Figure 73. Netting technique (ta kupanga), first row. a, assistant holds length of slack judged sufficient to form upper halves of all meshes of first row; with slack in hand, he draws cord (1) taut under supporting cord (3) while principal netter, holding other end taut with needle, places appropriate gage (4) over cord; he spaces gage with left hand so that gage is same distance from supporting cord as its own depth; he turns netting cord up over lower edge of gage to form lower half of mesh (5) and keeps it in position on gage with left thumb; he then takes needle end of cord (2) over supporting cord, passes it under short end (1) from left to right and brings it back over supporting cord. b, netting end (2) drawn taut and assistant slacks off short end until it is brought down to upper edge of mesh gage in loop (6) which incidentally defines first mesh (7). c, netter places left thumb over crossing of loops and by pressing it against mesh gage prevents loop of mesh (7) from altering in size; he flicks netting cord to right to form large loop (8), takes needle across both limbs of upper loop (6) from right to left, brings needle back to right under both limbs of upper loop up through large left loop (8). d, netting needle drawn taut and netting knot (9) results in completion of first mesh (7); principle of forming individual meshes can now be followed; upper half of meshes formed by short length (i) held by assistant, its upper end defined by turn around supporting cord; lower half formed by cord attached to needle (2) and lower end defined by turn around lower edge of mesh gage; the two cords crossed in loops on upper edge of gage and fixed with netting knot.e, to form next mesh, netting cord turned to back of gage to follow procedure adopted with first mesh and brought up around lower edge of gage to form lower loop (5) which is held against gage with left thumb; short length (1) must now be brought down to upper edge of gage to form upper half of mesh; as, however, short length (1) now in front of supporting cord (3), needle must be passed under supporting cord and hooked over short length from left to right in order to loop short length over supporting cord. f, short length (1) drawn in loop (6) to meet upper edge of gage to define second mesh (8), crossing fixed with left thumb and netting knot made as in c; both limbs of upper loop (6) now under supporting cord (3), g, needle, after adjusting lower loop (5), passes above supporting cord as in a to bring upper loop (6) down to mesh gage and insure that upper half of mesh (9) looped around supporting cord (3); knot made. h, meshes as made, pushed to left on gage; netting needle passes alternately above (a) and below (e) supporting cord to hook down short length to form upper halves of meshes; after each knot, netting cord turned to back of gage and brought up under its lower edge to front; when gage becomes crowded, meshes on left pushed off; in this way full length of first row completed.