foundation-loop, which may be discarded after the work is sufficiently advanced. Figure 1, showing the first position of the hands, illustrates the manner of attaching this foundation-loop by means of a small cushion secured to a table or other solid surface with a clamp. The work may be started from a pin through a curtain or table-cover, or into a heavy cushion, in lieu of the clamp. All that is positively required is a firm starting-point. It is even possible to start from the fingers. Given a starting-point, take the mesh-stick in the left hand, between the thumb and forefinger, with the other fingers extended under the stick. The working-thread should be tied through the foundation -loop. Take the needle (filled with the working-thread, whose end is tied through the foundation-loop) in the right hand. Pass the working-thread downward over the stick and throw it around the fingers in a loose loop, bringing it up on the outside of the fingers. Now lay the thread over the forefinger and under the thumb, towards the left, holding it tightly between the thumb and forefinger, as in Fig. 1, illustrating the first position of the hands. Now bring the thread down again back of the hand, and point the needle upward on the inside. Next pass the needle through the loose loop held around the fingers and also under the mesh-sticks; also, through the foundation-loop and above the thread held by the thumb. Figure 2 shows this second position the thumb, as follows: Put the thread tion of the hands. Draw the needle up over the stick and fingers, and the needle gradually until the thread forms a close through the loop, as for a plain loop; loop over the mesh - stick. Gradually 1 e t go the thread held by the thumb (Fig. 3, third position of hands), and draw the nee dle until the loop over the stick is held in place by a knot above the stick and on the foundation-loop. Only practise can teach you how to do this. Do not allow the knot to tighten until the loop forms over the stick the exact size desired.  To make a circular netting, as for a mat or crown of a bonnet, start on a long thread, as appears in Fig. 4 instead of a foundation-loop. Work the loops over a large mesh - stick. Make fourteen loops in the first row; then draw the thread up as tightly as possible, so as to form a ring, and fasten off. For the second row, fasten the thread to a loop and work one loop in each loop of the first row, using a small stick. All succeeding rows arc made over the small stick. To avoid fastening the thread anew for every row, make a loop over but before tightening the knot, pull the stick out of the loop just made and make this loop exactly as long as the loop above. The completed circle is shown at Fig. 5.  Netting is chiefly for background work, but it may be made somewhat ornamental of itself, as shown in centrepiece No. 154-4. A double loop may be made by putting the thread two or three times around the mesh-Stick. An oblong loop may be made by drawing the loop up not quite to the stick. A pretty, but simple, artistic effect can be gained by working different rows of different-sized loops, using different-sized sticks alternately. To make a Honeycomb loop: First make an oblong loop; then pass the thread around the fingers, somewhat as in plain netting, but not over the stick. Put the needle between the loops just made and not into the loop of the preceding row. Make the knot as in plain netting and draw up close to the stick. The two threads of the loop lie side by side on the stick. In this form of netting the loops are six-sided. The patterns which are used on the centrepiece and bonnet are made by simple darning. Instead of inserting; the piece in a large frame, as for square pieces, use an embroidery-hoop, or baste the piece to a stiff piece of paper.  Centrepiece No. 154-2
MATERIAL.—Number mo crochet cotton for netting, and No. 40 linen thread for darning. Two meshes are used. A knitting-needle No. u for small mesh and a half-inch bone mesh-stick for the large mesh. 1st round—Net 36 stitches, using large mesh. 2d round—Net 5 rows using small mesh. Next round Large mesh. Net one in every other stitch. Next round—Large mesh. Net four in every stitch. Next round—Small mesh. Net SIN rows. Next round—Repeat the openwork. Next round — Small mesh. Net nine rows. Next round —Repeat openwork. Next round - Small mesh. Xet nine rows. This completes the plain circle. Next make the points, dividing the stitches, so that there will be [8 points, and 16 stitches to start each point with. Darn as shown in design.
Baby's Bonnet No. 154-3
DIRECTIONS.— Begin with 28 stitches (st) on 1-inch mesh, next 4 rows on 3/8-inch mesh, next row on 1/2-inch mesh. next row, 5 st in every alternate st on 1 inch mesh, with 1 st in the st between, next 5 rows on 3/8-inch mesh, the next row on 1-inch mesh, and honeycomb over 3/8 inch mesh; next make 5 rows on 3/8 1-inch mesh, next row on i-inch mesh, work this row until within 20 st of end. then turn, the remainder of the work being done back and forth, next row, net 2 together on 1/2-inch mesh, turn, 1 row on 1/2-inch mesh, next row, 3 st in every 3d st with 2 st in each 2 st between next 4 rows on 3/8-inch mesh, next row on i-inch mesh and honeycomb over 3/8-inch mesh. Next 7 rows on 3/8-inch mesh, next row on 1-inch mesh, and honeycomb it with 3/8-inch mesh. Finish by making 3 rows on 3/8-inch mesh, working entirely around the bonnet.
DARNING. — The leaves around crown are worked over the cluster of 5 just like drawn-work, weave up to small st, then drop the 2 outside sts and work over the next row until you get to next, then drop 2 outside again, and continue in this way until you come to the point. The next darning is done over the long sts netted together. Begin on side toward front and weave every 3d cluster plain, as that has 3 sts, and on the 2 between fill in the one little mesh above. Make the opposite row the same. The little dots on the front are worked over single meshes, and may be very easily copied from the illustration. Centrepiece No. 154-4
MATERIALS.—Spool of thread No. 30, Netting-needle, steel knitting-needle No. 12, lead-pencil (large mesh).
 DIRECTIONS.—Net over Urge mesh 38 sts in loop; 3 rounds over needle. Next round — 2 sts in 1 over mesh; 4 rounds over needle; 1 round over mesh; 1 round over needle, draw left st through right, net, then net right st through left, making a twisted st ; _' rounds over needle; 1 round over mesh; 1 round over mesh, netting 3 sts into 2 sts taken together; 3 rounds over needle; 1 round, netting 2 sts in 1 over, mesh; 3 rounds over needle; 1 round over mesh; 1 round over needle, making a cross-stitch by netting first the left, then the right st; 1 more round over needle: I round with double thread over smaller mesh into every other st.
Steel knitting-needles, 2 cents each : bone mesh-sticks, I-inch, 3/4-inch, 1/2-inch, and 3/8-inch (measured around the stick), 30 cents per set of four. Steel netting-needles, sizes, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21, 10 cents each. Number 100 crochet cotton, 28 cents a ball, 2 balls for 55 cents; No. 40 linen thread, 15 cents a ball. Embroidery cotton, No. 6 or No. 10, for darning, 7 cents per skein; 70 cents per dozen skeins.
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DIRECTIONS.—Net over Urge mesh 38 sts in loop; 3 rounds over needle. Next round — 2 sts in 1 over mesh; 4 rounds over needle; 1 round over mesh; 1 round over needle, draw left st through right, net, then net right st through left, making a twisted st ; _' rounds over needle; 1 round over mesh; 1 round over mesh, netting 3 sts into 2 sts taken together; 3 rounds over needle; 1 round, netting 2 sts in 1 over, mesh; 3 rounds over needle; 1 round over mesh; 1 round over needle, making a cross-stitch by netting first the left, then the right st; 1 more round over needle: I round with double thread over smaller mesh into every other st.