Handbook of Wool Knitting and Crochet.

by Anonymous.

A Lesson in Knitting

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 1. Casting on with Two Needles]

The first thing to be done in knitting is to cast on or, as it is sometimes called, to "set up the foundation." (Figure 1). There are several methods for this, the following being that preferred and generally used by the writer: Leave a spare end of thread, sufficient for the number of st.i.tches you wish to cast on, lying toward the left, the spool or ball from which the working-thread is drawn being at the right. Lay the thread between the little finger and the third of the left hand; bring the working-thread across the palm of the hand, around the thumb and back between the forefinger and second finger; bend the forefinger over this thread (which pa.s.ses between it and the second finger), pa.s.s it under the thread which crosses the palm of the hand, and then draw the forefinger back, or straighten it, which will give you a loop with crossed threads. Put the needle under the lower part of this loop, which draws from the ball, bring the working-thread (or ball-thread) around the point of needle from right to left, as in plain knitting, draw it back through the loop, slip off the latter, and draw up the left thread. Then proceed to make the crossed loop and knit it off in the same way for the next and following st.i.tches. The whole operation is very simple, although the instructions seem long because explicit. Take your needle and yarn or thread and follow them through carefully, and you will very soon master the "crossed casting on."

Another method, preferred by many and practically the same in effect, except that the edge is not quite so firm, is as follows: Loop the thread around the left forefinger, holding the spare end between thumb and second finger, pa.s.s the needle upward through the loop, pa.s.s the thread around the point, draw back through the loop, slip off the latter and pull up the spare thread. By pa.s.sing the needle under the loop, or lower thread, instead of through it, bringing it back through, and then knitting off, you will really get the crossed loop, and many find this method easier than the first. The thread used in casting on may be doubled, particularly for beginning a stocking, mitten, or any article where much wear comes.

Casting on may also be done with two needles, and many like this method when there are many st.i.tches. Twist a loop around the needle held in the left hand, bring the end of thread, or spare thread, to the front, crossing the working-thread to hold it in place--or, if preferred, simply tie a slip-knot and put the loop on the left needle; insert the right needle through this loop from left to right, put thread around point of right needle and draw through the loop, bringing the right needle again in front of left. Thus far, the process is quite like that of plain knitting. Keeping the right needle still in the new st.i.tch or loop, transfer the st.i.tch to the left needle by bringing the latter in front and putting the point through the loop from front to back, leaving the right needle in place for the next st.i.tch; the loops are not slipped off, as in knitting plain, but transferred, so that all are kept on the needle. A little practise will enable one to cast on thus very rapidly and evenly.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 2. Knitting Plain]

The plain knitting (Figure 2), is done as follows: Having cast on the requisite number of st.i.tches, insert the right needle through the front of left needle from left to right, the right needle pa.s.sing behind the left; carry the thread around point of right needle and bring it down between the two needles, then draw the point of right needle back and through the st.i.tch, forming the new st.i.tch on right needle and letting the other slip off the left, pushing down the point of left needle to facilitate this process; repeat until all the st.i.tches are knitted off and the row is complete. Where there are edges to be joined, as in knitting back and fronts of a sweater, it is a good plan to slip the first st.i.tch of each row.

Right here a suggestion about the method of holding the thread may be of value: By the first method the thread is carried over the little finger of right hand, under second and third fingers and over the tip of the forefinger, which should be held close to the work; it is this finger which pa.s.ses the thread over point of right needle for the new st.i.tch.

By another method the thread is carried over the left forefinger, under second and third and over the little finger, exactly as it is held for crocheting: insert the right needle through 1st st.i.tch on left needle in usual way, push it over the thread on left forefinger, and draw this back through the st.i.tch with the point of right needle. Only the needle is held in the right hand, and many workers claim that the work is much more rapidly done.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 3. Purling]

The purl- or seam-st.i.tch (Figure 3) is the exact reverse of plain knitting, both as to method of work and appearance, being in reality the wrong side of plain knitting. In the latter the thread is kept at the back of the work; for purling, bring it to the front between the two needles. Put the point of right needle through the front of 1st st.i.tch on left needle from right to left, the right needle being thus brought in front of the left; pa.s.s the thread around the front of right needle from right to left and back between needles, then push down the point and draw the loop backward through the st.i.tch, instead of forward, as in plain knitting, the right needle being thus brought behind the left.

Slip off the old st.i.tch as usual, and take care to return the thread to its place at the back before beginning to knit plain again.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 4. Garter-St.i.tch, or Ridge-St.i.tch]

Garter-st.i.tch, so called (Figure 4) is simply plain knitting back and forth, which gives the effect of ridges, one row knit, the next purled.

This is a st.i.tch much used for sweaters, and other knitted garments. If one wishes to have the right side appear as in plain knitting, the 1st row must be knitted plain, the next purled. Since one is the reverse of the other, the right side will be plain knitting, the wrong side purled.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 5. The Double Rib]

The rib-st.i.tch is alternately plain and purled. To knit the single rib, * knit 1, purl 1; repeat. For double rib, (Figure 5,) * knit 2, purl 2; repeat; and for triple-rib, * knit 3, purl 3; repeat. Any width of rib may be made that is liked, always taking care--unless knitting in rounds, as a wristlet, mitten or stocking--to knit the st.i.tches purled on the preceding row, and purl the knitted ones. There are a large variety of fancy patterns made by combining plain knitting and purling, such as the basket-st.i.tch and others, of even or broken "check."

There are many variations of the simplest st.i.tches; for example, the common garter-st.i.tch gives a particularly good effect if knitted from the back. Put the needle in from right to left, through the back part of the st.i.tch to be knitted; leave the thread behind the needle, then pa.s.s it from right to left over the needle and draw it through the st.i.tch, allowing the latter to slip off as in plain knitting. In this st.i.tch the two threads of the loop are crossed, instead of lying side by side as in plain knitting.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 6. Making "Overs"]

"Overs" (Figure 6) are used in all lace patterns, and many times in fancy designs for wool knitting. To make an "over" bring the thread before the needle as if to purl, then knit the next st.i.tch plain as usual. This brings a loop over the needle, which in the next row is to be knitted as any st.i.tch, thus increasing the number of st.i.tches in the row. In case it is not desired to increase the st.i.tches, one must narrow, by knitting two st.i.tches together, once for every "over." If a larger hole is wanted, the thread is put twice over the needle, and in the following one of these loops is knitted, the other purled.

To "purl-narrow," or purl two together, bring the thread to the front as for purling, then to form the extra st.i.tch, carry the thread back over the needle and to the front again; then insert the right needle through two st.i.tches instead of one, and knit them as one st.i.tch. "f.a.got" is an abbreviation frequently used for this.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 7. Binding Off]

To slip and bind, slip 1st st.i.tch from left needle to the right needle, without knitting it; knit next st.i.tch, then draw the st.i.tch on right needle over the knitted one, letting it fall between needles. To slip, narrow and bind, slip first st.i.tch, knit next two together, and draw the slipped st.i.tch over. To cast off or bind off, (Figure 7,) slip 1st st.i.tch, knit next, draw slipped st.i.tch over, knit next st.i.tch, draw the previous knitted st.i.tch over, and continue, taking care that the chain of st.i.tches thus cast off be neither too tight nor too loose, but just as elastic as the remainder of the work.

A Sleeveless Sweater

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Sleeveless Sweater]

A sleeveless sweater, as pretty as it is comfortable, requires six skeins of Shetland floss and a pair of No. 5 amber needles. Pink floss was chosen for the model, but any preferred color may be subst.i.tuted.

Cast on 85 st.i.tches; knit in basket-st.i.tch, as follows:

1. * Knit 5, purl 5; repeat across, ending with knit 5.

2. Purl 5, knit 5; repeat across, ending with purl 5.

Repeat these two rows twice, making 6 rows in all; then to change the check knit 7th row like 2d, 8th like 1st, repeat twice, and again change the check by repeating from 1st row. Continue until the border is five checks deep, or 30 rows.

Knit across plain and purl back for 84 rows; narrow 1 st.i.tch each side every other row, three times, for the armhole, leaving 79 st.i.tches on your needle, and giving 89 rows from the border. Knit across plain and purl back for 38 rows; putting these st.i.tches on a large safety-pin for convenience, knit 31, bind off 17 st.i.tches for neck, and on the remaining 31 st.i.tches, knit 6 rows back and forth, or 3 ribs, to give the effect of a seam on the shoulder. Continue the front, knitting across and purling back, adding a st.i.tch toward the front each time to make the neck V-shaped, for 38 rows; then add 1 st.i.tch at the armhole, and next row cast on 8 st.i.tches for underarm. Do not widen further toward the front, but continue knitting forward and purling back for 85 rows; then make the border of 30 rows, five checks wide, to correspond with the back, and bind off. Knit the other front to correspond.

Pick up the st.i.tches around armhole, 80 in all, and knit 5, purl 5 for 6 rows, making an edge of checks; bind off. Pick up the st.i.tches on front, to the center of back of neck, about 175 in all, make a row of checks to correspond with the arm, and bind; work a border in the same way on other side of front, and sew neatly at back of neck, also join the underarm seams, taking care to match the checks of the border perfectly.

For the belt: Cast on 25 st.i.tches, and proceed as directed for the border until you have the desired length; the belt ill.u.s.trated is 42 checks long. Across one end crochet 3 chain loops, filling these with doubles, and sew to the other end three pearl b.u.t.tons to match. The belt is caught along the top in the back, giving the short-waisted effect.

Costume for the Winter-Girl

[Ill.u.s.tration: Costume for the Winter-Girl]

Materials: Thirteen skeins of Shetland floss (dark rose was used for the model, but any preferred color may be subst.i.tuted), three b.a.l.l.s of gray Angora, one pair each of bone knitting-needles, No. 3 and No. 5, and a steel crochet-hook, No. 6.

For the sweater: Using No. 5 needles, cast on for the back 100 st.i.tches (these will measure 20 inches). Knit plain, back and forth (which will give you ridges or ribs) for 2 inches; then decrease a st.i.tch at each end of needle every 8th row, to shape the back, until there are 76 st.i.tches on the needle, measuring 15 inches (this is the waistline); knit on these st.i.tches for 9 inches from the waistline, then decrease 1 st.i.tch at each end of needle every other row for 3 times, or until 70 st.i.tches remain, and knit on these st.i.tches until the back measures 15 inches from the waistline. Knit 25 st.i.tches off on a spare needle, bind off 20 st.i.tches for back of neck, and on the other 25 st.i.tches knit one front after the following directions, and the other to correspond.

Front: Knit in ridges as usual, increasing 1 st.i.tch toward the front every other row until you have added 6 st.i.tches; cast on 7 st.i.tches more toward the front, giving 38 st.i.tches on the needle; knit in ridges, increasing 1 st.i.tch toward armhole every other row until 12 st.i.tches have been added, then cast on 10 st.i.tches toward the underarm, making 60 st.i.tches on the needle (about 12 inches). Knit on the 60 st.i.tches for 9 inches, then increase 1 st.i.tch every 8th row toward the underarm- or side-seam, until the latter is of the same length as that of the back, including the 2 inches. Do not bind off. Knit other front to correspond and sew up side-seams.

With a needle pick up 1 st.i.tch from each ridge on front (have an uneven number of st.i.tches on needle), and on another spare needle pick up the st.i.tches across the back; on another pick up the st.i.tches of front, having the same number of st.i.tches on needle; tie a thread in 1st st.i.tch on needle at bottom of each front, toward the front, which will be the corner st.i.tch.

1. With bone needles No. 5 start at top of left front, knit 1, * over, narrow, repeat from * to the corner st.i.tch, over, knit the corner st.i.tch, again repeat from * to next corner, over, knit corner st.i.tch, repeat from * until but 1 st.i.tch remains, over, knit last st.i.tch.

2. Knit plain, each "over" forming a st.i.tch to take the place of narrowed one.

3. Knit to corner st.i.tch, over, knit corner st.i.tch, over, knit to next corner st.i.tch, over, knit corner st.i.tch, over, and knit plain to end of row.

Repeat 2d and 3d rows until there are 4 ridges or 9 rows from the beginning.

In next row make the b.u.t.tonholes thus: Knit 2 st.i.tches from the neck, bind off 4 st.i.tches for the b.u.t.tonhole, then knit 13, bind off 4, and repeat, making 8 b.u.t.tonholes 13 st.i.tches apart. In next row cast on 4 st.i.tches over where they were bound off, then repeat 2d and 3d rows for 4 more ridges, and bind off.

Sleeves.--Cast on 34 st.i.tches (about 7 inches); knit in ridges, casting on 2 st.i.tches at each end of needle every other row until there are 74 st.i.tches on needle (about 15 inches), knit 1 inch, then decrease 1 st.i.tch at each end of needle every 12th row until there are 56 st.i.tches remaining on needle, knit on these until the sleeves measure 17 inches, or desired length, (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) twice, knit 13 ridges for cuff, then with gray Angora and No. 3 needles knit 7 ridges, bind off, and sew up sleeves and cuffs.