Repeat this until you have only 8 st.i.tches left on the instep and 8 on back needles, 16 in all.

Slip the back 8 st.i.tches on one needle, knit the back and front needles together, casting off at the same time.

STOCKING, NO. 1.--PLAIN TOP

Cast on same number of st.i.tches as for fancy top.

Rib, by k 1, p 1 alternately, or k 3, p 3 alternately a length of six inches from casting on. You do not need with plain top to turn your stocking inside out, as both sides are alike. Arrange your st.i.tches as directed for "stocking leg," and follow out the pattern.

STOCKING, NO. 2

_Required._--4 needles No. 12, 2 cuts of blue speckled Alloa yarn, cut of blue Alloa yarn, cut of tan-coloured ditto.

K stands for knit, p for purl.

_With speckled Wool._--Cast on 77 st.i.tches, 28 on two, 21 on the third needle. The rib throughout the stocking is knit 5, purl 2.

Work 6 rounds of this rib, k 5, p 2.

_Blue Wool._--One round plain knitting.

2nd round.--The rib, k 5, p 2. Each time you change the wool the 1st round must be plain knitting, the other rounds are ribbed. Don't break off the different coloured wool until told to do so.

_Tan Wool._--Seven rounds. Recollect to knit all 1st round.

_Speckled Wool._--Two rounds.

_Blue Wool._--Nine rounds.

_Speckled Wool._--Two rounds.

_Tan Wool._--Seven rounds.

_Blue Wool._--Two rounds.

Now break off all the wools, excepting the speckled.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_Speckled Wool._--Rib until your stocking measures, from casting on, _six_ inches. To make your stocking top fall over correctly, you must now turn your work inside out and continue the rib until your stocking measures, from casting on, _nine_ inches. Be careful after you have turned it to knit 5 over the knitted st.i.tches, and to purl over the 2 purled ones.

_Increasing for Calf_

Directions are only given for the _back_ needle, where the increasing is made. Follow the usual ribbing in the rounds.

Back needle. 1st round.--This must be a needle with 28 st.i.tches on it.

(See directions for _raising_ in general directions.) K 5, p 2, k 5, p 1, raise 1, p 1, _etc._ By _etc._ understand is meant _continue the usual rib_.

2nd round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 3, etc.

3rd round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 1, raise 1, p 2, etc.

4th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 4, etc.

5th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, raise 1, p 2, etc.

6th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 1, p 2, etc.

7th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, raise 1, k 1, p 2, etc.

8th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 2, p 2, etc.

9th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 1, raise 1, k 1, p 2, etc.

10th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 3, p 2, etc.

11th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 2, raise 1, k 1, p 2, etc.

12th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 4, p 2, etc.

13th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 3, raise 1, k 1, p 2, etc.

14th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, etc.

15th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 4, raise 1, k 1, p 2, etc.

16th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 6, p 2, etc.

17th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 5, raise 1, k 1, p 2, etc.

18th round.--K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, k 7, p 2, etc.

Repeat 18th round until your stocking measures, from casting on, 12 inches. You will have 37 st.i.tches on your _back_ needle.

_Decreasing_

This is done every other round. In the _intermediate_ rounds follow the ribbing as usual, and where the decreasing has been made knit, if over knitted st.i.tches, purl when over-purled.

1st round.--Back needle. K 5, p 2, k 5, p 2, knit 2 together, k 5, etc.