[Illustration]
The tools for making a hammock are—first, a “seine needle,” which
may be obtained at any fishing-tackle store, and, second, what is
called a mesh board. The needle is made of hard wood and of the shape
represented in illustration. The mesh board is simply a piece of common
wood about 6 inches long by 2 or 2½ inches wide, according to the size
of the mesh desired, and bevelled on one side, being one-half the
stretched measure of the mesh. Having provided yourself with the tools
as above, proceed as follows:
Take a piece of twine a foot or so long and tie the ends together,
making a loop on which to knit the first row of meshes, and hang it on
a hook or nail; then fill your needle by tying the end of the twine to
the pin in the middle of the needle, and carrying it around the notch
and back to the pin until the needle is full, being careful to turn the
needle over every time, so that both sides will be alike.
Tie the loose end of twine on the needle to the loop mentioned above,
and place the mesh board underneath close to the loop; then carry the
needle down under the board and up through the loop, drawing the twine
tight; place the thumb (the mesh board being held in the left hand) so
as to hold the twine in position on the edge of the mesh board, and
throw the bight (or slack) of the twine loosely towards the left, and
carry the needle under the right side of the loop and up on the left
side through the bight, and pull it down snugly.
The same operation should be repeated, with the exception of putting
the needle _between_ the loop and the bight, as it must be carried
_through_ the loop and the bight at the same time. In order to make
the knot more secure, it would be well to throw the bight again to the
left, and bring the needle up through the loop a second time, thus
making the knot double. This suggestion applies to the first row of
meshes only.
Continue this until you have a sufficient number of meshes for the
width of the hammock, 30 being the usual number; then slip the meshes
off the mesh board and allow them to hang from the twine on the needle;
then place the mesh board underneath, in the same manner as at first,
and repeat the original operation, putting the needle through the first
mesh instead of the loop, as in the first instance, and making the knot
as before. (See illustration.) Follow the meshes along in the same way,
until the hammock is the desired length. It is usual to make it about
six feet long when stretched for a full-sized hammock, and then to put
on each end strings about two feet long, reaching from each end mesh to
an iron ring about an inch and a half in diameter, to which the ropes
for swinging it are to be attached. These strings can be put on in the
same manner as the meshes are knit by simply substituting a piece of
board about 2 feet long and 3 or 4 inches wide for the mesh board and
using it lengthwise.