6. KNITTING

The same principles apply to the teaching of knitting as to the teaching of sewing. The pupils, in learning the first and simplest stitch, are learning the whole process of knitting, and therefore plenty of time must be allowed for the hands to accustom themselves to the new kind of work before fresh difficulties are introduced.

Many children learn to knit well much more quickly than they learn to sew well, in spite of the fact that the making of a stitch in knitting is a much more elaborate process than the making of a tacking stitch. This is probably because the knitting-needle is a much larger instrument than a sewing-needle, and because regularity in the work is dependent on the increasing power and steadiness of the hands rather than on guidance by the eye.

The teaching of knitting has this advantage over the teaching of sewing, that there is prac­tically but one position of the hands to be learned, and that when the first stitch has been learned, all others are found to be the direct outcome of the first.

Materials

Just as in sewing, the first work in knitting may be comparatively coarse, finer work being attempted by degrees. In a loosely woven piece of work, the method of working is much more clearly distinguishable, so that the pupil can more easily avoid or correct mistakes; fine knitting makes very slow progress, and tight knitting is tiring to the hands and to the mind. Inexperienced knitters often allow their work to become very tight on the needles.

Short wooden or bone pins are better to start with than steel needles. That they should be short is essential to good work on the part of young pupils. Long pins are heavier, and apt to lead to awkward ways of working. A child is apt to take a long hold of the knitting-needle, and so to lift the right hand completely away from the work in putting the wool round the needle. Using a short needle compels a pupil to take a short hold, and therefore helps to promote a more rapid and graceful manner of working.

Wooden and bone needles make looser work than steel needles of the same thickness, are less heavy to hold, and are more comfortable to work with, since they do not so readily become sticky with perspiration from small hands struggling with the difficulties of knitting. Wooden pins are cheaper than bone, but are less smooth, and more liable to break or to split at the points. No. 8 or No. 10 would be a suitable size for early work.
Either wool or cotton may be used for knitting, according to the article being made. Wool is much more flexible and pleasant to handle, cotton much cheaper and less liable to splitting. Young pupils often find cotton too stiff to work with, but older pupils can use it quite success­fully. Such a thread as Peri-lusta can often replace wool in making simple articles, but the work progresses rather more slowly. For first lessons, the wool should be of moderate thickness and of light color, so that the work may be clearly seen.

Owing to the high price of wool, children occasionally bring to school wool unraveled from a previously made article. Unless the

Garter or Plain Stitch

The pupil has two distinct lessons to learn here: (1) the management of the needles and the wool, and (2) the making of the stitch. When the pupil begins to sew, using tacking stitch, the management of the work is practically the only difficulty, the stitch being so natural and easy to comprehend. Making a stitch in knitting, on the other hand, is quite an elaborate performance.

Class lessons, which are practically drill les­sons, may be given, the teacher showing step by step how to work, using very thick knitting-pins and rug wool or other very thick wool, and the children imitating the teacher's movements. This would give the more observant pupils a good start. But individual teaching is usually necessary. A child often finds herself unable to imitate the teacher's movements, but compre­hends quickly when she feels her hands put into the correct position by the teacher.

1. Holding the Work.—The left-hand needle is held lightly from above by all the fingers, the first finger resting on the stitches so as to regu­late their passage along the needle.

The right hand holds the needle like a pen. This is the usual position. Only, when very long rows are being worked, it is necessary to change, and then the right-hand needle is held like the left-hand one.

The wool passes over the first finger of the right hand, under the next two, and round the little finger, in order that its tension may be even. This even tension of the wool is what makes regular knitting. To hold the wool over the fingers of the right hand is the usual way, but a less common method is to keep the wool in the left hand, as in crochet. As children's difficulty in knitting lies largely in the lifting of the wool round the point of the needle, the teaching of this latter method would probably mean easier and quicker work.

2. Making the Stitch.—This consists of four motions: (1) slipping the right-hand needle into the first loop on the left-hand needle; (2) lifting the thread round the point of the right-hand needle; (3) drawing the needle and thread through the loop; (4) lifting the loop off the left-hand needle.

It may seem needless to analyse in this way the process of knitting, since every teacher knows quite well how to knit; but it is useful to observe how many things a child has to learn all at once in order to make any progress whatever.

Only practice will combine these actions into one continuous motion, and in the meantime the child readily confuses the order of the actions. At the beginning of a lesson, a short drill may be helpful, the teacher describing the motions, and the pupils performing them, so that the partially forgotten lesson is re-learnt.

The directions may then be reduced to single words, e.g. "In, round, through, off". These words form a mnemonic which helps a pupil to d herself of the correct order of the actions, and so to avoid or correct mistakes. Most children have a remarkable faculty for learning by heart any series of unconnected words, and while the teacher would not take unreasonable advantage of this power, yet anything that helps a pupil to judge and correct her own work is useful.

When the method of working has been mastered, the next thing to be aimed at is regu­larity in working, and this can only be achieved by continued practice.

Garter stitch is the name given to plain knitting backwards and forwards on two needles, and as a large number of articles, both useful and interest­ing, can be made in garter stitch, there is no need to give it up for more advanced methods until a child is perfectly familiar with the work. Only comparatively quickly - made articles need be attempted.

While garter stitch is still being practiced, the pupil should be taught to slip off the first stitch in every row without knitting it. This is necessary whenever work is knitted on both sides, else the edges become too long for the rest of the work.

Making a chain edge, casting on, casting off, and joining a thread can all be taught while garter stitch remains the method of construction.

Even after a child knows how to knit, the two most common faults are letting down loops and making loops. In order that the work may not be spoiled, the pupil must simply count the stitches after each row, so that mistakes may be rectified at the earliest possible moment. For this reason, the rows should be short at first, or the calculation will be too difficult. The counting naturally retards the already slow progress of the work, but carefulness and accuracy are at first more important than speed.

The teacher should also discover whether the trouble is due to the materials provided. If very thin wool is knitted with thick needles, it is very difficult not to drop loops. Loops are also dropped frequently when the work is extremely tight.

Making loops is sometimes due to splitting threads, and, if the thread being worked is very liable to split, the substitution of a better-twisted thread will help. Making loops, however, is more frequently due to the worker's putting the thread over the needle at the wrong moment, or forgetting to draw the thread through before slipping the loop off the needle, and consequently having an extra loop in the next row. In this case, the pupil had better recommence knitting while re­peating the directions, "In, round, through, off".

Chain Edge

This gives a much more regular and beautiful edge to a piece of garter stitch. (See Nos. 1,2, and 3 in Plate XXII, p. 236.) When it is neces­sary to join two pieces of knitting together, the junction is much more neatly and accurately made when chain edge has been worked.

This edge may be produced by two methods.
1. Slip the first stitch of a row as a plain stitch, and purl the last stitch.
2. Slip the first loop as for a purl row. While there is no difference in the appearance produced by these two methods, the second is probably the better, since, after the first stitch has been carefully made, there is no further variation of the stitch to distract the mind during the working of the row.

Casting On

There are two methods of casting on loops, the first and simplest of which it is best to teach to children at first, leaving the more difficult method for occasions where it is really more effective.

1. First Method, using two needles (fig. 1).— Make a slip loop, place it on the left-hand needle, then knit into it, passing each loop as made on to the left-hand needle.

This method is very easily connected with the plain stitch which the pupil already knows. The old mnemonic: "In, round, through, off", will be adapted to suit the new action, and becomes, " In, round, through, on", since the stitch on the left-hand needle is not lifted off, but the one newly made is placed beside it. This method is useful at any point of the work, whether at the beginning or in the middle.

2. Second Method, using one needle double wool (fig. 2).—  Double the wool to such length as will probably serve for the number of loops to be cast on. (As this is a rather difficult calculation, it is worth while before beginning a long piece of casting on to work about half a dozen stitches, then undo them again and measure the amount of wool used. The proportion required will then be easily found.)

Hold the double wool in the left hand, and the single in the right hand. Pass the double wool round the fingers of the left hand, and hold in place with the thumb.

Slip the knitting-needle under the double wool, and bring forward the wool passing behind the fingers; knit into this loop with the single thread, and draw down the double wool smoothly to tighten the loop.

The wool must be rearranged round the fingers of the left hand at every stitch made.

This is a strong way of beginning socks and stockings and any other articles where there is a strain on the casting on, but it can only be used at the beginning of an article, except at the expense of breaking off the thread, and starting afresh. Where sections of a knitted article have afterwards to be sewn together, this method would not make so invisible a join as the first method.

Single instead of double wool may be used when casting on is done by this method, but it has then little advantage over the first and simpler method. In the diagram single wool is shown for the sake of clearness.

Casting Off

There are two methods of casting off, one far more commonly used than the other. First Method (fig. 3).— Knit 2 stitches, then insert the left – hand needle in the first stitch knitted, and lift it over the second. Knit the third stitch, and lift the second stitch over it. Continue till all the stitches are disposed of.

This forms a neat edge, like chain edge, but is apt to be tight when finished. To prevent its becoming too tight, allow the wool to be slackened out every time that a second stitch has been knitted on to the right-hand needle. Tightness misshapes the work, and makes the edge more liable to break away.

Second Method.—

Knit 2 stitches together; slip the stitch thus formed on to the left-hand needle; knit 2 stitches together, &c.

This forms a less smooth, but less tight edge, and so is stronger than the first method.

Casting Off a Double Row of Stitches as for the Toe of a Stocking

The stitches should be in equal numbers on each of two needles. With a third needle, knit together the first stitch on front needle, and the first stitch on back needle, then knit the second stitches together; draw the first stitch on right-hand needle over the second. Knit together the third stitches; draw over the second stitch. Continue so till the end of the row.

Joining Wool

First Method (fig. 4).— Place the old and new wool side by side, but with the free ends lying in opposite directions. Knit a few stitches with the double wool, then allow the old end to drop. In the next row, each stitch made at the junction will be a double one, and pupils must take care not to mistake the double stitch for two single ones, and so increase the number of stitches. The free ends of old and new wool should be afterwards darned into the wrong side of the work. This is the best method for very thin wool and for cotton threads.

Second Method (fig. 5).— Thread the new wool into a darning-needle, and draw it into the old wool about the length of the needle, beginning from the free end.

This forms one rather thick thread at the junction. After this join has been knitted over, any frayed ends of wool still visible may be cut away. This is a very good method, as it makes the neatest possible join, but it is scarcely possible to use it except on a fairly thick and well-twisted wool.

Purl Stitch and Rib

The first thing- a pupil has to learn about purl stitch is that it is merely the other side of plain stitch. In making plain stitch the knitting is done from the side of the work next the worker, the needle being inserted away from the worker. In purl stitch the process is reversed, the knitting being done on the side of the work farther from the worker, while the needle is in­serted towards the worker (fig. 6).

In plain stitch the working thread is always kept on the farther side of the work, but in purl stitch on the side nearer the worker.

In beginning to work purl, then, the thread is first thrown over the point of the needle, so as to bring it to the front, and it remains in that position until plain stitch is to be worked again.

The stitch itself follows exactly the same course as plain stitch, only the first and third actions are in the opposite direction to that of plain stitch.

Using the old formula to connect the new stitch with the old, the commands now become, "In (from the back), round, through (to the back), off".

Although the position of the hands in purl stitch is a little more difficult than in plain, a little steady practice will soon accustom the pupils to the new motion. What they find difficult is to change frequently from plain to purl, and from purl to plain. The first attempt at purl knitting, therefore, should consist of complete rows of purl stitch.

By knitting alternately two plain rows and two purl rows, a ribbed appearance is produced, which can be worked very suitably into cuffs, knitted vests or semmets, and other articles.

Later, the pupils can practice what is more commonly known as ribbed knitting, working alternately plain and purl stitches, instead of plain and purl rows.

The advantage of ribbed knitting over plain may be pointed out. i. It fits more closely to the figure without being stretched tightly. For this reason, a ribbed piece is always knitted at the top of plain socks and stockings, at the wrists of gloves, at the neck, wrists, and bottom edge of jerseys, &c. 2. Because of its forma­tion, it encloses more air-space (unless stretched to its limits), and therefore is warmer. The  difference is similar to that between plain cotton and flannelette, where the flannelette, having its surface roughened so as to enclose more air, feels warmer than cotton.

Knitting with Four Needles

This forms quite a new departure in knitting, and probably a pupil who has made very regular round from needle to needle will prevent the ladders from becoming too prominent Casting on to three needles is not in itself difficult, but joining the work round correctly gives some trouble. To prevent the needles twisting out of the correct position, the stitches are sometimes cast on to one needle only, and afterwards divided up among the three needles.

work with two needles will produce much less satisfactory work at first with four needles.

Besides the awkwardness of holding two needles in each hand instead of only one, the chief difficulties are (i) to remember not to turn the work at the end of a row, this being done almost automatically after lengthy practice with two needles, and (2) to avoid making "ladders" between the needles. To avoid "ladders", the last few stitches on one needle and the first few on the next should be knitted rather tightly, and where they are still apt to appear, a pretty frequent change of stitches

When all the casting on has been done, the needles should be laid down side by side in a straight line, so that any twist in the line of loops may be corrected before joining round (fig. 7). The two end needles are then brought round towards each other so as to form a triangle (fig. 8), and if one or two loops are at once knitted from the left-hand needle on to the right-hand one, the junction is both correctly and securely made. Whatever pattern is to be worked afterwards, it would be best to knit the first row quite plain in order to make a good start.

After the work has been begun, only care and plenty of practice are necessary to overcome the difficulties of knitting round. which narrow gradually towards the toe, and which must fit closely. First Method.—Knit 2 stitches together (fig. 9).

stitches into a sloping position, the first towards the right hand, the second towards the left hand. The slope, however, is much more marked by the second method, since the slipped stitch is actually lifted over to the left, so whenever an almost invisible intake is desirable, the first method should be used.

The two methods are used together, however, where intakes are in pairs, e.g. at the intakes at the back of the leg of a stocking, or at the sleeve of a jersey or woollen coat, at the gusset of the foot, and at the toe of a stocking. The contrasted slopes form a little bit of pattern in a plain piece of knitting. The contrast in the two slopes is also made much use of in the knit­ting of lace patterns.

Intakes usually form a regular series at any part of a garment, and are frequently at very short intervals. In such a case the extra weight of the intake is apt to form a ladder in the next stitch, especially if two intakes come very closely together, as they do in the usual method of finishing a toe. The usual precaution against ladders should be taken, knitting rather more tightly over the intake. At the back of a stocking, the intake is never made on the stitch next to the seam stitch, but always with at least one stitch between to prevent a gap.

Letting Out or Increasing

Letting out is no longer much used in the knitting of stockings, except in the case of knickerbockers stockings, which must fit closely to the leg. The simplest method of increasing is to put

the thread over the needle and then continue working (fig. 11). This always leaves a little hole or gap in the work, and so is only suitable where the hole forms part of a pattern. This method is much used in knitting lace.

Another method is to lift a stitch from the row below that on the needle and knit into that (fig. 12). Such an increase is quite firmly worked, and so is scarcely noticeable.

Still another method is to knit twice into the same stitch, the first stitch being plain, the second purl. This is a very neat increase.

Picking up Side Stitches

This is frequently necessary in beginning to knit a new section of a garment to be worked at right angles to the piece already done, e.g. in adding sleeves to the body of a semmet or a jersey, or in join­ing the foot to the heel of a stocking.

If the first part has been well knitted at the turning of the rows, it is easy to pick up the stitches regularly. Each stitch consists of a V shape. In lifting the stitches, take al­ways the portion which forms the outermost edge (fig- i3)-

Making and Turning the Heel of a Sock or Stocking

Halfthe number of stitches on the needles at the ankle are used to form the heel. If the number is uneven, add the extra stitch to the heel rather than to the front of the foot. Some workers prefer always to add a stitch or twoto half the ankle number.

When the heel is knitted plain (that is, alter­nate rows of plain and purl), the number of rows worked is usually made equal to the number of stitches.

The heel is frequently knitted so as to thicken the work, and so make it more durable. The plain rows are knitted plain as usual, but in the purl rows the stitches are slipped and knitted alternately. The row must, of course, finish with a knitted stitch.

This treatment reduces the length and width of the heel. To allow for the reduction in width, the heel stitches should number rather more than half the ankle stitches.

To allow for the reduction in length, several rows must be added to the usual number. About one-sixth or one-eighth more would be quite sufficient.

There are several ways of turning the heel. First Method (see Plate XXI, No. 1).— Knit the heel to the proper length, then continue to knit backwards and forwards, taking in on either side of the middle in every second row, until 6 or 8 stitches have been taken in.

The stitches should then be arranged equally on two needles and the two sides folded together, knitted together, and cast off. This is liable, however, to produce a rather

hard ridge under the heel, so the stitches may be grafted together with a darning-needle instead of being knitted off.

Pick up the side stitches at the left-hand side and knit them; knit the front row of the foot; pick up the right-hand side stitches and knit them.

Second Method—Gusset Heel (see Plate XXI, No. 2).— This method takes its name from the triangular shape of the under portion of the heel, as formed by the intakes. The necessary number of rows (as many as the number of stitches on the heel) being knitted, this portion of the work may finish at the end of a plain row.

Knit purl as far as the middle or seam stitch, then purl 1 stitch, purl 2 together, purl 1 stitch, and turn. Slip 1, knit to the seam stitch, then knit 1 stitch; take in by slipping 1, knitting 1, and taking the slipped stitch over. Knit 1 stitch, and turn. (This turning makes a gap between the central portion of the heel and the remainder of the stitches.)

In every succeeding row, knit purl or plain to the stitch before the gap, take in the two stitches over the gap, and knit another stitch. Continue until all the stitches are used up.

It is the knitting of another stitch after the intake in every row which causes the triangular shape of the heel. This pattern of heel is quite smooth when finished, and accommodates itself easily to any size of foot.
Third Method—Dutch Heel (see Plate XXI, No. 3).-

In this method the part of the heel enclosed by the intakes is oblong, not triangular. For this reason it is said to be more easily darned than the gusset heel. The oblong part enclosing the intakes should be about one-third of the width of the heel, the last stitch on either side of this middle third being knitted on to the stitches of the remainder until they are all used up.

For example, if there are 37 stitches on the heel, beginning with the purl row, purl up to the middle or seam stitch, knit the seam stitch, then purl 5 more, then 2 together, and turn. Slip the first stitch, knit 5, purl the seam stitch, then knit other 5, and take in. Turn, slip 1, purl 5, knit the seam stitch, purl 5, take in, turn. Slip 1, knit 5, purl the seam stitch, knit 5, take in, turn. Continue in this way till all the side stitches are knitted off.

Knitting the Instep Gusset of a Sock or Stocking

(See Plate XXI) After the heel has been turned and the side stitches lifted, the front or instep needle should contain half, or rather less than half, the stitches that formed the ankle. Each of the two back needles should contain half the stitches remaining (if any remained) after the heel was turned, and the stitches picked up from one side of the heel. The stitches on these two back needles must be reduced in number until the two together contain the same number as the front needle. This reduction is made on the heel needles at the end nearest to the front.

The counting of stitches and rows is reckoned from the seam stitch (which now disappears), and the first row is knitted plainly round to that point again. Then knit the heel needle until 3 stitches are left. Take 2 together, knit 1. Knit the front row. On the heel needle, knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, draw the slipped stitch over, knit to the end of the needle. Knit a whole plain round.

In every alternate row, take in as described, noting that different methods of taking in are used on the right and left sides of the front needle, in order to form a little pattern. If these methods are reversed, the effect is not so satisfactory.

When the total number of stitches on the foot is equal to or rather less than those forming the ankle, the decreasing are discontinued, and the remainder of the foot knitted plain.

Taking In and Closing the Toe of a Stocking

The toe of a stocking or sock usually forms about a quarter of the whole length of the foot. There are two common ways of shaping it. In the first, the decreasings are all made at the sides of the stocking foot, and follow each other in close succession, so that the strain of repeated intakes seems sometimes to be too great for fine wool. In the other method, the intakes are worked at intervals round the foot, and, after a row with decreasing, a considerable plain-knitted space follows.

First Method (see Plate XXI, No. 3).— The stitches are arranged just as they were for the gusset at the instep—half the number being on the front needle, the other half divided equally between the back needles. Begin count­ing at the same place as in knitting the instep gusset.

Knit the back needle until only 3 stitches are left. Knit 2 together, knit 1.
On the front needle, knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, draw the slipped stitch over, knit plain until 3 stitches remain, then knit 2 together, knit 1.

On the back needle, knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, draw the slipped stitch over, continue knitting plain to the end. Knit 1 plain round, and then in alternate rows repeat the decreasing as above until only about 16 stitches altogether remain.

Observe once again the little bit of pattern formed by the alteration in the method of decreasing.

Second Method (see Plate XXI, No. 2).— Suppose about 70 stitches on the needles when the toe is reached. Knit 6 stitches, take 2 together. Repeat this all round, and knit any remaining stitches. Knit 6 rows plain.
Knit 5 stitches, take 2 together. Repeat as before. Knit 5 rows plain. Continue in this way, reducing the number of stitches and rows by 1 each time until only about 16 stitches remain.

This method looks well when finished, and gives a good shape to the toe.
It is not easy, however, to calculate the proper number of stitches and rows with which to begin. Taking the above calculation, for a foot con­taining 70 stitches the length of the toe is the same by whichever method it is worked; but for a foot containing fewer stitches, the length of the toe is much greater in proportion to the foot by the second method than by the first; while for a foot containing more stitches, the length of the toe is proportionately shorter.

A variation in the number of stitches may be made as follows:— Beginning with about 50 stitches, knit 4 stitches between the intakes and knit 4 rows. Beginning with about 60 stitches, knit 5 stitches and 5 rows. Beginning with about 70 stitches, knit 6 stitches and 6 rows. Beginning with about 80 or 90 stitches, knit 7 stitches and 7 rows. Beginning with about 100 stitches, knit 8 stitches and 8 rows.
Closing the Toe

(See Plate XXI, Nos. 2 and 3)

The remaining 16 to 20 stitches should be arranged equally on two knitting-needles, taking care that one needle represents the upper, and the other the under part of the toe.

The two may then be knitted together and cast off, the two processes being worked to­gether in one row. If worked in two separate rows, the ridge formed would be uncomfortable.

A smoother way of finishing is to graft the two rows together, as already described in the chapter on darning. The only difference is that the knitting-needles remain in the work to prevent the stitches from running down, and this some­times causes a little confusion.

It may be found easier to graft the toe if the needles are replaced by a strong thread of con­trasting color.

With the needles in place, the directions would be as follows:— Hold the work so that the knitting-thread is at the right-hand side. Break off enough thread to graft with, and thread it into a darning-needle.

Bring the needle through the first stitch of front wire from wrong side to right. Leave the stitch on the wire. Draw the darning-needle through the first stitch of back wire from right side to wrong, and take off the stitch; then through second stitch from wrong side to right, and leave the stitch on.

Draw the darning-needle through the first stitch of front wire from right side to wrong,

and take off the stitch; then through the second stitch from wrong side to right, and leave the stitch on.

This is continued until all the loops are used up, when the thread is darned down into the wrong side of the stocking.

A short mnemonic for the whole process is: " Right side to wrong, take off; wrong side to right, leave on ".

This is an excellent way of closing toes of socks and stockings, and any other portions of garments where two unfinished edges may be brought together.

PATTERN-MAKING

While perfectly satisfactory and comfortable garments can be made in plain knitting, yet a little bit of pattern knitting lends interest both to the manufacture and to the finished appear­ance of an article. Pattern knitting really takes longer to work than plain knitting, but as it reduces the monotony of a long piece of work, an article varied by pattern does not seem so tedious to work at as a perfectly plain one. Because of the time and care required in making a good pattern, and because pattern that is constantly repeated itself becomes monotonous, pattern-making in school is best confined to small pieces of work, such as lace edging for under­clothing, or to small sections of any article, e.g. a strip of pattern down the front of a stocking leg. Even in the plainest of articles the method of working in itself forms so much pattern, and the interesting pieces are eagerly looked for as a relief from the more monotonous parts. The rib at the top of a sock or stocking, the intakes at the back of the leg, the heel and the toe are
Knitted with thick steel needles, Knitted with thick wooden pins, Spiral pattern
Open work (wave) pattern

Diagonal Pattern Open work pattern, very simple Nos. I, 2, 3.—Pieces of knitting worked in the same wool, and containing the same number of stitches and rows, but worked with different needles all less tedious, even if more difficult, than the plainer parts.

EXAMPLES OF KNITTING

There is no need in school to teach anything very difficult in the way of pattern. When pupils are capable of making difficult patterns, they are also capable of copying them from any of the numerous books which deal with the subject. The only thing that is desirable is to show how pattern in knitting can be made, so that pupils can intelligently follow out a pattern seen or described, and may even build up from imagination any simple pattern.

The ways in which pattern can be made in knitting are: (i) by change of colour; (2) by changes from plain to purl stitches; (3) by changes in the direction of the stitches; (4) by open-work patterns. While each of these ways can be used alone, they are more frequently combined to form more elaborate patterns.

1. Change of color may involve merely stripes or borders of contrasting color, or may be worked into elaborate patterns as in stocking tops. As pupils could only work very simple changes of color, the only difficulty would be the disposing of the thread that may be carried from point to point while another color is being used. One way would be to break off the thread and join it on again when necessary, but if frequent changes must be made, frequent joins are not advisable. It is usually possible to catch in the extra thread row by row on the wrong side of the work, so working it upto the point where it will be required, without leaving a long thread apt to catch and break.
2. Change of stitch from plain to purl can be made to produce many patterns, simple but effective. The commonest form of pattern is the rib, and the two styles of rib already de­scribed will show that when plain and purl stitches are regularly placed side by side, as in the rib of a stocking, the plain stitches lie on the surface and the purl ones sink below it when the rib closes up; while, on the other hand, if plain and purl rows follow each other, it is the purl stitches that appear on the surface, while the plain ones sink, giving a totally dif­ferent appearance to the work.

Some of the simpler patterns may be men­tioned. Names are often attached to them, but are not perfectly reliable, as the same pattern goes by different names.

In describing the patterns, it is always sup­posed that the knitting is worked on the same side all the time, as in working on four needles. Any pattern can be worked on two needles by working purl for plain and plain for purl on the wrong side.

Pearl, Moss, or Bird's-eye Stitch (See Plate XXII, No. 4) Pattern requires two stitches.

Knit 1, purl 1, continue to end of row. In next row, knit the purl, and purl the plain stitches. Change at every row.

This is a perfectly simple pattern, but rather tedious on account of the constant change of stitch.

Dice Pattern (See Plate XXII, No. 5)Pattern requires 4, 6, or 8 stitches. Knit 2 or 3, or 4 stitches, purl the same num­ber. Knit as many rows in this way as there are stitches in the pattern, that is, 2 or 3, or 4. Then knit the same number of rows, reversing the pattern, putting plain stitches in place of purl, and purl instead of plain. Continue knit­ting in this way, changing the pattern regularly.

Basket Pattern

(See Plate XXII, No. 6) Pattern requires 10 stitches. Purl 7 stitches, knit 3, continue to the end, and repeat this row 2 or 3 times. Knit a plain row. In the next row, arrange so that the 3 plain stitches may be worked over the middle 3 of the 7 purl, and the 7 purl worked over 2 of the purl, the 3 plain, and other 2 purl. Work 3 or 4 rows to every pattern, and a plain row between the patterns.

A Spiral Pattern (See Plate XXII, No. 7) Pattern requires 4 stitches. Knit 1, purl 3, continue in this way, knitting 4 rows to form one pattern. In the 4 rows form­ing the next pattern, knit plain the stitch above the first purl, and purl the 3 above the last 2 purl and the 1 plain. Continue to shift the pattern 1 stitch forward at each change.

A Diagonal Pattern (See Plate XXII, No. 8) Pattern requires 7 stitches. 1st row.—Knit 6 plain, 1 purl, repeat. 2nd row.—Knit 5 plain, 2 purl, repeat. 3rd row.—Knit 4 plain, 3 purl, repeat. 4th row.—Knit 3 plain, 4 purl, repeat. 5th row.—Knit 2 plain, 5 purl, repeat. 6th row.—Knit 1 plain, 6 purl, repeat. (3) and (4). Changes in the direction of the stitch and open work are usually combined, the pattern being produced by a balanced ar­rangement of increasing and decreasing.

For the purpose of open work, increasing are always made simply by putting the thread over the needle (as for purl) before a plain stitch, and, unless longer or shorter rows are wanted, every increase must be balanced by a corre­sponding decrease.

This arrangement of increasing and decreasing is sufficient to give the stitches the appearance of having been worked at an angle to the general direction of the work.

1. A perfectly simple open pattern is pro­duced in this way:—

Knit 1 thread over needle, knit 2 together, and so on. Knit the next row, or several rows, plain, then repeat the pattern. (See Plate XXII, No. 9.) 2. A rather more difficult pattern, forming a wave, is worked as follows:—Pattern requires 15 stitches. Take in (slip 1, knit 1, take slipped stitch over), knit 5, make 1 (wool over needle), knit 1, make 1, knit 5, knit 2 together. The next row is plain, and pattern and plain rows are then alternated. (See Plate XXII, No. 10.)
 
SHAPING KNITTED GARMENTS

Except for stockings, socks, and gloves, knitted garments do not require to be fitted so exactly as those made of material. The extreme flexi­bility of knitted work causes the garment to fit itself easily to the body, and the warmth and comfort of a woolen garment is dependent on its being loose rather than strained tightly.

The lines of a woolen garment are generally much simpler than those of a cloth one. For example, the shoulders often show no sloping line, and the armhole lines are much less curved. For very easy garments it is usually sufficient to measure the main lines of length and width and adhere to them in knitting the garment. For more difficult articles, a paper pattern, as simple as possible, may be cut in stiff paper, and the various portions of the garment measured by it, and increased or decreased accordingly. Patterns might be drafted in a similar way for stockings, socks, and gloves, but in making these it must be remembered that the perfect fitting of the article depends on its being just a little narrower than the limb itself, the knitted fabric being so easily stretched.

In working to a paper pattern, it must be noted that any ribbed appearance must be smoothed out before measuring. For instance, a piece of work in garter stitch will be very much longer after being worn, and especially after being washed, than it is at first.

It is safer to apply a measure taken in inches than a measure according to number of stitches, or rows of knitting, as the work of different workers varies so much, and also the work varies according to the thickness of the knitting-needles used (see Plate XXII). In beginning a new piece of work it is well to knit a small piece of plain knitting first of all, so that the number of stitches and the number of rows to the inch may be found for purposes of comparison. It is then easy to keep the article to the correct shape, no matter how much variation in stitch or rib occurs during the construction of the garment.

A few patterns are given of articles that may be made in school, but many other suitable patterns are to be found in publications dealing with knitting. Only those of simple outline should be selected for children's work. In the patterns given, the dimensions of a suitable size of article are stated, but the diagrams show how easy it would be to make a larger or smaller size.

Baby's Bonnet (See Plate XXIII)  Use, if possible, double-knitting wool and rather fine knitting-pins. The work should be close and firm. Cast on enough stitches to occupy about 41/2 in. Knit a square in garter stitch with chain edge. At each end of the line of knitting cast on 4½ in. more, making a piece of work 131/2 in. wide. Knit about 9 in. of this, and cast off. Join together the short edges which are at

Fig. 1.—Join a to a and b to b right angles to each other (fig. 1). The square of 41/2 in. forms the back of the bonnet.

The front portion of the bonnet is rolled back from the face. Ribbons to tie must be sewn on, or a crochet cord made and run through the lower edge of the bonnet.

Baby's Bootees  (See Plate XXIII)
Cast on sufficient stitches to make a length of about 13 in.

Heelless Bed Sock

EXAMPLES OF KNITTED ARTICLES

Baby's Bootee

Knit in garter stitch with chain edge, about 3 in-Cast off at each end of the row about 3½in., leaving 6 in. to form the foot. Continue knitting 3 in. more, and cast off. Fold together, and join up the back and the front of the leg. The knitting folds together at the sole of the foot (fig. 2). Run a thread through the line of casting off to draw in the toe. A pair of bed-socks could be worked in the Fig 8.—The dotted line represents the sole of the foot same manner if the lines were increased in length.

The leg of bed-socks would be much shorter in proportion to the foot.
Bedroom Slippers

Use fingering-wool and steel needles. Cast on about 5 in. of knitting, and knit a square of garter stitch with chain edge. Cast off about 2 in. of the work, and continue knitting a strip 3 in. wide for about 10 in. more, or until the piece is long enough to fit the remainder of the shoe sole. Cast off. The end of the narrow strip is then sewn up to the side of the square piece (fig. 3). The corner of the square is turned back, pointing towards the toe.

The edge may be made to fit closer to the ankle by crocheting a line all round (in a contrasting color if possible). Before crocheting, a turn-over piece may be worked round the side and back of the ankle. The chain-edge stitches are taken up on needles, and a strip of 1 to 2 in. worked in garter stitch or any simple pattern.

Lastly, the slipper is firmly top-sewed to a sole.

Puzzle Jacket

This is a simple, sleeveless jacket to wear under a coat. It does not look like a jacket until the arms are slipped in, when the elasticity of the work allows it to shape itself to the body. Use knitting-pins, so that the work will be loose. Cast on enough stitches to make about 9 in. (for a girl's jacket). Knit garter stitch, until an oblong is formed 1½ times as long as its breadth.

Cast on as many stitches again, and knit other 9 in., then cast off half the stitches now on the needle, and continue knitting, forming another oblong like the first. Cast off. Join, by top-sewing, the first and last rows of Fig. 4.—Join a to a and b to b the knitting to the first and last rows of the 9 inch square (fig. 4).

The openings left at the folded side are the armholes. A narrow crochet border may be worked all round the edge of the jacket and round the arm-holes.

Crochet strings should be sewn on at each side of the front to keep the jacket fastened across the chest. A little piece should be folded down to form a collar.

The seams should come at the back, the back neck being at the middle of the long straight line.

Baby's Jacket (See Plate XXIII)

This is merely a simplified form of the magyar style shown in the cutting-out section. Use thin wool of light color, and pins, so as to make loose knitting. Cast on for the back waist 9 in. of knitting. Knit about 3½ in. garter stitch with chain edge. Cast on at each end of the row 4½ in. for sleeves. Knit across the whole of this row 3½ in. more. Now cast off the middle 4 in. for the neck, knit a row or two, and cast on again for one side of the front neck about 2 in. Each front must, of course, be worked by itself.

Knit 3J in. of front and sleeve, then cast off the sleeve portion, and knit 3J in. more to front waist. Cast off. Knit similarly the other front. Pick up the stitches at the wrist end of the sleeve, and knit an inch or two for a cuff to turn back. Pick up the stitches down the middle front, and knit about 1½ in. to widen the front on each side.

Pick up all the stitches round the neck, and knit a straight collar about 3 in. deep. Join the under-arm seams by top-sewing. Pick up all the stitches at the waist, and knit a basque about 3 in. deep. This basque should be shaped by making a stitch in every row at each side seam, and at each side of the middle front.At the neck and waist, after having lifted the stitches and worked 1 row plain, a row of open work may be made to allow ribbons to pass through. For the open row, put the wool over the needle and knit 2 together, all the way round, except at the first 2 and last 2 stitches.

Washing Glove (See Plate XXIV)

Use knitting-cotton and steel needles. Cast on about 8 in. of knitting, and join round. Knit about 1½ in. of rib, say 2 plain, 2 purl (fig. 6). Then knit round until the glove is about 7 in. long. The knitting of this portion should be rough. Moss pattern would be suitable, or if it is too difficult, alternate rows of plain and purl would do. The monotony of the work may be broken by knitting in pattern for 2 in. or so, then knitting a band of plain, then the pattern again.

When the glove is long enough, take in at each side as in finishing the toe of a stocking.  When the stitches are reduced to about 12 or 16, draw the end of cotton through them, tighten up, and fasten off the end firmly. The end might also be cast off like a stocking toe.

Boy's Tie

Use Peri-lusta or other mercerized knitting-cotton, and knitting-needles.
Cast on enough stitches to make the tie about 11/2in. wide, say 16 stitches. Knit 9 in. in a simple reversible pattern. The dice pattern on p. 238 is suitable. Then reduce the stitches to make the neck portion about half the width of the ends. Slip the first stitch purl-wise, knit 2 together to the end of the row.

Knit garter stitch for about 9 in., then increase at every second stitch until there are once more 16 stitches on the needles. Knit in pattern again until the tie is long enough, and cast off.

Bed-socks (See Plate XXIV)

Use thick wool and knitting-pins. Knit a square of 9 in. (or less for a small foot) garter stitch. Cast off. Fold the square in two, join up one narrow end for the heel, draw in the other end for the toe, and join fully half the length of the oblong for the upper part of the foot (fig. 7). Pick up on three needles the stitches remain
Fig. 7.—Bed-sock The sock is folded by the middle dotted line. The position of the ribbed ankle portion is shown in the dotted sections.  

ing, and knit round, making a rib, for about 3 in. Cast off. The first row, after picking up the stitches, may be made an open-work row, for a crochet cord to tie.

Heelless Bed-socks (See Plate XXIII)

Use thick wool and knitting-pins. Cast on about 8 in. of stitches, and knit round, making a rib for about 4 in. Continue knitting, either plain or in a simple pattern, for 8 in. more. Begin to take in the toe, knitting quite plain, and using the method that gives a round toe.
When the stitches are reduced to 10 or 12, cast off.

The size suggested for the last two patterns makes a fairly large sock, but may easily be reduced for children's socks.

Baby's Vest (See Plate XXIV)

Use fine wool, but not very fine needles. Beginning at the front edge, cast
on stitches to give a length of 7½  in., and knit on two needles for 2½in. alternately 2 rows of plain and 2 rows of purl. Cast on about 1½in. more of stitches, and continue knitting other 2½ in. for the front shoulder. Cast off about 3 in. of stitches for the armhole, and in the next row cast on the same number again.

Knit 2½in. for the back shoulder, then cast off a few stitches to lower the back neck. Knit 3 in. Make the second half of the vest like the first, and then cast off. The vest is sewn together at the shoulders, and may be edged with a tiny crochet border, but this is not essential.

I. Bed Sock. 2. Baby's Ribbed Vest. 3. Washing Glove. EXAMPLES OF KNITTED ARTICLES

If sleeves are desired, the armhole stitches could be picked up before the shoulders are

Fig- 9.—Baby's Vest  Join a to a and b to b joined, and knitted in garter stitch for a sufficient length. A few rows of ribbing should be done at the wrist. The whole length of shoulder and sleeve would then be sewn together. Or the sleeves could be knitted separately, using the same rib as in the vest, and sewn into the armholes.

Child's Drawers

These are knitted in rather heavy wool, with needles or pins according to the thickness of the wool used. Four needles are required. If thin wool were used, the knitting would be tedious for a little girl, unless a small size were made. The garment shown measures about 15 in. across (when double) and 21 in. long.

The garment is begun at the waist, the front and back being worked separately at first on two needles to form side openings.

After a rib of 3 in., the knitting is continued plain until about one-third of the length of the garment has been made.

Two corresponding pieces having been knitted in this way, the plain knitting is now worked Fig. 10.—Child's Drawers round on all four needles until another one-third of the length has been completed (fig. 10).
As each leg is now to be knitted round, half the stitches should be put on another pair of needles or a piece of string until the first leg is complete.

A little gusset is arranged between the legs by casting on about 3 or 4 in. of stitches, which are decreased by two in every second round until the point of the gusset is reached, when the leg is again just half the width of the body.

The leg is finished at the knee with a rib of about 2 in., and cast off. At the beginning of the second leg, the stitches cast on to form the gusset must be picked up. The leg is then continued exactly like the first.

Fastenings would be required at the waist. The simplest fastening would be a crochet cord run into each section and tied at the sides. A large button might be sewn on each front, and a short loop of narrow tape on each back section. With this fastening, it would be advisable to sew a piece of firm material inside the ribbed part to make a firm band, which would prevent the gar­ment from slipping.

Girl's Jersey or Jumper

There are many ways of making these gar­ments, but one of the simplest patterns is shown in fig. 11. Thick wool and knitting-pins are used. The size indicated is intended for a girl about 12 years, and measures about 21 in. from the shoulder to the bottom edge.

Begin working at the bottom front—about 15 in. wide for this size—a few inches of rib. The remainder of the work may be in plain garter stitch, or in pattern, according to the ability of the pupil. Having knitted two-thirds of the whole length

Depth of armhole = ⅓ of whole length of garment. Depth of front neck = ½ of armhole depth. Width of bottom edge = about ⅔of whole length. Length of sleeve = ½ of width of jumper (previous to the working of the rib at the wrist). Width of neck = about ¼ of width of garment.

of front, cast on at each end of the row half as many stitches as in whole width of front.

To form the neck opening, divide the stitches intwo halves and knit one side at a time, decreas­ing every few rows until about 2 in. of stitches have been disposed of.

Knit up the second side like the first, and cast on for the back neck stitches equal in number to those worked off.

Continue knitting across till the other half of the sleeve width is formed, then cast off at each end of the needle the number of stitches cast on to make the sleeve.

Knit to the bottom of the back portion, finish­ing with a rib as at the beginning. Cast off.

Pick up the wrist stitches and knit a few inches of rib (preferably 2 plain, 2 purl, or 3 plain, 3 purl).

The stitches at the neck may now be picked up, and a few rows of rib knitted round, decreasing being made at the point in front to prevent bulging. Sew the sides up neatly.

Variations in the Pattern

1. As the long row across the back and sleeves may prove too large a handful, the jumper may be continued straight along the sides, the armhole stitches being afterwards picked up and the sleeves knitted towards the wrist.
2. The sharp under-arm angle may be avoided by increasing gradually for a few rows before the armhole line is reached. Fewer stitches will then have to be cast on to form the sleeve, and this process will be reversed when the sleeve is wide enough.

3. A collar of simple sailor pattern may be knitted and sewn into the neck instead of working the rows of ribbing mentioned above.

Socks

Socks are usually made without any decreasing in the leg (fig. 12). Several inches of a close rib (e.g. 2 plain, 2

purl) are knitted first, then the sock is knitted either plain or in another rib

= 1 or

The portion from the' end of the rib to the heel should be equal in length to the foot, which requires an easy measure of the length of the foot of the wearer.

The length of the toe is about one-fourth of the whole length of the foot.
The width of the sock should be less than the width of the wearer's leg.
Fully half the width of the sock gives the width of the heel, and the width of the foot should be equal to the width at the ankle.

Stockings

Stockings should be as carefully fitted to the leg and foot of the intended wearer as other gar­ments are fitted to the body, since a badly fitted stocking causes great discomfort.

It is very difficult to state rules which will fit every case, but, taking the length of the foot as a guide, the following proportions are fairly reliable (fig. 13):—

Length from casting on to the beginning of in­takes = about 1¾ times length of foot, but may be less if the stocking is not intended to reach above the knee.

Length of intakes = ⅔ length of foot. Length of ankle = ½ length of foot. Length of toe = ¼length of foot.

Width of stocking at casting on 2 in. less than width of leg at calf.

Width at ankle = ¾of width at top. Width of heel = fully ½ width of ankle. Width of foot = width of ankle. inted and bound in Great Britain