Exercises in Knitting Part 7

Pretty Pattern for Basket Serviettes.

Six st.i.tches to a pattern. Cast on 76 st.i.tches, knit 2 plain at each edge.

First row:--Make 1, knit 1, make 1, knit 2 together, knit 1, knit 2 together.

Second row:--Seamed.

Third row:--Make 1, knit 3, make 1, knit 3 together.

Fourth row:--Seamed.

Fifth row:--Knit 2 together, knit 1, knit 2 together, make 1, knit 1, make 1.

Sixth row:--Seamed.

Seventh row:--Knit 3 together, make 1, knit 3, make 1.

Eighth row:--Seamed. Repeat from first row. The plain rows between may be knit, instead of seamed, if wished.

Oriental Mat, or Hookah Carpet.

This may also be used as a carriage rug, or is very pretty as a mat for the front of the piano.

It is composed of an open stripe of dark knitting, and a stripe of white knitting, with a pattern worked in cross st.i.tch on it, and is quite new. Large wooden pins are required, and 12-threaded fleecy, dark claret for the open stripe, and white, with 4 shades of gold, green, lilac, and scarlet, form a good combination of colours for the close stripe, and are extremely rich in their effect. For the open stripe cast on 18 st.i.tches.

First row:--Knit 2 st.i.tches, bring the wool forward, pa.s.s the first of the 2 knit st.i.tches over, knit 2, bring the wool forward, pa.s.s the first of the 2 knit st.i.tches over, repeat.

Second row:--Seamed: repeat these 2 rows alternately till you have done the length you wish your mat to be.

For the close stripe cast on 20 st.i.tches, and knit the same length as the open stripe. When finished, pin it on to a weighted cus.h.i.+on to work the pattern on it, as that stretches the knitting, and shews more plainly where you should put your needle in.

Then work the annexed pattern on it. First pattern in shades of gold; second, shades of green; third, shades of scarlet; fourth, shades of lilac. Repeat with the gold. Four stripes of the white, and 3 of the dark, will make a nice-sized mat for a drawing-room.

If for a carriage rug, an additional stripe of each.

[Image: Pattern for Oriental mat.]

Very elegant Knitted Pelisse.

This may be made either smaller or larger by using finer or coa.r.s.er wool and pins.

It is usually done in 4-thread fleecy, with coloured centre, and border to imitate ermine.

Cast on 270 st.i.tches with white, bring the wool forward, slip a st.i.tch the reversed way, knit 2 together, and repeat: every row is alike. Knit 24 rows with the white, then slip off 24 st.i.tches at the beginning of the next row, and join the coloured wool, leave 24 st.i.tches at the other end. These st.i.tches are not required again till the centre is done, and are then knitted in white to form the border up the sides: this will leave 222, knit with these, with the coloured wool for 12 rows.

Next row:--Knit 27, bring the wool forward, slip 1, and instead of knitting only 2 together, knit 5 together: this decreases 1 rib.

Knit to within 30 st.i.tches of the end, decrease 1 rib as before, knit 13 rows, and decrease 1 rib at the beginning and end of the next row as before: each decreasing is done at the beginning of the row after knitting 27 st.i.tches, and when within 30 of the end; knit 11 rows, and decrease 1 rib at each end of the next row; knit 13 rows, and decrease 1 rib at each end; knit 13 rows.

Next row:--Knit 27 st.i.tches, decrease 1 rib; knit 6 st.i.tches, decrease 1 rib; knit 6 st.i.tches, decrease again; knit and repeat, decreasing after every 6 st.i.tches, till 14 ribs are decreased; knit the 30 last st.i.tches without decreasing; knit 24 rows without decreasing.

Next row:--Knit 27 st.i.tches on to another needle, and knit them backwards and forwards for 42 rows: then cast off 3 st.i.tches at the end nearest the centre, knit 2 rows, cast off 3 more st.i.tches, knit 2 rows, and cast off 3 more st.i.tches, till only 9 st.i.tches are left, then cast off the 9 st.i.tches; this completes 1 front, except the white, which will be mentioned below. The 27 last st.i.tches are knitted in the same manner for the other front; then the st.i.tches that remain for the back are knitted for 42 rows; then cast off 3 st.i.tches at each end, knit 2 rows, and cast off 3 at each end, till you have cast off 18 at each end, knit 2 plain rows, and cast off the remainder of the st.i.tches; then sew the shoulders very loosely, or it will contract them. The 24 st.i.tches of white that were let off to another pin must be knit on each side the length of the front, and neatly sewed to it.

For the sleeves:--Cast on 66 st.i.tches, and knit 78 rows: this is for the coloured part, and in sewing it together at the elbow, it must be rather tightened; and for the cuff, which is done in white, cast on 18 st.i.tches and knit 66 rows, and sew it very nicely to the coloured part.

For the collar:--Cast on 120 st.i.tches with white, knit 8 rows.

Next row:--Knit to within 12 st.i.tches of the end, turn back, and knit to within 12 of the other end.

Next row:--Leave 6 more st.i.tches at each end.

Next row:--Leave 24 st.i.tches at each end, then 33, 39, 45, and 48 st.i.tches, turning back between each as before, knit to the end of the row with white, join the coloured wool, knit 8 rows.

Next row:--Leave 12 st.i.tches at the end, turn back, and leave the same number at the other end.

Next row:--Leave 18, then 24, 30, 36, and 42, at each end, then 2 rows of coloured, knitting the whole number of st.i.tches, then cast off, and sew it to the neck.

A cord of ta.s.sels for the neck and waist, made of the white and coloured wool, to be added, and little tufts of black wool sewed into the white border at equal distances, completes this elegant pelisse.

Half Cap for Wearing under a Bonnet.

Pins No. 14. Cast on 119 st.i.tches, knit 2 plain rows with the coloured wool, join the white, and knit 2 plain rows.

Next row:--Make a st.i.tch, seam 2 st.i.tches together, make a st.i.tch, seam 2 together, and so on; knit another plain row of white, knit 2 plain rows of coloured, then join the white.

This finishes the border round the top of the cap.

First row:--Knit 4 plain st.i.tches, make a st.i.tch, knit 3 st.i.tches together, make a st.i.tch, knit 4 plain st.i.tches, make a st.i.tch, knit 3 st.i.tches together, make a st.i.tch, knit 4 plain st.i.tches, and so on to the end of the row.

Second row:--Seamed.

Third row:--Knit the same as the first, and continue with these 2 rows alternately for 10 rows, then slip off 28 st.i.tches on to another needle, then knit the remaining st.i.tches backwards and forwards for 16 rows, increasing 1 st.i.tch at the beginning of each of the last 8 rows, join the coloured wool and knit 2 plain rows, then 2 rows of white.

Next row:--Make a st.i.tch, seam 2 together, make a st.i.tch, seam 2 together, and so on; knit 1 plain row of white, then take up the 28 st.i.tches at the back, and the st.i.tches on each side, knit 2 plain rows of coloured all round, and cast off the st.i.tches.

Then run a ribbon, of the same colour as the wool, through the holes of the border round the back and front of the cap.