Beeton's Book of Needlework

Material: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s knitting cotton No. 8 or 12.

These braces are knitted with coarse white cotton, taken double; the braces themselves are worked in brioche stitch, the lappets are knitted plain. Begin at the bottom of the front lappet, make a foundation chain of 14 stitches, knit 5 rows plain backwards and forwards, then divide the stitches into two halves to form the button-hole; knit 15 rows on each of the halves consisting of 7 stitches; then take the 14 stitches again on one needle and work 17 rows on them. Then work a second button-hole like the first one; knit 6 more rows plain, increasing 1 at the end of every row, so that the number of stitches at the end of the lappet is 20.

Then begin the pattern in brioche stitch; it is worked as follows:–Knit first 1 row, then slip the first stitch of the first following pattern row, * throw the cotton forward, slip the next stitch (slip the stitches always as if you were going to purl them), knit 2 together; repeat 5 times more from *; the last stitch is knitted.

2nd row of the pattern: Slip the 1st stitch, * knit 2; the stitch which has been formed in the preceding row by throwing the cotton forward is slipped after the 2nd knitted stitch; repeat 5 times more from *; knit the last stitch.

3rd row: Slip the 1st stitch, * decrease 1 (here, and in all the following rows, knit the next stitch together with the stitch before it, which has been formed in the preceding row by throwing the cotton forward), throw the cotton forward, slip 1; repeat from *; knit the last stitch.

4th row: Slip the 1st stitch, * knit 1, slip the stitch which has been formed in the preceding row by throwing the cotton forward, knit 1, knit the last stitch. Repeat these 4 rows till the braces are long enough. The pattern is 19 inches long. Then knit 6 rows plain, decreasing 1 at the end of every row, then work each lappet separately, dividing the stitches so that each lappet is 7 stitches wide. Each lappet has 72 rows; after the first 18 rows make a button-hole as described for the preceding one. Work 18 rows between the 1st and 2nd button-hole. The lappets are rounded off by decreasing after the 2nd button-hole.

339.–Pattern for Knitted Curtains, &c.

Material: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s knitting cotton No. 8.

This pattern is suitable for knitting different articles, according to the thickness of the cotton used. The number of stitches must be divided by ten. The pattern is knitted backwards and forwards.

1st row: All plain.

2nd row: * Knit 1, make 2, slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted one, knit 5, knit 2 together, make 2. Repeat from *.

3rd row: Purl the long stitch formed by making 2 in preceding row, * make 2, purl 2 together, purl 3, purl 2 together, make 2, purl 3. Repeat from *. (By make 2 is meant twist the cotton twice round the needle, which forms one long stitch, and is knitted or purled as such in next row.)

4th row: Knit 3, * make 2, slip 1, knit 1, and pass the slipped stitch over, knit 1, knit 2 together, make 2, knit 5. Repeat from *.

5th row: Purl 3, * make 2, purl 3 together, make 2, purl 7. Repeat from*.

6th row: Knit 3, * knit 2 together (1 stitch and 1 long stitch), make 2, knit 1, make 2, slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over (the knitted stitch is a long stitch), knit 5. Repeat from *.

Continue the pattern by repeating always from the 2nd to the 5th row; the 6th row is the repetition of the 2nd row, but it is begun (compare the two rows) about the middle of the 2nd row, so as to change the places of the thick diamonds in the following pattern. This will be easily understood in the course of the work.

340.–Knitted Insertion.

Material: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s knitting cotton No. 20 or 30.

Cast on 14 stitches, and knit in rows, backwards and forwards, as follows:–

1st row: Slip 1, knit 2 together, throw cotton forward, knit 2, knit 2 together, throw cotton forward, knit 2, knit 2 together, throw cotton forward, knit 3. This row is repeated 18 times more; the stitch formed by throwing the cotton forward is knitted as 1 stitch.

20th row: Slip 1, knit 2 together, make 1, knit 1; place next 3 stitches upon another needle behind the cotton, and leave them alone; knit 1, knit 2 together, throw cotton forward, now knit the first 2 of the 3 stitches which have been left; knit the last of the 3 together with the next stitch on the needle, throw cotton forward, knit 3. Repeat these 20 rows till strip is long enough.

341 and 342.–Knitted Cover for Sofa Cushion.

Materials: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s knitting cotton No. 12; eight ply fleecy wool.

This cushion (15 inches wide, 12 inches high) is made of grey calico; it is covered on one side with knitting, worked with grey crochet cotton. The knitted cover has an open-work pattern, worked backwards and forwards on a number of stitches which can be divided by 2, and which must suit the width of the cushion, in the following manner:–

1st row: Alternately throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together.

2nd row: Slip 1, knit the other stitches. The stitch formed by throwing the cotton forward is knitted as 1 stitch.

3rd row: Knit 1, * throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together. Repeat from *; after the last decreasing knit 1.

4th row: Like the 2nd row.

These four rows are repeated till the cover is sufficiently large. Draw a narrow piece of red worsted braid through every other open-work row of the pattern, as can be seen in illustration 341. When the cushion has been covered with the knitting, it is edged all round with a border knitted the long way, in the above-mentioned open-work pattern; it is 14 rows wide, and also trimmed with worsted braid; a fringe of grey cotton and red wool, 3 1/4 inches wide, is sewn on underneath the border at the bottom of the cushion; to this is added a thick red worsted cord, by which the cushion is hung on over the back of an arm-chair. The cushion, on account of its simplicity, is especially suitable for garden chairs.

343.–Netted Nightcap.

Material: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s crochet cotton No. 12.

This cap is netted with crochet cotton over a mesh measuring three-quarters of an inch round; work first a long square for the centre of the crown, cast on 28 stitches, and work backwards and forwards 27 rows with the same number of stitches. Then work 34 rounds round this square, and fasten the cotton. Then count 43 stitches for the front border, and 24 stitches for the back border, and leave them for the edge of the cap. On the remaining stitches on each side work the strings in 95 rows backwards and forwards on the same number of stitches; each string is pointed off at the lower end by decreasing 1 stitch in every row. Sew in a narrow piece of tape in the back border of the cap; the remaining part of the border, as well as the strings, are trimmed with crochet lace or with netted edging, No. 311.

344.–Netted Nightcap.

Material: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s knitting cotton, 3-thread, No. 30.

This nightcap is very simple and practical. It consists of two similar three-cornered pieces, sewn together so as to form a double triangle; the point of the triangle is turned back, as seen in illustration, and fastened on the lower half of the same. The cap is edged with a lace; a similar lace covers the seam between both parts of the cap. The pattern is worked with crochet cotton over a mesh measuring three-quarters of an inch round. Begin each half in the corner; cast on 2 stitches, and work backwards and forwards, increasing 1 stitch at the end of every row, till the number of stitches is 60. Then sew both halves together, and trim the cap and strings (the latter are worked as on the cap No. 343) with the following lace: work 2 rows of open-work treble stitches–the treble stitches are divided by 1 chain–then work 1 row of double, always working 4 double round the chain stitches which divide 2 treble in the preceding row, or with netted edging No. 311.

345.–Knitted Pattern.-Netted Nightcap.

Materials: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s knitting cotton No. 20 for couvrettes, or Berlin wool for sofa quilts.

This pattern can be worked either in wool or cotton, and is suitable for many purposes. Cast on a sufficient number of stitches, divided by 18, for the 1st row: Knit 4, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward knit 2 together, knit 4, purl 6, repeat from *.

2nd row: The stitches knitted in the 1st row are purled as well as the stitches formed by throwing the cotton forward; the purled stitches are knitted. This row is repeated alternately, therefore we shall not mention it again.

3rd row: * Knit 6, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, knit 6, purl 2.

5th row: Purl 4, * knit 4, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, knit 4, purl 6.

7th row: Knit 2, * purl 2, knit 6, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, knit 6.

9th row: Knit 2, * purl 6, knit 4, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, knit 4.

11th row: * Knit 6, purl 2, knit 6, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together.

13th row: Throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, * knit 4, purl 6, knit 4, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together.

15th row: * Throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, throw the cotton forward, knit 2 together, knit 6, purl 2, knit 6. The knitting can now be easily continued from illustration.

346 to 348.–Knitted Shawl.

Materials Shetland wool, white and scarlet; steel needles.

This shawl is knitted in the patterns given on Nos. 346 and 347. Both illustrations show the patterns worked in coarse wool, so as to be clearer. Begin the shawl, which is square, on one side, cast on a sufficient number of stitches (on our pattern 290); the needles must not be too fine, as the work should be loose and elastic.

Knit first 2 rows plain, then 3 of the open-work row of pattern No. 346, which is worked in the following manner:–