Part 1

THE LADY’S KNITTING-BOOK.

THE LADY’S KNITTING-BOOK.

BY E. M. C. AUTHOR OF ‘THE LADY’S CROCHET-BOOK.’

CONTAINING EIGHTY CLEAR AND EASY PATTERNS OF USEFUL AND ORNAMENTAL KNITTING.

Second Edition, revised and enlarged.

LONDON: HATCHARDS, PICCADILLY. 1874.

LONDON JOHN STRANGEWAYS, PRINTER, Castle St. Leicester Sq.

CONTENTS.

PAGE Antimacassar 35 ” Persian 36 ” Lattice Pattern 52 Arrow Pattern in Stripes 49 Baby’s Boot, very pretty 20 ” very easy pattern 24 ” Berceaunette Cover 38 ” Quilt, very pretty 39 ” Jacket 59 ” Hood 62 Bodice 57 Brioche Knitting 55 Cable Knitting 49 Canadian Cloud 47 Carriage Rug 36 Comforters, to cost 2s. 25 Couvrette, or Couvre-pied 35 Double Knitting 24 ” with Four Pins 25 Explanations 9 Fancy Stitches 53 Fringe in Cotton 40 ” Wool 41 Gaiter 60 General Remarks 10 Gentleman’s Waistcoat, medium size 27 ” Waistcoat, larger or smaller 27 Hearth-Rug 39 Heel of a Stocking or Sock 11 Knee Cap 62 Lattice Pattern 52 Loop Knitting 40 Muffatee, Ermine 28 ” Lady’s 28 ” Gentleman’s, with Thumb 28 Night or Carriage Sock 26 Pence Jug, Etruscan shape 32 ” long shape 33 ” on two pins 34 Petticoat 41, 42 Purse 29, 30 Quilt 39 ” in cotton, a common one 42 ” Laurel-leaf Pattern 43 ” Maltese Pattern 45 Raised Plait-knitting 36 Round Sofa Cushion 61 Rose-bud Pattern 47, 48 Shetland Shawl 32 Silk Stocking, Lady’s 15 ” ” striped 13 ” ” white evening 13 ” ” winter 15 ” Gentleman’s 14 ” ” evening 16 Sock for Boy of Twelve 17 ” ” another pattern 17 ” ” of Fifteen 18 ” for a Child of Two 15 ” a Night or Carriage 26 ” easy 17 ” Gentleman’s evening, average size 14 ” ” large size 19 ” ” ribbed, small size 19 Stockings and Socks 9 Stocking, Gentleman’s Shooting 19 ” ” Knickerbocker 16 ” for a Girl of Fourteen 18 ” for a Boy or Girl of Eight 19 To Decrease for the Toe, &c. 12 ” for Instep 12 Vest, or Jersey 30 Waistcoat 27

INTRODUCTION.

In sending this little work before the public, I have tried to remedy one fault which I have often heard complained of, namely, that knitting-books generally give so many more stitches than are really required. This is partly owing to the different qualities of wool used by different knitters, and partly also, to a certain extent, whether the worker knits loosely or tightly. The following directions are for medium knitters. As knitting sometimes shrinks in the washing, I should advise my readers to try and knit moderately loose. But, of course, the principal thing is to have the same sized wool or silk as that for which the directions are given; and this is especially important in socks and stockings. I will therefore state that Charity wheeling is the thickest and most harsh kind of yarn made; Scotch wheeling is a trifle less coarse. Scotch fingering is the usual yarn sold for socks and gentlemen’s stockings: it ought to be very strong, and to appear about the same size as Berlin. If it looks finer (and some does) put on more stitches than are given. For couvrettes, and things of that kind, the size of the wool and pins is, of course, a matter of less importance, as it does not signify whether the work is a trifle larger or smaller than intended; but in stockings, a slight thing makes a good deal of difference in the fit.

I have also endeavoured to explain everything at full length, so as to enable inexperienced knitters to find out the patterns by themselves; the cost of each article is put, whenever possible, at the head of the pattern.

EXPLANATIONS.

‘To purl or pearl’ and ‘to seam’ mean the same thing; that is, to put the wool round the right-hand needle. Thus: the wool hangs straight down, it must be lifted and placed round the needle from right to left. You must then insert the right-hand needle into the stitch, exactly the opposite way as in ordinary knitting.

‘To decrease’ is simply to knit two stitches together. Another way is to slip a stitch, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over it.

‘To take two together’ means to knit two together.

‘To increase,’ you must knit both into the lower part of the stitch, and also into the stitch itself.

_Stockings and Socks._

The directions given for silk stockings are worked with Adams and Co.’s silk, 5 New Street, Bishopsgate Street, E. It is very good, and of lovely colours. Patterns are sent free, and all orders can be sent by post. Any uncommon shade can be dyed to order, provided it be not for less than 1 lb. of silk.

The prices are as follow:—Imperial knitting-silk, the best quality, any colour, 3s. per 2 oz. skein. Filoselle, any colour, 2s. per oz., or 3d. per skein of 15 yards. Embroidery silk, 1s. 6d. per oz. Knitting-pins, 2d. per set of four. These knitting-silks are guaranteed fast colours, and are beautifully bright and soft.

Those of my readers who prefer a coarser knitting-silk will be glad to hear that Mr. Adams is now making some.

_General Remarks on Socks and Stockings._

For a lady’s stocking it is best to decrease once and increase three times for the calf of the leg. For a gentleman’s this is unnecessary. Most of these directions are for ribbed stockings, as they fit so much better; but if preferred plain, of course the same number of stitches is required.

You must always remember in ribbed stockings to carry on the ribs and seam-stitches all down the back of the heel, until you begin to round it. The ribs on the front of the foot must be continued straight on, until within an inch of the decreasing for the toe.

The seam-stitch is made by knitting a certain stitch in two rounds and pearling it in the third.

Before decreasing for the instep, do two or three plain rounds and then begin.

The ‘flap,’ or heel before it is rounded, ought to be three inches, or even more, as a long heel wears better. It also makes it much stronger to knit it double with Angola wool, of the same colour as the knitting; it can be bought at any linen-draper’s on wooden reels for 2d. One reel does a pair.

Except for young boys, socks fit quite well without being decreased at all for the ankle; therefore I only give one pattern on the decreasing principle.

With silk stockings the size of pins is important.

_Heel of a Stocking or Sock._

To inexperienced knitters the heel seems to present mountains of difficulty, but in reality the mountain is but a mole-hill after all. The following pattern is one of the best.

Divide your stitches. We will say you have 50 altogether, on three needles: take 12 on each side of the seam-stitch, and knit these 25 backwards and forwards in rows, not rounds (making the seam-stitch all the same); you must pearl backwards, so as to keep the knitting even. Continue until you have made a flap about three inches long, always slipping the first knitted stitch. Now knit, from the right-hand side, the 12 stitches; then the seam-stitch, which from this time forward you cease to make. Knit 4 stitches beyond it; knit 2 together; knit 1; turn, pearl until you get to 4 beyond the seam-stitch, pearl 2 together, pearl 1, turn. Knit until you come to the stitch in the previous row where you turned—you may know it easily by the little hole which was formed by the turning; you now knit 2 together and knit one more stitch, then turn. Pearl the next row, of course always pearling 2 together where the little hole has been left, and so on until you have gradually worked off the stitches. You then pick up the side-stitches of this flap and the heel is finished.

_To Decrease for the Toe of a Sock or Stocking._

Put half your stitches on one needle, a quarter on the second, and a quarter on the third needle. Thus: suppose you have 60 stitches, you must have 30 on one side and 15 on the other two. The 30 must be the front or ribbed part, the two pins with 15 stitches on them ought to be the sole part. In doubling your knitting now, the front part ought to lie evenly on the sole of the foot. Begin to knit the 30 stitches; knit 27, slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over, knit 1. Now begin the next pin; knit 1, knit 2 together. Continue plain knitting. Now begin the 3rd pin; knit 12, slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over, knit 1. Now you begin again on the 30. Knit 1, knit 2 together. Continue plain. Do two rounds plain, and then decrease again in the same manner 4 stitches in every round, leaving always 2 stitches between the decreasing, remembering always to do two rounds of plain knitting between each decreasing round.

Repeat for two inches and cast off.

Some people only do one round between the decreasing: this plan makes the toe rounder and more puckered.

_Decreasing for Instep._

On the right-hand side of the heel, just where the ribs leave off, you slip 1, knit 1; pass the slipped stitch over; continue plain knitting; and where the ribs begin again you knit 2 together. You must remember that on the right side of the heel you slip, and on the left that you knit 2 together.

_Lady’s Striped Silk Stocking._

(MEDIUM SIZE.)

2 oz. black and 2 oz. rose-coloured Imperial knitting-silk. Pins, No. 17.

Cast on 128 stitches in black, do 12 rounds of 2 plain, 2 pearl. Now make the first stitch the seam-stitch, and do plain knitting until 4 inches are done, making the stripes come quite evenly, one inch broad. When you have once joined the rose-coloured, let the black thread hang down inside the seam-stitch; do not break off every time you change colour, which must always take place at the seam-stitch. Now do 3 plain and 1 pearl alternately. When 5½ inches are done decrease on each side of the seam-stitch. Do * 7 more rows and increase. Repeat from * twice more. When 12 inches are done decrease for the ankle every five rows until you have 92 stitches. Knit until the stocking is 20 inches long, and then divide for the heel. Proceed as on page 10; pick up the side-stitches, and decrease over the instep until you have 90 stitches: the front ribs must be carried on evenly, but the sole is left plain. When the foot is 7 inches long discontinue ribbing. Knit 9 rounds plain, and then decrease (see page 12). The foot must be 9¼ inches long. Cast off and sew up carefully on the wrong side.

_Lady’s White Silk Evening Stocking._

Proceed as in the former pattern, with 128 stitches, in the finest kind of silk. Plain silk stockings are the easiest to knit, but when finished the striped ones are very pretty, especially when worn to match the dress, with low shoes.

_Gentleman’s Evening Silk Sock._

(AVERAGE SIZE.)

Cast on 108 stitches. Rib by doing 1 plain, 1 pearl. When 3 inches are done, do 3 plain and 1 pearl for 8½ inches. Turn the heel as on page 11. Decrease at the instep to 96. Carry on the ribs in the front part, but let the sole be plain; when 8 inches are done leave off ribbing and do 8 plain rounds. Decrease as on page 12, and when the foot is 10¼ inches long, cast off and sew up.

_Gentleman’s Silk Stocking._

The following pattern is in stripes of black and blue, but it will do equally well plain. 2 oz. blue and 2 oz. black Imperial knitting-silk. Pins, No. 17. If coarser silk is used, knit with pins No. 16 and cast on 128.

Cast on 138 stitches in black, and proceed exactly the same as with Gentleman’s Knickerbocker Stockings, page 16. Measure an inch of each coloured knitting alternately: it is better to measure than to count the rows, as silk is apt to be unequal. The ankle ought to be 100 stitches. Knit a flap 3 inches long for the heel, turn it, pick up the side-stitches, and decrease at the instep to 98. After the first joining of the black and blue, pass the colour you are not using at the back; always change the colour at the seam-stitch: in that way you need not break off the silk when you have finished a stripe, but keep on with both balls, so as to join the silk only once. The remainder as page 16.

_Lady’s Silk Stocking._

Knitted with Adams and Co.’s thickest knitting-silk and 4 pins, No. 16.

Cast on 120, knit a plain round. Knit 2 pearl, 2 plain, for 8 rounds, and now begin to knit plain, making the first stitch the seam-stitch. In this stocking you need not increase for the calf, unless you wish to make it a larger size. If you rib the stocking, begin when 4 inches of plain knitting are done; knit (or pearl) the seam-stitch, * pearl 1, knit 3; continue from *. When 12 inches are knitted decrease every 5th row until you have only 84 stitches on your pins. When the stocking is 20 inches long divide for the heel, by taking 21 on each side of the seam-stitch. Knit the heel as on page 11. Pick up the side-stitches, and reduce over the instep to 80. Make the foot 9 inches long, reducing for the toe as on page 12.

_Lady’s Winter Stocking._

Pins, No. 15. 1 lb. merino makes several pairs.

Cast on 116 stitches.

With Berlin fingering-wool only cast on 98, and proceed as with Girl’s Stocking, page 19.

_Sock for a Child of Two Years Old._

In merino yarn and pins No. 17.

Cast on 23 on the first pin, 22 on the second, and 20 on the third. Knit a plain round, keeping the first stitch as the seam-stitch. Do ten rounds in ribs of 2 plain, 2 pearl. Now do plain knitting, and decrease twice in every fourth round for 12 rounds. Knit 10 rounds. Take 14 on each side of the seam-stitch for the heel, knit backwards and forwards for 20 rows; turn (see page 11). Take up 10 side-stitches, and reduce until you have 56 for the foot. Do 26 rounds, decrease, and cast off.

_Gentleman’s Knickerbocker Stocking._

Pins, No. 15, and 11 skeins of best Scotch fingering-yarn.

This is the largest size, suitable for a gentleman of six feet in height.

Cast on 112, 37 on two pins and 38 on the third pin. Rib for about an inch by doing 1 plain and 1 pearl, remembering to have the first stitch on the first needle as the seam-stitch. You make this, by working it plain in 2 successive rounds and pearling it in the next. Then do plain knitting for 5 inches. You now begin to rib as follows:—Knit or pearl the seam-stitch, knit 3 and pearl 1. Continue to knit 3 and pearl 1 every row until 12½ inches are done. Then begin to decrease every 8 rows. You decrease on the right-hand side of the seam-stitch by slipping a stitch, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over. Work the seam-stitch and knit 2 together. If the stitch to be slipped happens to be a pearl stitch, you must not slip it but merely pearl two together on both sides. You will thus decrease 16 stitches, and now 16½ inches ought to be done. Then knit 5 more inches. You ought now to have 94 stitches for the ankle and divide for the heel. Proceed for this as on page 11; but as this is a large size, you must make the flap 3½ long, always slipping the first stitch. When you have turned the heel you must take up 21 stitches, and decrease for the instep at first every row; and the last 6 decreasings do every other row until you have only 92 stitches. When 9 inches of the foot are done (measuring the whole of the heel as well), you begin to decrease for the toe, which takes up 2 more inches; you then cast off, and sew up the toe on the wrong side.

_Sock for a Boy of Twelve._

(SUITABLE FOR POOR PEOPLE.)

Charity yarn, 3s. 6d. per lb. This yarn can only be bought by the lb. Pins, 14 or 15.

Cast on 56, 20 on two pins, and 16 on the third. Knit 3, pearl 3, alternately: make a seam-stitch. Rib in this way for an inch. Decrease on each side of the seam-stitch. Do 7 more rows, decrease again. Rib the sock for about 3 inches, 1 row plain, and decrease again. You must now decrease again every 6 rows, when you ought to have 38 stitches.

For the heel, take 9 on each side of the seam-stitch, and pearl and knit until 3 inches are done. Turn and take up the side-stitches. Decrease every row until you have only 38. When the foot is 8 inches long decrease for the toe and cast off.

_Boy’s Sock._

(ANOTHER GOOD PATTERN, VERY EASY.)

Knitted in charity yarn or wheeling-yarn.

Cast on 48, rib in 2 and 2 alternate, plain and pearl stitches. Rib 3 inches, and do the rest in plain knitting until 8 inches are done. Take 12 on each side of the seam-stitch for the heel, continue as on page 11. Pick up the side-stitches, decrease for the instep until you have 38 stitches, or until the foot measures 8 inches in breadth; that is, 4 when doubled. When the foot is 8 inches long decrease for the toe. Make the foot altogether 10 inches long. Cast off and sew up. This pattern, which is very easy and without any decreasings at all, fits exactly.

_For a Boy of Fifteen, in Scotch Wheeling-yarn._

Cast on 54. Proceed as in above pattern, without any decreasings, until you come to the heel. Divide your stitches, knit a flap of 3 inches, turn your heel, reduce for the instep until you have 48 stitches. Make the foot 8 inches long, decrease until the foot is 10 inches altogether in length. Cast off and sew up. This wool is so thick and strong that it is hardly necessary to do the heels and toes double with Angola.

_Stocking for a Girl of Fourteen._

Scotch wheeling-yarn—1 lb. at 4s. 3d. makes nearly 3 pairs. They are very strong and nice for the poor. Pins, 15 or 16.

Cast on 69. Knit 14 rounds, 2 plain, 2 pearl; make the first stitch the seam-stitch. Then 50 plain rounds. Decrease on each side of the seam-stitch 5 plain rounds. Increase 3 times with 5 plain rounds between each, increasing 20 plain rounds. Decrease with 6 plain rounds between every decreasing until you have only 53 stitches. Do 34 plain rounds for the ankle. Divide for heel and do the flap, 29 rows. Take up 18 stitches on each side. Reduce at the instep until you have 52 stitches. Do the foot as in preceding pattern, except that this one need only be 9½ inches long.

_For a Boy’s or Girl’s Stocking, about Eight Years Old. Ribbed._

In white Scotch fingering-yarn.

Cast on 80. Knit 12 rounds, 1 plain and 1 pearl. Plain knitting for 4 inches. Rib 1, knit 3, until you have done 66 rounds. Now decrease on each side of the seam-stitch. Knit 5 rounds and increase in the same way. Do this twice more, and you ought now to have 84 stitches. When 11 inches are done decrease every 8 rows, and knit plain until the stocking is 16½ inches long; then divide for heel. Knit and pearl 32 rows, and proceed as on page 18. Pick up 16 side-stitches, and after 2 rounds keep decreasing every row for the instep until you have only 68. Work 7¼ inches and decrease. The foot ought to be 9¼ inches long. Cast off and sew up.

_Gentleman’s Sock._

(LARGE SIZE.)

The same as the following pattern, but cast on 94. When you have decreased the instep, let the foot be 92.

_Gentleman’s Ribbed Sock._

(SMALL SIZE.)

This also does for a boy from 12 to 14.

Pins, No. 15. Grey or brown best Scotch fingering-yarn, as bought at Haig & Vince’s, 209 Oxford Street, 6s. per lb. 1 lb. makes 4 pairs, leaving some over; 2 lbs. make 9 pairs of socks.

Cast on 80. One plain round; make the first stitch the seam-stitch. Knit in ribs of 1 plain, 1 pearl, for 2½ inches. This is for the top part. Now begin to rib in threes; 3 plain stitches, 1 pearl. Continue thus for 8 inches, and then divide for the heel by taking 20 stitches on each side of the seam-stitch. Knit these 21 backwards and forwards, remembering to keep the seam-stitch and ribs even: you must, in coming back, of course pearl 3 and knit 1. When 3 inches or 34 rows are done you discontinue ribbing, and turn the heel as on page 11. Pick up 18 stitches from the side, and knit the sole plain, but continue the 10 ribs on the 2 front pins. When 2 rounds are done, decrease every round until you have only 70 stitches; then knit until the foot is 7½ inches long. You now discontinue ribbing. Do 8 rounds plain, and then decrease for the toe as on page 12. This takes up 2 more inches, and your sock ought now to be 10 inches long. Cast off and sew up.

_Baby’s Boot._

This is a very pretty pattern indeed. It must be knitted on two pins, No. 16: ½ oz. pink Andalusian and ½ oz. white are required.

Cast on 50 stitches with the pink.

First row—knit plain.

Second row—knit the 3 first stitches; * pearl 2, knit 2. Repeat from * until you come to the last 3 stitches, which must be knitted.

Repeat this row twice.

Fifth row—plain.

Sixth row—pearl.

Seventh row—slip the first stitch, * take 2 together. Repeat from *; knit the last stitch.