HOW TO MAKE A HAMMOCK.
UNDERNEATH the spreading branches of the cool, shady tree swings our
hammock.
Through the intertwining boughs the golden sunlight is sifted in bright
little dashes on the leafy foliage below. Lying ensconced in its lacy
meshes idly listening to the hum of the busy bumble-bees at work among
the red clover, or gazing up through the leafy canopy to the blue
heavens where now and then fleecy white clouds float softly past, or
watching a flight of birds skim o’er the distant horizon, who would
not be lulled by the harmony of the summer day! A delightful languor
steals over us and we unconsciously drift into the land of dreams where
perfect rest is found. We awaken refreshed, to again gently swing back
and forth and vaguely wonder who could have first thought of this
most delightful invention. It is said that we owe the luxury to the
Athenian, General Alcibiades, who, in 415 B.C. first made the swinging
bed. The word hammock is taken from hamacas or hamac, an Indian
word which Columbus relates as being used by the Indians to signify
a hanging bed composed of netting. What these uncivilized red men
made with their rude implements, we ought to be able with our modern
facilities to accomplish very easily and quickly.
[Illustration: Home-made Comforts.]
[Illustration: Mesh-sticks.]
It is not difficult to make a hammock; anyone can soon knit one that is
strong and comfortable, and it should not cost more than fifty cents.
The materials required will be one hammock-needle about nine inches
long (this can be whittled out of hickory or ash, or purchased for ten
cents); two iron rings two and one-half inches in diameter, which will
cost about five cents each; two mesh-sticks or fids, one twenty inches
long and eight inches wide bevelled on both edges (Fig. 98): the other
nine inches long and two and one-half inches wide, bevelled on the long
edge (Fig. 99); these you can easily make yourself from any kind of
wood.
[Illustration: Fig. 100.—Hammock Needle.]
[Illustration: Fig. 101.—The Loop.]
[Illustration: Fig. 102.—Small Fid and Loop.]
One pound of Macremé cord number twenty-four, or hammock twine of the
same number, which can be had for less than thirty cents; colored cord
comes five cents extra.
Wind the cord in balls, as it is then more convenient to handle, and
begin making your hammock. First, thread the needle by taking it in the
left hand and using the thumb to hold the end of the cord in place,
while looping it over the tongue (Fig. 100); pass the cord down under
the needle to the opposite side and catch it over the tongue; repeat
this until the needle is full.
[Illustration: Fig. 103.—First Half of Knot.]
[Illustration: Fig. 104.—Construction of Knot.]
[Illustration: Fig. 105.—A Number of Knots.]
Next, make a loop of a piece of cord two yards long and fasten this to
any suitable place (Fig. 101)—a door-knob will do very well; then tie
the cord on your needle three inches from the end to this loop. Place
the small fid under the cord, the bevelled edge close to the loop
(Fig. 102). With your thumb on the cord to hold it in place while you
pass the needle around the fid, and with its point toward you, pass it
through the loop from the top, bringing it over the fid, so forming the
first half of the knot (Fig. 103). Pull this taut, holding it in place
with your thumb while throwing the cord over your hand, which forms
the loop as in (Fig. 104). Then pass the needle from under through
the loops, drawing it tight to fasten the knot. Hold it in place with
your thumb, and repeat the operation for the next knot. Fig. 105 shows
a number of these knots finished. A is a loosened knot, making plain
its construction. B, in Figs. 103, 104, and 105, is the cord running
to the needle, and D is the fid. When thirty meshes are finished shove
them off the fid (Fig. 106), as this number will make the hammock
sufficiently wide.
[Illustration: Fig. 106.—Meshes.]
[Illustration: Fig. 107.—Commencing the Second Row.]
Commence the next row by again placing the fid under the cord, and take
up the first mesh, drawing it close to the fid; hold it in place with
your thumb while throwing the cord over your hand; pass the needle
on the left hand-side of the mesh from under through the loop thrown
over your hand (Fig. 107); pull this tight and you will have tied the
common knitting-knot; proceed in like manner with all the loops in
rotation until the row is finished. When it is necessary to thread or
fill your needle, tie the ends of the cord with the fisherman’s knot
shown in Fig. 108, which cannot slip when properly tightened. Wrap each
end of the cord from the knot securely to the main cord with strong
thread to give a neat appearance to the hammock.
[Illustration: Fig. 108.—Fisherman’s Knot.]
Continue knitting until thirty rows are finished.
Then use the large fid, knitting one row on the short side first, next
one on the long side. This accomplished, knit the meshes to the ring
by passing the needle through it from the top, knitting them to the
ring in rotation as if they were on the mesh-stick or fid (Fig. 109).
When finished tie the string securely to the ring, and one end of your
hammock is finished.
Cut the loop on which the first row was knitted, and draw it through
the knots. Tie the end of the cord on your needle to the same piece
used in fastening the end of the first needleful to the loop (Fig.
110), and knit the long meshes to the other ring as described. This
completed, the hammock is finished.
[Illustration: On the Ring.]
[Illustration: _Fig. 110_]
To swing it, secure two pieces of strong rope and fasten them firmly
to the iron rings, the length of the rope depending upon the space
between the two points from which you wish it to hang. These should be
if possible twelve or fifteen feet apart and at least ten feet high, to
give your hammock sufficient room to swing freely.
This suspended bed will furnish a welcome retreat when the weather is
too warm to admit of games, walks, or other amusements. Then, with some
favorite book, or if even reading is too much of an exertion, simply to
lie indolently in the hammock is a comfort, so restful and quiet that
the time quickly passes, and we are made better and brighter for our
short, passive repose.
Very decorative nets, and useful ones of many kinds, including
fish-nets and minnow-seines, are made with the same stitch as that used
in the hammock. The size of the mesh is regulated by the circumference
of the fid, and the twine used is fine or coarse, according to the
style of net desired.
=Barrel Hammock.=
When in the Catskills last summer the writer saw for the first time a
hammock made of a barrel. It was painted red and looked very cheery
and inviting hanging under the green boughs; the two colors, being
complementary, harmonized beautifully.
This hammock was made of a piece of strong rope twenty feet long
threaded in and out of barrel staves, and was substantial and durable.
The construction of such a hammock is very simple. Remove the top
and bottom hoops and nails from a firm, clean barrel. Then before
taking off the remaining hoops draw a pencil-line around both ends of
the barrel, being careful to have the marking three inches from and
parallel to the edges; this is for a guide when making the two holes
in each end of all the staves. Bore the holes with a five-eighth of
an inch augur or a red-hot poker, using the pencil-line as a centre;
leave an equal margin on both sides of the staves, and at the same time
enough space in the centre to preclude all danger of breakage.
[Illustration]
Fasten the staves together by threading the rope through the hole from
the out side of the first stave, then across the inside of the stave
down through the other hole (see illustration). Continue threading
until one side is finished, then in like manner thread the other side.
Knock off the remaining hoops and the staves will appear as shown at
bottom of illustration. Tie the two ends of the rope together and
fasten loops of rope on both ends; these should be of sufficient length
to conveniently swing the hammock. When threading the staves let the
rope be loose enough to leave a space of an inch or so between each
stave when the barrel is spread out in the form of a hammock.
In this way you can have a serviceable hammock, the cost of which will
be about twenty-five cents and a little labor.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: Grandmamma’s Dolls.]