Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/673

 647 NMOLBWOIIK H A slip loop Casting on with two pint 'titch. Continue from ELEMENTARY KNITTING By ELIZABETH MYHILL HOPE Origin of Knitting— Requisites— Casting on with One or Two Pins-Plain Knitting and Purling —Decreasing— Three Methods of Increasing— Catting Off AND-KNiTTiNG, Of the forming of a looped material to be work-fl, take care not to wind web, was a favourite pastime in Spain and it too tightly, or it weakens the wool. silk. etc. Note.— It is chiefly the material, ami not the size of the pins, that regulates the size of the finishe<I work. For a beginner cotton is the best material to use. as it is smooth and slips easily on the pins. CASTING ON WITH TWO PINS Make a slip loop (sec diagram), and put it over the • loft-hand pin; hold the right-hand pin somewhat in the same way as a pen. Put the right-hand pin into the loop, from left to right, and keep the right hand pin under the left. ♦Put the cotton over the right- hand pin, and draw the loop up to the right, then raise the rioht-hand pin up, ami pass the stitch from it to the left-hand pin. To do this put the left pin through the left side of the loop, and keep the right-hand pin in the loop in the right posi- tion to begin the next TO CAST ON WITH ONE PIN Make a slip loop, and put the pin into it. I.eave rather a long. loose strand of cotton to cast on with, and keep the ball of wool to the right-hand side. Put the loose strand of cotton once round the thumb from left to right — viz., over the top of the thumb, and round the back of it, then place the needle under the lower thread, put cotton (from the ball on the right) over the needle, and make a stitch by drawing a loop under the thread that is round the thumb. PLAIN KNITTING Hold the pin with the cast-on stitches in the left hand ; * put the right- hand pin in the first stitch, from left to right. Place the cotton round between - the two pins, and draw it through the loop on the left pin, and slip that loop off the left pin. Continue from ♦. PURLING To purl, keep the cotton in front of the work. ♦ Place the right-hand pin in a stitch from right to left under the front loop, the right- pin resting on the left. Put the cotton over the needle in the usual way, and draw the wool through the loop in a back- ward direction — viz., pull the right-hand pin slightly back, so as to get the loop on to it, and pull the loop off from the left pin. Italy for many years before it was introduced into England in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. One of Henry VHI.'s wives was presented with a pair of knitted stockings, and these appear to be the first mentioned in history. APPLIANCES Two or more straight pins, or needles, as they are often called, of steel, wood, ivory, bone, or vulcanite. The steel pins are used for fine work, and the other kinds when coarser material is used. With the knitting- pins, one continuous thread of either wool, silk, cotton, linen thread, etc., is worked to form a series of loops on each needle by pass- Q^ ing the thread round the needle and drawing it through the previously made loop. Each stich made is slipped off, and left hanging free. When one row is complete, a second is worked in a similar way. THE GAUGE It is wise to keep by one a gauge, so as to measure accurately the knitting-needles (see illustration). With this, one is able to test the size of any needles one has in hand, as directions usuallv give the size to be used such as 6, 7, 8, etc. A KNITTING-NEEDLE SHIELD OR HOLDER This is to hold the needles to protect the points when they are not in use. String some beads on to silk and then crochet into the shape shown in illustration. To do this, crochet two chain, then into the first chain do a double crochet, and from this stitch do double crochet round and round, pushing forward the beads, and the work will form itself into the shaped case needed. Into the closed end a small piece of cork can be inserted, and the beads make the rest of it quite firm, and a sufficient pro- tector for the needles. If preferred, a small case of strong cardboard can be slipped inside the crochet case. In this case cut a small piece of cardboard, and roll it round and firmly sew it at one end, and put this into the case to ensure the needles from not slipping through between the beads, though this is not likely to occur if the crochet is done tightly and the beads are arranged closely together. Put a piece of strong, white elastic between the ends. A yard and a quarter of ribbon and a ring provide a way for hanging the holder (see illustration). METHOD OF HOLDING THE WORK Hold the pins lightly in the hands rather close to the points, and scarcely move the hands. Very little movement is necessary for knitting easily and quickly. In winding the Casting on with o..e pin Hclder PUi.i k iiti-g on both sides hand Purii g on b:th sides
 * for the number of stitches required.