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Needles for Making Nets

Four hand-crafted tools made of thin pieces of wood, lying on black fabric. They consist of three needles with a rounded point for knitting fishing nets and a small square object that serves as a mesh gauge.

Private collection

In the past, nets were often hand-knitted or knotted by the members of a fisher’s family. The needles and gauges used for this purpose were also made by hand. Today, nets are made by machine.

Before the invention of nylon in 1935, net-making twine was made of natural fibre. Indigenous people used Indian hemp, nettle and linden to make their nets.