Parisian Net Knitting
This pattern is very pretty for a foot-muff, blanket, or sofa guard.
Take German lambs’-wool of two colors that contrast well; pink and white form a pretty mixture.
Cast on an even number of stitches, and with the white wool knit several rows before beginning the pattern. 1st row; fasten on the pink wool forward, knit the first stitch with the white wool, pass the pink round the needle bringing it forward again, and purl the next stitch with it; pass the purled stitch on to the left-hand needle and knit it with the white wool, knit 1 stitch with the white, pass the pink wool round the needle, purl 1 stitch and pass it back on to the left-hand needle, knit it and the following stitch with the white wool; continue the same to the end of the row. 2nd row; purl the white stitches with the white wool, and slip the pink loops, taking care not to twist them or change the side which is forward. 3rd row; knit the white stitches with the white wool and slip the pink loops. 4th row; purl the 1st stitch with the white wool, turn the pink wool (which is now behind) round the needle, and with it knit the pink loop and following white stitch taken together, slip the stitch on to the left hand needle and purl it with the white wool, purl 1 stitch with the white, pass the pink wool round the needle, and knit with it the pink loop and following stitch taken together, slip it on to the other needle and purl it with the white wool, repeat the same to the end. 5th row; knit all the white stitches with the white wool and slip the pink loops. 6th row; purl the white stitches with the white wool and slip the pink. 7th row; knit 1 stitch with the white wool, pass the pink wool (which is forward) round the needle and with it purl the pink loop and following white stitch taken together, observing to take the pink loop by the under side, slip the stitch on to the left hand needle and knit it and the following white stitch with the white wool; repeat the same to the end of the row: as the 7th row takes the place of the 1st, continue with the 2nd row.
Diamond Knitting
Cast on 14 stitches for each pattern. 1st round: knit 12 stitches, knit 2 taken together, and bring the cotton forward; repeat the same. 2nd round: knit 2 stitches taken together, knit 9, knit 2 taken together and bring the cotton forward, knit 1 and bring the cotton forward again. 3rd round: knit 2 stitches taken together, knit 7, knit 2 taken together, bring the cotton forward, knit 3, and bring the cotton forward again. 4th round: knit 2 stitches taken together, knit 5, knit 2 taken together, bring the cotton forward, knit 5, and bring the cotton forward again. 5th round: knit 2 taken together, knit 3, knit 2 taken together, bring the cotton forward, knit 7, bring the cotton forward. 6th round: knit 2 stitches taken together, knit 1, knit 2 taken together, bring the cotton forward, knit 9, bring the cotton forward. 7th round: knit 3 taken together, bring the cotton forward, knit 5, bring the cotton forward, knit 2 taken together, knit 4, bring the cotton forward. Begin again.
Four Patterns, for D’Oyleys, Toilet Covers, Baby’s Quilts, or Basket Napkins
Two needles, No. 22 or 23, and very fine knitting cotton.
No. 1
Cast on a number of stitches that will divide into an even number of threes. Knit and rib 3 stitches alternately for 3 rounds. In the next 3 rounds, rib and knit 3 stitches alternately.
No. 2
Cast on a number of stitches as for the last pattern. Knit and rib 3 stitches alternately for 2 rows. The following rows begin so as to bring the first ribbed stitch over the last knitted: this is to make the ribbed and knitted ridges go in diagonal stripes.
No. 3
Cast on a number of stitches that will divide by 10. Knit 1 stitch, rib 9, repeat the same to the end of the row. 2nd row: rib 1 stitch, knit 7, rib 2. 3rd row: knit 3, rib 5, knit 2. 4th row: rib 3, knit 3, rib 4. 5th row: knit 5, rib 1, knit 4. 6th row: knit 4, rib 1, knit 5. 7th row: rib 4, knit 3, rib 3. 8th row: knit 2, rib 5, knit 3. 9th row: rib 2, knit 7, rib 1. 10th row: rib 9, knit 1. Begin again.
No. 4
Cast on an even number of stitches. 1st row: knit every stitch with the cotton twice round the needle. 2nd row: begin by dropping one twist of the 1st stitch, knit the rest of this stitch with the 1st twist of the next, taking them together; finish the row, knitting 2 threads taken together, knit the last stitch. Begin again.
Mazaniello Cap
Four Needles,
And Wool of two colors which contrast well
Cast on 30 stitches. 1st row is purled. 2nd row, slip the 1st stitch and knit the row taking two stitches together to the last stitch which knit. 3rd row; slip the 1st stitch, purl the next, raise a loop between this stitch and the next and purl it, repeat these 2 stitches to the end. 4th row; knit plain. These 4 rows form one stripe of diamonds. Take the second colored wool and purl 1 row, repeat the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rows. Repeat these 8 rows until you have 15 stripes of diamonds in each colour: Cast off.
Pick up 60 stitches on the side of the piece you have been knitting; (i. e. 2 in each stripe of diamonds). Take first the 2nd color and afterwards the 1st, and repeat the 4 rows as given above, until you have 7 stripes of one color and 6 of the other. Cast off loosely. This piece, when the cap is finished is wrong side outwards as it is to be turned up all round.
To finish the crown, pick up 60 stitches on 3 needles and with the 2nd color repeat the pattern, observing that its right side must be the right side of the cap, (consequently the wrong side of the piece at the bottom). In the 4th round reduce 1 stitch in every 4. Repeat the pattern with the 1st colors. In the 4th round, knit 2, knit 2 taken together, repeat to the end of the round. In the 4th round of the 3rd round of diamonds reduce every other stitch. In the 4th round of the 4th round of diamonds, thread a worsted needle with the wool and pass it through all the stitches, draw them up tight and fasten off.
The cap may be finished with a cord and tassel to match in colors, or with a tassel only.
Muff, in Spots or Stars
Two wooden needles, No. 10, and for a small muff 1 ounce of blue and 1 ounce of black fleecy. Double that quantity for a large size.
For a small muff cast on 60 stitches, for a large one 84. The number must divide into 3 equal numbers. Cast on the stitches with the black wool, purl 1 row. 2nd row; bring the wool forward and knit 2 stitches taken together, (every 2nd row with the black wool must begin like this) bring the wool forward, knit 3 stitches pull the first over the 2 last, repeat these 3 stitches to the end, when you will find you have one stitch left, bring the wool forward and knit it. Join on the blue wool and purl 1 row. 2nd row; bring the wool forward, knit 2 taken together, knit 2 stitches and pull the stitch in which you decreased over them, (every 2nd blue row begins thus) bring the wool forward, knit 3 stitches pull the 1st over the 2 last, repeat these 3 stitches to the end of the row. Use the black wool and repeat the whole. For a small muff do 21 stripes of each color, for a large one 42. Cast off.
To make up a small muff you must buy 5-8ths of gros-de-naples, 1½ oz. of fine carded wool and 1 oz. of fine horse-hair. Double the silk in halves and place on it 1 layer of wool. 1 layer of horse-hair and a second layer of wool. Quilt these to one-half of the silk and fold the other half over, and sew it to the knitted cover; turn the muff inside out and sew up first the knitted part and then the silk. Finish the muff at the edges by a cord or a quilling of ribbon.
Another Muff
Two needles No. 10 and 3 skeins of coarse fleecy
Cast on sixty stitches. Knit 1 row; rib 1 row; knit 1 row taking 2 stitches together all the way. 4th row; knit 1 stitch, pick up and knit a loop between the stitches, continue the same to the end of the row. As by this you would lose 1 stitch, this must be prevented by picking up and knitting a loop alternately, before beginning or at the end of every 4th row.
Make up the muff like the preceding pattern.
TERMS USED IN KNITTING
A turn means two rows.
To turn means to change from plain to purled stitches, or the reverse.
A ridge is formed by two rows when knitting with only two pins.
A loop stitch is formed by passing the thread before the needle, and, in knitting the next stitch, letting it take its usual place.
To increase in knitting a Quilt, care should always be taken to increase by knitting twice through the last stitch, which is done by knitting a stitch, and then, without taking out the needle, knitting a second at the back.
To fasten on in knitting. It is a secure fastening to lay the two ends contrary-wise to each other, and knit a few stitches with them both.
To narrow or decrease is to make small, to lessen, as in shaping a stocking.
Ribbed stitch, purl stitch, turned, or seam stitch, are all terms having the same meaning. A turned stitch is made by bringing the cotton before the needle, and instead of putting the needle over the upper cotton, it is put under.
To slip, take off, or pass a stitch, is to change it from one needle to another without knitting it.
To take under, means to pass the right hand needle through the stitch on the left hand one, so as still to keep the same side of the stitch towards you.
Welts are the rounds of ribbed stitches done at the top of stockings, to prevent their rolling up.
Cast off means to end your work in the following manner: knit 2 stitches, pass the first over the second, and continue the same until you have but one left, which is finished by passing your cotton through it.
To decrease is to lessen the number of stitches by knitting 2 taken together.
To increase, or make a double stitch, is to knit one stitch in the usual way, then, without slipping out the left hand needle, to pass the thread forward and knit a second stitch, putting the needle under the stitch. The thread must be put back when the stitch is finished.
Hang on, means cast on.
Bring the thread forward, means to pass it between the needles towards you.
Cast over is a term I believe sometimes used by knitters, to signify, bring the cotton forward. I have only used it to express, bring the cotton over the needle, quite round.
Round the needle, means the same as the last term.
Reversed, means quite round the needle, the cotton being passed over the needle, and then carried back to its place.
Together, means knit 2 stitches in 1.
Set, or Tuft, the bunches of cotton used in making some of the Fringes.
To widen means to increase.
The netting meshes are numbered from the knitting needle gauge, as I am not aware there is any other rule for them.