Inuit Net

This figure is part of North American Indian Net System.

Forming the Loom
Begin with OA (fig. A).

First Inuit Weave (I-1)
Pass each thumb away from you over the near index string and under the far index string.

Then pick up the near little finger string and return (fig. B).



Pass each middle finger toward you over both index strings and down through the upper thumb loop (i call this “dipping into the well”).

Then pick up the lower far thumb string and return (fig. C).

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



Second Inuit Weave (I-2)
Pass each thumb away from you over the near index string and under all other strings (fig. E).

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



Shifting the Loops
Drop the index loop (fig. G).

Transfer the middle finger loop to the little finger (fig. H)



Transfer both little finger loops to the index, maintaining their relative order (fig. I).

Transfer the thumb loop to the ring and little finger (i.e., insert the ring and little finger into the thumb loop from below, close the near thumb string to the palm, and withdraw the thumb, fig. J).



Fixing the Bottom
Pass each thumb under both index loops and away from you through the ring-little finger loop (I call this “passing through the hole”).

Then pass the thumb up behind the strings and insert it, from below, into the upper index loop (fig. K)

With each thumb hook down the upper far index string and draw it down through the ring-little finger loop (i.e., “through the hole”) until the thumb is below the far little finger string (fig. L).



Then with each thumb pick up the far little finger string and draw it through the loop on each thumb, which slips off as you return (fig. M).

Drop the ring-little finger loop and extend (fig. N).



Cleaning the Top
Transfer the thumb loop to the little finger (i.e., insert the little finger into the thumb loop from below, close the near thumb string to the palm, and withdraw the thumb, fig. O).

Transfer both index loops to the thumb, maintaining their relative order (fig. P). Again, you may use only the little finger, or the ring and little fingers, or the middle, ring, and little fingers here, whatever you are comfortable with.



Insert each index, from above, into the upper and lower thumb loops (fig. Q), pick up the lower near thumb string, and draw it through the upper thumb loop (fig. R, I call this “kicking away” the string).



Then curl the tip of each index around the upper near thumb string (it may be helpful to pinch it with middle fingures), drawing this string away from you and up through the index loop, which slips off (fig. S).

Drop both thumb loops and extend to complete the figure (fig. T).



Videos by James R. Murphy
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The video above is forming the inuit net from the viewpoint of the maker of the figure. The video below is an extended discussion of forming the inuit net.

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Other Videos
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