I was taught how to make nets by a blind fisherman* who had spent a life in the trade and with the craft. This would sound better if I didn't forget how it's done in between sessions and have to look it up in "Svenskt Husmoders Lexikon" (Swedish Houswife's Dictionary) from 1952. The basic operations are his though, and when the memory is refreshed I have to say his method is better.
Making fishing nets was a chore for the winter, when the kids, who had smaller and lither fingers, worked with baltic herring nets (baltic herring is quite small), and the grown ups worked with, well, pike nets. For my own part I make nets in the spring, since this is an easy way to make lightweight trellises from stuff I have at home. Sometimes they don't work as well as I want them too, but I hope this one will be the ultimate jungle gym for the indian spinach. The spinach has a terrifying way of suddenly sprout several long creepers ("They weren't there yesterday! I swear!") that twist themselves around the tomato support. Since stringclimbing seems to be its big pleasure in life, who am I to deny it?
I've got some wild plans for the balcony too. Every competitor in the climbing race is to be provided with a climbing net, and I hope to have time to make a net for the roof of the pergola to make it possible for the plants to form a shadowing roof in the end. They'll probably not make it as far, since the balcony is windy above the wind shields and the plants won't like it. I got a backup in the form of special made sun screens (and I'll piece them together any day soon...), but untill summer is here I'll dream about a green roof with been pods and watermelons.
*I hope my father in law forgives me for this description. He was kind enough to give me his tools - they weren't needed as much when nylon nets were introduced on the market, and ever since the family farm was sold trellises are the only things they are used for.
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