Chapter 14

This pattern, as can be seen in illustration, is an imitation of old guipure lace; it is worked all in one piece for the bosom and sleeves, and is part of one of the shoulder-pieces in full size. Both strips of rosettes join at that place, and one is continued for the part round the bosom and the other for the sleeve. In the pattern there are 42 rosettes round the bosom, and 14 round each sleeve. These rosettes are fastened one to another in the course of the work. They are made in the following manner:--Make a chain of 6 stitches, and join it into a ring. 1st round: 8 chain, 1 slip stitch in the 4th chain, which forms a purl (the 3 first chain are reckoned as 1 treble), 1 chain, 1 treble in the ring, * 5 chain, 1 slip stitch in the 1st to form a purl, 1 chain, 1 treble in the ring. Repeat 6 times from *. Instead of the last treble, work a slip stitch to fasten the end of the round to the 3 chain of the beginning, which thus form 1 treble. 2nd round: 9 chain (the 3 first to be reckoned as 1 treble), * 1 treble on the 1st treble of last round, 6 chain. Repeat 6 times from *. 1 slip stitch in the treble at the beginning. 3rd round: On each scallop of preceding round work 2 double, 1 purl, 2 double, 1 purl, 2 double, 1 purl, 2 double. This completes the rosette. Each rosette is fastened to the last by joining the 2 middle purl of both. In the illustration, which is full-size, the purl that are to be joined to those of another rosette are marked by a cross. The joining between the part round the bosom and the sleeve is made in the same manner. The space left between 4 rosettes is filled up with a star formed of chain stitches, marked in our illustration with an asterisk. For this star make a chain of 5 stitches, the 1st of which forms the centre; slip the loop you have on the needle through one of the 8 purl that are free, make 5 chain, 1 double in the centre stitch. Repeat 7 times from *; then tie the two ends tightly, or sew them together 3 of these stars are required for each shoulder.

For the Border.--It is worked at the same time both round the bosom and sleeves. 1st round: * 1 double in the centre purl of the 1st scallop of the rosette, which we will call the _first rosette_; 5 chain, 1 double in the centre purl of the 2nd scallop of the same rosette, 4 chain; then work the kind of cross which comes between each rosette (see illustration). To make this cross throw the cotton 3 times round the needle, work 1 double treble in the last purl left free of the 1st rosette, keep the last loop on the needle, throw the cotton twice round it, and work a double treble in the 1st purl left free in the 2nd rosette, throw the thread twice round the needle, work 1 treble with the loop left on the needle, make 2 chain, and work 1 treble in the last double treble, which completes the cross; make 4 chain. Repeat from * at each slit on the shoulders; after the last cross make 6 chain, 1 slip stitch in the 2 purl at the end of the slit, 6 chain to come to the next space, where a cross is to be made. 2nd round: Work alternately 1 treble, 2 chain, miss 2; at the slit on the shoulders work 6 double over the 6 chain. The two rounds just explained are also worked round the upper edge, and finished round the sleeves by the following round:--1 double in one of the spaces in last round, * 6 chain, 1 double in the 2nd of the 6 chain, which forms a purl, 1 chain, 1 double on the next but one of the last round, 6 chain, 1 double in the 2nd of the 6 chain, 1 chain, 1 double in the next space. Repeat from *. On the upper edge of the bosom, between the 1st and 2nd rounds of the border, work 1 round of crosses, but throwing the cotton twice only round the needle, so that the treble stitches are not double; make 3 chain between each cross.

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KNITTING.

287.--KNITTING, though considered to be an old-fashioned art, is by no means so ancient as lacemaking. Knitting has never entirely quitted the hands of English and German ladies; indeed, among all good housewives of any civilised country, it is reckoned an indispensable accomplishment. Knitting schools have been established of late years both in Ireland and Scotland, and Her Majesty the Queen has herself set an example of this industry, as well as largely patronised the industrial knitters of Scotland. Of the rudiments of this useful art many ladies are at present ignorant; it is in the hope of being useful to these that the following instructions are offered.

To knit, two, three, four, or five needles, and either thread, cotton, silk, or wool are required.

Knitting needles are made of steel, of ivory, or of wood; the size to be used depends entirely upon the material employed, whether thread, cotton, silk, single or double wool, for knitting. As the size of the needles depends upon that of the cotton, a knitting gauge is used (see No. 287). The gauge (page 290) is the exact size of Messrs. H. Walker and Co.'s knitting gauge. Our readers will remark that English and foreign gauges differ very essentially; the finest size of German needles, for example, is No. 1, which is the size of the coarsest English wooden or ivory needle. Straight knitting is usually done with two needles only for round knitting for socks, stockings, &c., three, four, and five needles are employed.

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288.--_Casting On_.

This term is used for placing the first row or round of knitting stitches on the needles--"casting them on"--and is done in two ways--by "knitting on" the stitches, or as follows:--

Hold the thread between the first and second finger of the left hand, throw it over the thumb and first finger so as to form a loop, and pass the needle in the loop; throw the thread lightly round the needle, pass it through the loop, and draw up the thread; this forms the first stitch (see No. 288).

289.--_To Knit On_.

Take the needle on which the stitches are cast in the left hand, and another needle in the right hand--observe the position of the hands (No. 289). Hold the left-hand needle between the thumb and third finger, leaving the first finger free to move the points of the needles. (The wonderful sense of touch in the first or index finger is so delicate, that an experienced knitter can work without ever looking at her fingers, by the help of this touch only--in fact, knitting becomes a purely mechanical labour, and as such is most useful.) Insert the point of the right-hand needle in the loop or stitch formed on the left-hand needle, bring the thread once round, turning the point of the needle in front under the stitch, bringing up the thread thrown over, which in its turn becomes a stitch, and is placed on the left-hand needle.

290.--_Simple Knitting (plain)_.

Pass the right-hand needle into the 1st stitch of the left-hand needle, at the back throw the thread forward, and with the first finger pass the point of the needle under the stitch in forming a fresh stitch with the thread already thrown over, as in "knitting on," only, instead of placing the newly-formed stitch on the left-hand needle, leave it on the right-hand needle, and let the stitch drop off the point of the left-hand needle. Continue thus until all the stitches are taken from the left to the right-hand needle, and the row is then complete.

291.--_To Purl, Pearl, or Seam_.

Seaming or purling a stitch is done by taking up the stitch _in front_ instead of at the back, throwing the thread over and knitting the stitch as in plain knitting; but before beginning to purl, the thread must be brought in front of the needle, and if a plain stitch follows, the thread is passed back after the purl stitch is made (see No. 291). [Illustration: 291.--Purling.]

292.--_To Increase_.

Increasing or making a stitch is done by throwing the thread once round the needle and in the next row knitting it as an ordinary stitch.

293.--_To Decrease_.

This is done in two ways: _firstly_, taking up two stitches and knitting them together as one; _secondly_, by taking up a stitch without knitting it, called slipping, then by knitting the following stitch in the usual way, and then slipping the 1st (unknitted) over the 2nd (knitted) (see No. 293). When it is necessary to decrease two stitches at once, proceed thus:--Slip one, knit two stitches together, then slip the unknitted stitch over the two knitted together.

294.--_Round Knitting_.

To knit a round four or five needles are used; it is thus that stockings, socks, cuffs, mittens, &c., are made. To knit with four needles, cast on, say, 32 stitches upon one needle, insert a second needle in the last stitch of the first, and cast on 30 stitches; proceed in a similar way with a third needle, but casting on 28 only; when this is done, knit the two extra stitches on the first needle on to the last; this makes 30 stitches upon each needle, and completes the round.

295.--_Casting Off_.

Knit two stitches, and with the left-hand needle slip the first stitch over the second; continue this to the end of the row. _Note_.--The last knitted row, before casting off, should be knitted loosely.

296.--_To Pick up a Stitch_.

This is done by taking up the thread between two stitches and forming a stitch with it.

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The following Designs of New Stitches can be used for a variety of work:--

297.--_Peacock's Tail Pattern_.

Needles, wood or ivory; Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s knitting cotton.

Cast on a number of stitches divisible by nine, as it takes nine stitches for each pattern, and two for each border; the border, which is in plain knitting, will not be mentioned after the first row.

1_st Row_.--2 plain for border; 2 plain *, make 1, 1 plain, repeat this four times from *, make 1, 2 plain; repeat from the beginning--then 2 plain for border.

2_nd Row_.--2 purl, 11 plain, 2 purl; repeat.

3_rd Row_.--Take 2 together, 11 plain, take 2 together; repeat.

4_th Row_.--Purl 2 together, purl 9, purl 2 together; repeat.

5_th Row_.--Take 2 together, 7 plain, take 2 together.

Begin from the 1st row.

Thirteen stitches are large enough for a stripe for a sofa-cover. These stripes should be sewn together after all are finished.

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298.--_Spiral Stitch_.

Materials: Needles, thick steel or bone; double wool.

This stitch is far more effective worked in thick wool than in cotton. It is done in stripes alternately wide and narrow. For wide stripes cast on twenty-one stitches, for narrow fifteen; this without counting the first and last stitch, the first being slipped, the last always plainly knitted.

1_st Row_.--Purl 3 together to end of row.

2_nd Row_.--Make 1, * 1 plain, make 2, repeat from * end by making the last stitch before the plain knitted one at end of row.

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299.--_Knotted Stitch_.

Materials: Needles, wood or ivory; double wool.

Cast on 11 stitches.

1_st Row_.--All plain, throwing the wool twice round the needle before each stitch.

2_nd Row_.--Each stitch on the needle is now composed of 3 threads of wool: knit the first plain, the second purl, the third plain; cast off the second over the third, and the first over the second; this leaves but one stitch; repeat from first row until a sufficient length is obtained. This pattern makes very pretty borders.

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300.--_Knitted Moss Borders_.

Materials: Steel needles; moss wool of several shades of green.

Cast on enough stitches for double the width required, say twenty, and knit very tightly in plain knitting, row by row, until a sufficient length has been obtained. Cut off and place the strip on a sieve over a basin of boiling water, and cover it over. When it has absorbed the steam, and while wet, iron it with a box-iron. Then cut the strip down the centre, and unravel the wool on each side. The threads of wool all curling, resemble moss. They are held firmly by the selvedge of the knitting.

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301.--_German Brioche Stitch_

Materials: Wood or ivory needles; wool.

Cast on an even number of stitches.

All the rows are knitted as follows:--Slip 1, taken as for purling, make 1, take 2 together. In the following rows the made stitch must always be slipped, the decreased stitch and the slipped stitch of the previous row knitted together.

Ordinary Brioche Stitch is made by casting on an even number of stitches, and working the rows as follows:--

Make 1, slip 1, take 2 together; repeat. _Note_.--The made stitch and the slipped stitch of the previous row must always be knitted together, and the decreased stitch of that row slipped.

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NETTING.

302.--NETTING is one of the prettiest and one of the easiest accomplishments of a lady. The materials are simple, while the effects produced by good netting are most elegant and of great durability. One great advantage of netting is that each stitch is finished and independent of the next, so that if an accident happens to one stitch it does not, as in crochet or knitting, spoil the whole work.

Netting, so easy to do, is most difficult to describe. The materials required are--a netting-needle and mesh (see illustration No. 302). These are made of bone, of wood, of ivory, and most commonly of steel. The wood, bone, and ivory are only used for netting wool, the steel for silk, cotton, &c.

The needle is filled by passing the end of the thread through the little hole at the left-hand point, and tying it; then the thread is wound on the needle as on a tatting shuttle. The needles are numbered from 12 to 24; these last are extremely fine. The meshes correspond to the sizes of the needles, and are made of the same materials. The larger the size of the stitch required the thicker the mesh must be selected; indeed, large hat meshes are often used for some patterns. A stirrup to slip over the foot to which the foundation is attached is required by those who do not use a netting cushion, placed before them on the table and heavily weighted; to this the foundation is fastened.

The stirrup is made of a loop of ribbon, to which the foundation is tied. Some ladies work a pretty stirrup of the exact shape of a horseman's stirrup; a loop of ribbon is passed through this, and the foundation fixed as before.

303.--_To Net_.

Place the mesh under the thread, between the thumb and finger of the left hand; it must rest on the middle of the finger and be held only by the thumb (see illustration No. 303). Take the needle in the right hand, pass the thread over the middle and ring finger and over the mesh, pass the needle upwards and behind the mesh in the large loop which forms the thread round the fingers, and at the same time through the first stitch or loop of the foundation. Draw the needle out, retaining the loops on the fingers and dropping them off, the little finger being the last to release the thread. As the thread tightens and the knot is firm, the loop on the little finger should be drawn up quickly and smartly. The next stitches are precisely similar, and row upon row is formed in the same manner. Having learnt the stitch, the next task is to make a foundation. Tie a large loop of strong thread on the stirrup ribbon, and net fifty stitches into this loop, then net four or five rows, and the foundation is ready.

Simple netting as above explained forms diamonds or lozenges. When a piece of netting is finished it is cut off the foundation, and the little ends of thread that held the stitches are drawn out.

304.--_Square Netting_.

Is done precisely in the same manner as plain netting, only begin from one stitch, then net two stitches into this first, and increase by making two in the last loop of every row. As soon as the right number of stitches is complete diminish exactly in the same way by netting two stitches as one at the end of each row until one stitch alone remains. These squares are used for guipure d'art and for darning on.

305.--_Round Netting_

Is nearly similar to plain netting. A little difference exists in the way of passing the needle through the stitch; this is shown in No. 305. After having passed the needle through the stitch it is drawn out and passed from above into the loop just made. This stitch is very effective for purses.

306.--_Diamond Netting_

Is often called "pointed netting," and is made by netting from one stitch, increasing one stitch at the end of each row, and decreasing in the same way, as described at page 303.

307.--_To Net Rounds_.

To form a circle, as for a purse, the needle must pass through the first stitch, keeping the last three or four on the mesh and removing this when required by the work.

308.--_"English" Netting_

Is made as follows:--Net a row of plain netting, begin the second row by netting the second stitch, then net the first; repeat, always passing by one stitch and taking it up.

_3rd Row_.--Plain.

_4th Row_.--Begin by a plain stitch, then continue as in the 2nd row.

_5th Row_.--Plain.

309.--_Lace Edging_.

Begin by one stitch and net two in one at the end of each row until as many stitches are required for the narrowest part of the edge. * Increase one then in the two loops until the point of the edge or scallop is reached; at the next row leave the squares which form the point, and begin from *.

310.--_Open Lace_.

This kind of edging is made with two meshes of different sizes and extremely fine crochet cotton.

Tie the thread to the foundation, net 3 rows with the small mesh of the required length.

_4th Row_.--On the large mesh, one stitch in each stitch.

_5th Row_.--On the small mesh take 3 stitches together to form 1 loop; repeat to end of row.

_6th Row_.--On the large mesh make 5 loops in each stitch; repeat to end of row.

_7th Row_.--On the small mesh, one loop in each of the 4 first stitches, pass over the 5th, repeat to end.

_8th Row_.--On the small mesh make a loop in each of the two first stitches, pass over the 4th; repeat.

_9th Row_.--On the small mesh make a loop in each of the two first stitches, pass over the 3rd; repeat.

This lace is often used in fine wool of two colours to trim opera-caps, children's hoods, &c.

311.--_Shell Border_.

This border is intended as an edging for square netting for couvrettes, d'oyleys, &c. The mesh must be three times as long as that employed for the square netting.

Make 12 stitches in the first stitch of the edge, pass over 8, make 12 in the ninth, and repeat. Then take the mesh used for the square netting, and net one stitch in each stitch, take a still smaller mesh, and complete by adding another row of one stitch in each stitch.

This border forms a very appropriate edging for all articles in square netting, as couvrettes, mats, also for trimming guipure d'art work, and should be netted in the row of holes edging the work; two sets of shells must be worked at the corners when a little fulness is required.

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KNITTING AND NETTING PATTERNS

312.--_Knitted Sock for a Child._

Materials for 1 pair: 1 ounce of single Berlin wool; 1 yard of narrow pink or blue ribbon; 2 fine steel pins.

This sock fits well, and is easy to make. It is knitted upon two pins, backwards and forwards. Cast on 22 stitches and knit 22 rows, but increase once at the end of every other row on the right side of the work, so that there are 33 stitches in the 22nd row. Now cast off 28 stitches and knit 12 rows, increasing 1 stitch at the end of every other row. Now 12 more rows, decreasing 1 stitch at the end of every other row; this forms the toe. Cast on 28 stitches on the same needle, and knit 22 rows, decreasing 1 stitch at the end of every other row, and cast off. Pick up the 68 stitches on the upper part of shoe, and knit 20 rows, alternately 2 plain and 2 purl rows, decreasing 1 stitch on each side of the 12 stitches in every other row, which forms the toe and front of sock. Knit 14 rows of 2 plain, 2 purl stitches alternately, then 3 open rows with 1 plain row between. The open rows are worked as follows:--* Purl 2 together, purl 1, make 1, repeat *, 3 plain rows, 1 open row, 1 plain row, and cast off. The sock is sewn together down the back of leg, centre of sole, and the point joined like a gusset to form the toe.

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313.--_Knitted Pattern for Counterpanes, Berceaunette Covers, Couvrettes, Antimacassars, &c._

Materials: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s knitting cotton; 5 steel knitting-needles of a corresponding size.

According to the size of the cotton employed, this beautiful square makes different articles, such as counterpanes, couvrettes, &c. &c. If worked with Evans's cotton No. 10, it will be suitable for the first-mentioned purpose. Begin the square in the centre, cast on 8 stitches, 2 on each needle; join them into a circle, and knit plain the 1st round. 2nd round: * Knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1; repeat 3 times more from *.

3rd round: Plain knitting. This knitted round is repeated after every pattern round. We shall not mention this again, nor the repetition from *.

4th round: * Knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1.

6th round: * Knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 3, throw the cotton forward, knit 1.

8th round: * Knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 5, throw the cotton forward, knit 1.

The 9th to 18th rounds are knitted in the same manner, only in every other round the number of stitches between the 2 stitches formed by throwing the cotton forward increases by 2, so that in the 18th round 15 stitches are knitted between.

20th round: * Knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 5, slip 1, knit 1, draw the slipped over the knitted stitch, knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 5, throw the cotton forward, knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1.

22nd round: * Knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1, throw the cotton forward, slip 1, knit 1, draw the slipped over the knitted stitch, throw the cotton forward, knit 4, slip 1, knit 1, draw the slipped over the knitted stitch, knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 4, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1.

24th round: * Knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1, throw the cotton forward, slip 1, knit 1, draw the slipped over the knitted stitch; throw the cotton forward, slip 1, knit 1, draw the slipped over the knitted stitch, throw the cotton forward, knit 3, slip 1, knit 1, draw the slipped over the knitted stitch, knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 3, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1.

26th round: * Knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1, throw the cotton forward 3 times alternately, slip 1, knit 1, draw the first over the last, throw the cotton forward; knit 2, slip 1, knit 1, draw the first over the last, knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 2, three times alternately, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 1, throw the cotton forward, knit 1.