HOLDING THE HOOK. 65 



the amount required by pulling the hands thus, alternately working 

 them backwards and forwards. (The hook or stiletto must be smooth for 

 the silk to have free play, as the looped end has round the little finger. 

 No mischief follows this sawing motion of the hands when the silk is 

 allowed to work loosely behind the hook.) Place, as before, the second 

 portion round the hook, thus giving another pair of reins into the grasp 

 of the left hand. Break off the silk close to the reel, but do not relax 

 your left grip, or the ends will untwist. As the lengths lie close, side by 

 side, first wax the part nearest to your fingers to prevent any further 

 danger from untwisting, then wax the rest from the other end, and snip 

 the lengths across at each end with the scissors. 



Simple as the operation of waxing is, the pressure put on the pad, 

 together with a light, quick, lifting motion to prevent adhesion fore and 

 aft, cannot be assured until the novice has had a little practice. This is 

 worth learning, if only to secure the strength of the silk. Besides, you 

 will have four lengths ready for use. 



How TO HOLD THE HOOK PROPERLY. Take in the left thumb and 

 forefinger a hook, No. 1J " Eedditch " scale, which, as a convenient size, 

 we may adopt for a standard throughout the course of instruction. The 

 illustration of "THE STOP" will convey a fair idea of the general position 

 of the fore-finger and thumb in grasping the hook. (The middle finger 

 need only be advanced in making THE STOP ; in merely grasping the 

 hook, it will fall back naturally in reserve.) Attention, however, is called 

 to the particular parts of the fore-finger and thumb, in immediate con- 

 tact with which the hook is held fixed viz., the top of the ball of the 

 thumb against the edge of the ball of the forefinger. 



This position secures a firm grip of the hook, and, at the same time, 

 gives ready access to that intervention of the middle finger-tip (or, rather, 

 the edge of that tip), which is called " putting on THE STOP." 



HOW TO SET IN " A LENGTH OF TYING-SILK. 



Maintaining with the left hand the grasp of the hook, as shown in the 

 picture of " THE STOP," lay one end of the silk between the ball of the 

 fore-finger and thumb of the same hand. With the right forefinger and 

 thumb take the tying-silk four inches from the shank, and proceed to make 



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