This string figure, otherwise known as ‘Owl’s Net’ was first described Jayne in her seminal book of string figures from the turn of the 20th century. It was collected from Emma Jackson, an Indian from the Klamath tribe (California-Oregon border). I call it ‘Klamath Net.’

Forming the Loom

Begin with Opening A (fig. A).

First Klamath Weave (K-1)

Pass each thumb away from you over the near index string, pick up the far index string, and return. (fig. B).

Pass the tips of each index and middle finger down through the upper thumb loop and pinch between them the lower near thumb string (fig. C);

Draw this string through the upper thumb loop and place it on the back of each index by rotating the index-middle finger pair away from you and up — i call this “curling out the transverse string” (fig. D).

Drop both thumb loops and extend (fig. E).

Second Klamath Weave (K-2)

Pass each thumb away from you over the lower near index string and under all other strings (fig. F),

Then pick up the far little finger string and return (fig G).

Shifting the Loops

Drop the little finger loop (fig. H);

Transfer the thumb loop to the three lesser fingers (i.e., insert the middle, ring, and little fingers into the thumb loop from below, close the near thumb string to the palm, and withdraw the thumb, fig. I);

Transfer the upper index loop to the thumb (fig. J).

Fixing the Bottom

Without withdrawing the middle finger from the lesser fingers loop, pass each middle finger toward you under the index loop and insert it, from above, into thumb loop; curl the middle finger around the far thumb string (fig. K)

and draw it away from you through the lesser fingers loop; withdraw the ring-little fingers and close the middle finger to the palm; reinsert the ring-little fingers into the middle finger loop, closing the far middle finger string to the palm (fig. L).

Near each middle finger a loop surrounds the palmar string of each hand; the loop has an upper and a lower string (the latter being a transverse string); pass each middle finger toward you through this loop, then curl the middle finger around the lower string (fig. M),

drawing it away from you through the ring-little finger loop; drop the ring-little finger loop and reinsert these two fingers into the middle finger loop, closing the far middle finger string to the palm (fig. N).

Cleaning the Top

Withdraw the middle finger from the lesser fingers loop and insert it, from below, into the index loop (fig. O);

pinch the near thumb string between the tips of the index and middle fingers (fig. P),

and draw this string through the index-middle finger loop by rotating the index-middle finger pair away from you and up, thus placing the retrieved string on the back of each index (the index-middle finger loop slips off as you return, fig. Q).

Drop the thumb loop and extend to complete the figure. To help you compare this figure with the Inuit and Navaho Nets, withdraw the ring finger from its loop, leaving the figure extended on the index and little fingers only (fig. R).

In practice, I use a less awkward method for doing the First Klamath Weave: First, I pass each thumb over the near index string and close it to the palm; then with the tip of each index I push the far index string towards my body, over all the strings, then i use my index and middle fingers to “curl out” the near thumb string; at this point I drop the thumb loop and extend.

extended discussion of the klamath net figure

the klamath net from the viewpoint of the maker

things to consider

be sure you keep in mind what constitutes weave K-1 and weave K-2