Chapter 9

In the original, the cross bars that unite the leaves, are in yellow, whilst the detached figures that separate them, are worked, those that come between the light red leaves, in pale blue, and those between the dark red ones, in gold thread. The exterior part of the figure is filled in with the different colours, indicated above; with the exception of the small squares in Gobelin stitch, which should all be worked in plain gold, or Chiné d’or D.M.C, green and gold. The SS in the narrow outside border, should be worked in two shades of blue; the outside stitches in colour 341 and the solid parts in colour 668. The little figures with the transverse bars that unite the SS, should be set in black, and filled in, alternately, in light and dark red, and in yellow.

GROUNDING (fig. 332).—This grounding was copied from a beautiful old cushion-cover and will be found particularly useful in the confection of small embroidered articles, because the pattern will always form a centre point in itself. A light, brilliant red, such as either of the two colours indicated beneath the figure, will best reproduce the tone of the original.

In making the little stars that connect the different squares, the mode we recommended for working stroke stitch should be adopted, that is, beginning, by bringing the needle out in the middle, making 7 stitches, and at the eighth, carrying the needle back under the first, to the spot whence you started. The stitches will then be alike on both sides.

WALLACHIAN BORDER (fig. 333).—A piece of Wallachian needlework, executed on rough linen, and uncommon, both in colour and design, suggested the charming embroidery, here represented. In place of the somewhat violent colours, which indicate an undeveloped taste, we have substituted softer and more refined ones. All the stroke stitches of the middle stripe and of the two border stripes, top and bottom, as well as the darker portions of the small dice, subdivided into eight, in the bottom border, and of the small diagonal squares in the top border, worked in Gobelin stitch, are in red, colour 346. The setting of upright stroke stitches round the large centre figures, as well as the straight lines that divide these same figures into four, are worked in yellow, colour 680.

COLOURS: Rouge-Cardinal 346, Rouge-Géranium 326, Vert-Pistache 319 and Jaune-vieil-Or 680.[A]]

The squares and the half-squares are worked in colour 326, green 319, and gold thread; colour 326 is indicated in the illustration by the darkest shade, green 319, by the medium shade, and the gold thread by the lightest shade.

The stitches in the right bottom quarter and top left one, incline upwards from left to right, in the two other quarters they incline the contrary way. The Spanish half-stitch as shown in fig. 309, can only be done over 4 and 2 threads and worked one way, not to and fro.

The general effect is very much heightened by the introduction of one or two rows of stitches, worked in gold thread, into the straight lines on either side of the stripes; all the light parts of the design moreover, should be worked in gold thread.

BORDERS IN SEVERAL SHADES OF ONE COLOUR (figs. 334 and 335). In some beautifully embroidered Chinese hangings, that latterly came under our notice, the principal subject was the figure of a mandarin, in a very richly decorated dress. The pretty pattern, given in fig. 334, was copied from the collar and cuffs of this dress. We should advise working it in several shades of pink or red, or in a single one of the colours indicated above.

The border of these hangings furnished us with pattern 335, which will be found to look best, worked in three very distinct shades of blue.

The grotesque heads of animals, and the flowers and branches which break the running pattern, and are a Chinese speciality, distinguish this design from the more conventional patterns of the present day.

We recommend these two pretty patterns, to our readers notice, as likewise adaptable by transposition, to centres, or by repetition, to broad stripes. With very little trouble they can be converted, into a variety of subjects, such as it is often difficult to find ready made, and exactly suited to the purpose in hand.

BORDER IN GREEK STITCH WITH A FOOTING, COMPOSED OF BRANCHES (fig. 336).—This design can be worked in Greek, Slavonic, Montenegrin, or plaited Algerian stitch. Our illustration worked in Greek stitch, shows how one stitch encroaches upon another, and how the thread is carried from one isolated stitch, to another.

It will be found to be an improvement if the stitches are so made as to follow the direction of the lines. The central subject may be repeated two or three times, according to the width of border required. The edging is the same throughout. The use of the ‘Penelope mirror’ for repeating patterns is described in the concluding chapter of the book.

TABLE-COVER IN GOBELIN AND STROKE STITCH (figs. 337, 338, 339, 340).—This tasteful little table-cover provides excellent practice in working two sided, square stitch. The square represented in fig. 339, forms the middle of the cloth. The Gobelin stitches, set very closely, unite and form a star in the centre of the principal subject. They begin in the corners, in red and continue in green, violet and blue, successively; the little branches in stroke stitch, on each side of the Gobelin stitches, correspond with them in colour, and the small figures, that form the border of the square, may be worked, indiscriminately, in any of the colours used for the Gobelin stitches of the centre. Four branches run inwards from the corners of the square, and four more advance to meet, and pass them, from the inner angles of the wide border. Four figures, copied from the outside border, fig. 339, and worked in yellow, and the little star, fig. 337, besides the little subjects, borrowed from the outside border, fig. 338, are strewn lightly over the foundation, interspersed between the branches. In fig. 340, nevertheless, which represents the whole table-cover, the edge is formed of the small subjects contained in the wide border and not of the little stars. The Gobelin stitches in the centre of fig. 337, are in dark green, the star stitches and the stroke stitches on the outside in red. The wide border consists of stars, every other row of which, is worked in red; the intermediate rows, successively, in blue, green, and yellow. The corners are composed of four detached stars, framed by a row of stroke stitches, one red and one blue, alternately. This line skirts both sides of the border, and forms the base to the quaint figures, that terminate the design and which can be worked in all the colours used for the inside.

The original of our illustration, which is on fine Rhodes linen, in Coton à broder D.M.C No. 25, is only a small table-cover; for a larger one, if you wish strictly to adhere to the pattern, Java or Ceylon linen will be the best material to select, with Coton à tricoter D.M.C No. 12, for the stroke stitches and Coton à repriser No. 25 for the Gobelin stitches.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] See at the end of the concluding chapter, the table of numbers and sizes and the list of colours of the D.M.C threads and cottons.

Knitting.

Knitting is one of the earliest forms of needlework, and one, which has been carried to the highest perfection. It would be difficult to invent new stitches or patterns and, we shall therefore confine ourselves to describing the stitches in general use, and reproducing those of the old patterns we consider the most useful, that our readers may make their own selection.

In former days, knitting served mainly for the manufacture of stockings, and even now, in spite of machines, hand-knit stockings, and numberless other useful and ornamental articles, such as shawls, counterpanes, cradle-coverings, gloves, laces etc. are in great request.

Besides its practical use, knitting is an easy and pleasant pastime that can be taken up at odd minutes and even carried on, whilst talking, or reading.

Knitting consists of loops, or stitches, as they are generally called, formed by means of a thread and two needles.

In round knitting, four, or five needles are necessary for the better handling of the work.

Through the loops formed in knitting, being connected together in unbroken continuity, a very elastic fabric is produced, which is specially suitable for making warm, and closely-fitting wearing-apparel.

MATERIALS.—Threads with a slight twist, such as Coton à tricoter D.M.C, are the best. With regard to the thickness of the needles, whether they be of steel, wood, or bone, your choice must be determined by the quality of the thread used.

The accompanying table is intended to help inexperienced knitters to match their needles and thread, we advisedly say, help, as it is impossible exactly to determine the numbers that will correspond, because every hand knits differently, and a loose knitter has to use finer needles than a tight knitter.

Other materials are enumerated here, besides, what is properly speaking, called knitting-cotton, as for caps, lace edgings, insertions and so forth, finer kinds of thread and threads with a stronger twist which show up the pattern better, should be used.

POSITION OF THE HANDS IN KNITTING (fig. 341.)—Lay the thread over the fifth finger of the right hand, and twist it round it, then carry it over the forefinger, which should be kept close to the work, the work being held between the third finger and the thumb. The left hand remains more or less inactive, having merely, by a slight movement of the forefinger to pass the loops, in succession, on to the needle in the right hand, which forms the stitches. This position of the hands, which is the one usually adopted in England and France, is the one represented in our illustration. The Germans on the contrary, lay the thread over the left hand, and can move the hands much more quickly, in consequence. There are some ways of casting on, which can only be done in the German fashion.

To prevent the irregularity in stitches, the needles should never be allowed to protrude more than 1 or 1½ c/m, from the work. All exaggerated movement of the arms, which renders knitting a very tiring occupation, should be avoided.

CASTING ON.—Casting, or, setting on, as it is sometimes called, is the formation of the first row of stitches which are to constitute the foundation of the work.

There are four methods of casting on: (1) crossed casting on, done in four different ways; (2) knitting on; (3) slipping on, also done in two ways; (4) casting on with picots.

(1) CROSSED CASTING ON WITH A SINGLE THREAD (fig. 342). Lay the thread over your fingers as though you were beginning a chain of plain stitches, fig. 403, leaving a long end, sufficient to make the number of stitches required, lying within the palm of the hand. Put the needle in from below, into the loop on the thumb, and pass it from right to left under that part of the thread which lies between the forefinger and the thumb. Then bring the thread through the loop on the thumb, draw the thumb out, and lay the loop on the needle. In making the next stitches, lay the thread over the thumb, so that the end lies outside. Put in the needle under the front thread and complete the stitch as before. This method of casting on is generally done over two needles, one of them being drawn out before the knitting-off is begun, to ensure a loose edge.

CROSSED CASTING ON WITH A THREEFOLD THREAD.—This method is similar to the last, only that the thread is taken threefold and is drawn by the needle through the loop, which is formed at the bend of the thread. Then you pass the single thread over the left hand, and the triple one over the thumb, as shown in fig. 342, and make the same stitches, as above. The threefold thread makes a broad chain at the bottom of the loops.

DOUBLE CROSSED CASTING ON (fig. 343).—This can be done either with a single or a threefold thread. In our drawing it is done with the latter. The first stitch is made as we have already described, only that you have to keep the loop on your thumb, put the needle into it a second time, lay hold of the thread behind, cast on a second stitch, and then only, withdraw your thumb. In this manner two loops are made at once, close together.

CROSSED CASTING ON, FORMING A CHAIN (fig. 344.)—Begin by making one such stitch, as we have described in fig. 341; for the second and following stitches, bring the end of the thread to the inside of the palm of the hand, so that it lies between the thumb and the forefinger.

(2) KNITTING ON STITCHES (fig. 345).—Begin with a plain crossed stitch; then take the thread and the needle in the left hand, a second needle in the right, and catch it into the stitch on the left needle, lay the thread under the right needle and draw it through in a loop, through the loop on the left needle. Then transfer it as a fresh stitch to the left needle; catch the needle into this second stitch, and draw the thread through it, to form the third, and so on.

This method of casting on is used for articles, that are to have a double edge, (see figs. 355, 356), because stitches, made in this way, are easier to pick up than the tighter ones; but it should not be used, where it will form the actual edge, as the loops are always too open.

(3) CASTING ON WITH SLIP LOOPS (fig. 346).—Begin by casting on one loop in the ordinary way, next, lay the thread, as in German knitting, over the left hand, twisting it once only round the forefinger, then put the needle in, upwards from below, under the thread that lies on the outside of the forefinger; draw out the finger from the loop, put the loop on the needle to the right, take the thread on the forefinger again, and so on.

CASTING ON WITH DOUBLE SLIP LOOPS (fig. 347).—Begin by casting on a stitch in the ordinary way, then lay the thread over the forefinger, the reverse way, so that it crosses between, not outside the hand and the body of the knitter. Pass the needle upwards from below, under the inside thread, and slip this thread as a loop on to the needle. Continue to cast on, inserting the needle under the front and back threads alternately. This method is specially suitable for open patterns, where you have to increase several times, in succession.

(4) CASTING ON WITH PICOTS (fig. 348).—Cast on two stitches in the ordinary way and turn the work. Lay the thread over the needle, put the needle into the first stitch, from right to left, and slip it on to the right needle, knit off the second stitch plain, and draw the slipped one over it.

Cast on as many stitches as you want in this manner and then pick up the picots thus formed, with an auxiliary needle, and knit them off like ordinary stitches.

This method of casting on may be varied thus in the following manner: having cast on the stitches as in fig. 348, throw the thread over the needle and knit two stitches together.

PLAIN STITCH (fig. 349).—This is the easiest stitch and the first which a knitter has to learn. It is executed as follows: Put the right-hand needle in, upwards from below, under the front part of the first stitch on the left-hand needle, lay the thread from right to left under the needle, draw it through the loop, and drop the loop off the left needle.

Plain knitting is employed wherever a perfectly smooth, even surface is required. It looks quite differently on the wrong side from what it does on the right where it presents the appearance of vertical rows of plaiting.

BACK, OR SEAM-STITCH (fig. 350).—You may intentionally knit the wrong side of plain knitting. This is called purling and is done, in the following way: lay the thread over the left needle, and put the right one, downwards from above, behind the thread, into the loop on the left needle, lay the thread upwards from below, over the right needle, draw it through the loop, and drop the loop off the left needle. This stitch is used in knitting patterns, and for marking horizontal lines in smooth surfaces, such as the seam of a stocking, for instance.

PLAIN STITCH TAKEN FROM BEHIND (fig. 351).—Put the needle in from right to left, under the back part of the stitch; leave the thread behind the needle, then pass it from right to left over the needle and draw it through the stitch.

BACK, OR SEAM-STITCH TAKEN FROM BEHIND (fig. 352).—Put the needle into the second part of the stitch, upwards from below, and knit it as a back or seam-stitch.

In plain stitch, taken from behind, the two threads of the loop are crossed, instead of lying side by side, as they do in plain knitting.

Back-stitch taken from behind, is only used for certain open-work patterns.

OVERS (fig. 353).—These form holes in plain knitting, and are used for open-work patterns and for increasing.

To make an over, lay the thread over the needle, and in the next row, knit this loop like any other stitch.

Each over adds one to the existing number of stitches. In cases, therefore, where the number is to remain the same, you have to make as many intakes as overs. Overs can only be used in conjunction with other stitches.

KNOT STITCH (fig. 354).—This forms a raised spot in plain knitting and is executed as follows: knit 1, and leave it on the left-hand needle; put the stitch you have made with the right needle back on the left, and knit it off. Make 4 or 5 similar stitches, all issuing from the same stitch on the left needle, so that you have 4 or 5 loops on the right needle; then drop the stitch off the left needle, and pull the 4 first loops over the last one.

CABLE OR CHAIN STITCH.—Chain stitches are used for strengthening and equalizing the edges of articles that are made in stripes. They can be made in two ways; either, you knit off all the stitches on one needle, turn the work, put the needle into the first stitch, as if you were going to knit it from the back, and take it off the left needle without knitting it, the thread to lie behind the needle; or, you knit off all the stitches on one needle, turn the work, and knit off the first stitch.

THE NAMES OF THE STITCHES.—Out of the stitches that have been already described, other stitches are formed, which, as they are frequently alluded to in knitting directions, we shall here enumerate, explaining all the terms, usually employed in such directions.

OVER, OR INCREASE.—Explained in fig. 353. Throwing the thread once over the right needle.

DOUBLE OVER, OR TWO INCREASES.—Throwing the thread twice over the needle.

PLAIN INTAKE.—Knitting two stitches together plain. This is done when the intake is to lie from left to right.

PURLED INTAKE.—Purling two stitches together. This is done to make the stitches, that are knitted together, visible; or in the case of a piece of work composed of stripes, on the wrong side, when the intake is to lean to the right, on the right side.

PLAIN DECREASE, TAKEN FROM BEHIND.—Knitting off two stitches together, plain from behind. This is done when the intake is to lie to the left.

PURLED DECREASE, TAKEN FROM BEHIND.—Purling two stitches together, from behind. This is done when, in articles composed of stripes, the decrease has to be made on the wrong side, and is to lie to the left on the right side.

PULLING OVER.—Slipping a stitch from the left needle to the right without knitting it, knitting the next plain, and pulling the slipped stitch over the knitted one. In this manner two or three stitches can be pulled over the knitted one.

CASTING OFF.—To prevent the stitches from unravelling they are finished off in the following manner. Knit off two plain, pull the first over the second and drop it, so that only one remains on the needle. Knit the next stitch, and pull the one behind over it, and so on. This chain of stitches, must neither be too tight, nor too loose, but just as elastic as the rest of the work.

MATERIALS FOR STOCKINGS.—Stockings can be made of silk, wool or cotton, entirely according to fancy, but for coloured stockings, we cannot too highly recommend the D.M.C knitting cottons, as more durable, in all respects, than either silk or wool. They are manufactured in 360 different shades, whereas, wool and silk are only to be had in a very limited assortment of colours. For hand-knit stockings, Nos. 25, 30, 35[A] are the best, for machine-knit, Nos. 40 and 50.

STOCKING KNITTING.—A stocking consists of five parts: (1) the top, (2) the knee, (3) the leg, (4) the heel, (5) the foot.

(1). The top may be either ribbed, or knitted in an openwork stitch of same kind or with a double-toothed edge, fig. 356.

(2) and (3). The knee, and the leg down to the heel, are generally plain knitted; it is only children’s stockings that are fancy knitted.

(4). The heel, is worked as straight knitting backwards and forwards; by knitting first one row plain and then turning back and knitting it purl. It is shaped to the foot by the intakes at the top.

(5). The foot is knitted plain, with intakes from the heel onwards, to get rid of the superfluous stitches. Then knit a plain piece, without a seam-stitch, till you begin to decrease for the toe, which can be worked in several different ways.