The Ladies' Knitting and Netting Book

Knitted Vase Mat

Two needles No. 14

This mat is to be knitted in two colors, (violet and maize are very pretty). Cast on 3 stitches, increase 2 every row until you have 15; knit 2 rows plain, and decrease 1 stitch in every other row, to a point. Knit 3 pieces of each color, sew them together with the points in the centre, and surround the mat with a fringe. (No. 6 of the former vol.)

Table Mats

These mats are knitted in 6 pieces, 2 side pieces and 4 end pieces.

Side piece. Cast on 20 stitches, knit 18, turn your work, slip 1 of the 2 stitches on the right-hand needle upon the other needle, pass the cotton back, and replace the stitch as it was before, (this must be repeated every time you return without knitting the whole row, to prevent a hole); knit the 18 stitches back again; in the next row knit 16 and return, and continue to knit 2 stitches less each time until you knit only 2; then knit 4, and continue to add 2 to the number each turn, until you knit 18 and back again; cast off.

End piece. Cast on 20 stitches; knit 3 stitches, increase 1, knit to within 2 of the end and return; knit 3, increase 1, knit to within 4 of the end and return; continue to increase in every 4th stitch and to leave 2 more at the end each turn until you have 32 stitches left behind and only 4 knitted; then continue to knit 2 more stitches each time, without increasing any more until only 2 are left behind; cast off.

Join these pieces together with the points meeting in the centre, and surround the mat with a fringe. The size may be altered by varying the size of the needles, and round mats may be made with 6 of the side pieces.

Table Mat

In one piece

Cast on 3 stitches, and increase 2 in every row until you have 21; increase 2 stitches in every 4th row until you have 29 stitches; increase 1 stitch in every 4th row until you have 32 stitches; knit 8 rows; this makes half the mat. Knit the other half to correspond, decreasing where you before increased. Surround it with a fringe. The size can be altered by varying the size of the pins.

Napkin Ring

This ring must be made of string, or stout cord, and with rather fine pins.

Cast 12 stitches on each of 3 needles; knit 4 rounds; rib 4 rounds; knit 3 rounds, and cast off rather tight.

A Pence Purse, or Jug

Five needles No. 17, and 2 skeins of German lambs’-wool of different colors, are required.

Begin with the handle: cast on 4 stitches and knit backwards and forwards, in common knitting, until it is an inch and a half long; loop 6 stitches on the same needle, 26 on the second, and 10 on the third, (the 5th needle is not required yet). Knit off the 1st needle, knitting 2 and ribbing 2 stitches alternately; with the 2nd needle rib 2, knit 2, rib 2, pass the wool back, slip a stitch, knit 1, pull the slipped stitch over the knitted one, knit the succeeding stitches plain until within 7 of the end; then knit 2 taken together, knit 1, rib 2, knit 2; on the next needle rib 2 and knit 2 alternately; continue to repeat this round until you have only 12 stitches on the 2nd needle, and you will find you have made the spout. Knit 3 rounds, ribbing 2 and knitting 2 alternately; take the other color and knit 5 rounds in the same manner, then 3 rounds with the first color, 5 with the second; 1 round of plain knitting with the first color, 3 rounds ribbed, 1 plain round making a stitch between every 2 stitches; 3 rounds ribbed with the second color, knit a plain round; in the next 2 rounds, bring the wool forward and knit 2 stitches together. With the first color, knit 1 plain round and 3 ribbed; repeat the last 7 rounds. Now divide the stitches on 4 needles, (there should be 12 on each,) begin plain knitting, decreasing 1 stitch on each needle; continue the same for 5 rounds, decreasing alternately at the beginning, middle, and end of each needle; knit 3 rounds, decreasing as you think necessary to keep it a good round shape; divide the stitches on 3 needles, knit a plain round, rib 3 rounds without decreasing. Begin again to decrease, and continue to do so, until you have only 3 stitches on each needle; fasten off with a worsted needle, and sew down the handle.

Bouquetier. No. 1

You will require 5 needles No. 14, and two knots of silver twist

Cast 6 stitches on each of 3 needles; knit 1 round; in the second round knit and rib 3 stitches alternately, and continue the same for 44 or 48 rounds. Plain knit 1 round, bring the thread forward, (thus increasing by a loop stitch), knit 3 stitches; bring the thread forward, knit 3; and continue the same all round. Knit 2 plain rounds. In the next round bring the thread forward at the beginning and in the middle of each needle, thus increasing 6 stitches in the round. Knit 2 rounds plain, continue to increase in the same manner (6 stitches every 3rd round) until you have 16 stitches on each needle. Knit 8 stitches, with the 5th needle rib the same stitches back again, and continue to knit and rib alternate rows, decreasing to a point by taking 2 stitches together in the centre of 2 rows out of 3. Finish the other 5 leaves in the same manner.

Bouquetier. No. 2

Four needles No. 14

Cast 6 stitches on each of 3 needles. Knit and rib 3 stitches alternately for 48 rounds. Then knit and rib alternate rounds, increasing 2 stitches every round where it will be least observed, until you have 40 stitches in the round; turn and knit back again; knit backwards and forwards, decreasing 1 stitch at the beginning and 1 stitch at the end of every row, (for you will perceive those which were rounds have become rows) until the bouquetier ends in a point.

Tidy Basket

Seven of each needles, No. 16, 14, and 12

Cast 2 stitches on each of 4 needles, No. 16; knit round, increasing 4 stitches in each round, until you have 9 stitches on each needle; divide your stitches on 6 needles, and purl 3 rounds; knit 3 rounds, increasing 3 times in each of the 2 first rounds, and 6 times in the third. Alternately knit and purl 2 stitches for 3 rounds; repeat the same 3 rounds with the larger needles, No. 14; and 3 rounds more with the largest, No. 12. Knit 1 round plain, and cast off 20 stitches; knit 4 stitches, cast off another 20, and knit the remaining 4 for the handle, until it is nearly 3 inches long; then knit it to the 4 stitches which were left on the opposite side of the basket.

Cover a round bit of card with paper, the color of the basket, and fasten it to the bottom on the inside.

Ladder Stitch Bag

Two needles No. 12

Cast on 50 stitches. Second row, knit and rib 2 stitches alternately; and in the 3rd row, knit and rib the same stitches: in the 2 following rows reverse the knitting and ribbing; continue this pattern for 12 rows, and also for 10 stitches at the beginning and end of each row, to form a border all round. Plain knit 1 row (between the borders). In the next row, (after the 10 stitches) knit the 2nd stitch, pulling it over the 1st; knit the 1st; knit the 4th and 3rd, 6th and 5th; continue the same to the end of the row: every row is alike. Continue this pattern until the bag is nearly long enough. Add a border as at first, and make the other side to correspond. Knit or sew up the sides, and run a ribbon round the top.

Crossed Stitch Bag

Two needles No. 12

Cast on 50 stitches. Knit one row with the cotton twice round the needle, and in the next row, knit the 2nd stitch, slipping it over the 1st; knit the 1st, then the 4th and 3rd, 6th and 5th, and continue the same to the end of the row. Begin again at the row twice round the needle.

When you have knitted enough for the bag, cast off, and sew up the sides.

Netted Bag

To hold the ball when knitting

These bags are plain netted, and the size of the foundation must of course vary according to the size you wish to have your bag. They are very pretty netted with very narrow ribbon in different colors. The mesh should be rather wide; when the bag is half deep enough, net in a ring, (either brass or whalebone), then net on until the bag is sufficiently long.

Fringe

Cast on 12 stitches; knit 6 stitches plain, bring the wool forward, knit 2 stitches taken together, bring the wool forward, knit 2 taken together, bring the wool forward, knit 2 together. 2nd row, begin with the wool forward, knit 2 stitches together, repeat this twice and knit the remaining 6 plain; continue these 2 rows until the fringe is the length required, then cast off the 6 stitches for the head and unravel the 6 stitches of plain knitting.

Netted Fringe

To go round a bag

Net 300 stitches on a mesh ½ an inch wide. Take a smaller mesh, (No. 15,) and net a row taking 3 stitches in 1. Net a plain row. Net a row, putting the silk twice round the mesh. Net 3 rows once round the mesh. Take a rather larger mesh and net one row, which finishes the fringe. Cut it off of the foundation.

Scarf Fringe

To be knitted in coarse gold colored flox silk

Cast on 12 stitches. 1st row, bring the silk forward and knit 2 stitches taken together, knit 2 stitches, bring the silk forward and knit 2 taken together, knit 6 stitches. 2nd row, knit 8 stitches, bring the silk forward, knit 2 taken together, knit 2 stitches, repeat these 2 rows until you have a sufficient length for the end of a scarf, cast off 6 stitches, and unravel those that were plain knitted.

Fringe

Cast on 9 stitches; slip 1 stitch, knit 2, bring the cotton forward and knit 2 taken together, knit 1, bring the cotton forward, knit 2 taken together, knit the last. Every row is alike. When you have done a sufficient length cast off 5 stitches, and leave 4 to unravel for the fringe.

Rug Fringe

Two knitting needles No. 11, a ball of coarse knitting cotton, and some yarn or coarse wool are required. Cut the yarn into lengths of about two inches.

Cast on 30 stitches with the cotton, knit 2 stitches, take 2 bits of yarn, fold the ends together and loop them towards you, on your right hand needle, knit a stitch; loop on the yarn after every stitch until within 2 stitches of the end of the row, which knit. The back row is plain knitting, being careful to knit the yarn with the stitch. Repeat these two rows.

Carriage Rug

Two needles No. 12, a ball of coarse cotton or fine string, and some coarse yarn cut into lengths of about two inches.

With the ball cast on 40 stitches, and knit 1 row. Knit 1 stitch, place 1 piece of the yarn between the needles so that one end be on each side; knit 1 stitch, pass the end of the yarn which is towards you between the needles, knit 1 stitch, repeat the same to within 2 stitches of the end and knit them plain; knit 1 plain row. 3rd row, knit 2 stitches before you put on the yarn, which will leave you 1 stitch at the end of the row; this altering the yarn stitch makes the mat look thicker. When the strip is as long as you wish the rug to be, cast off and begin another. When the strips are sewed together and lined, this makes a very warm mat.

Striped Purse

Mesh No. 17; foundation 72 stitches wide

Net 4 plain rows; net 1 row putting the silk twice round the mesh; in the next row net the 2nd stitch first, (in netting it half turn it), then net the 1st in the same way; repeat these stitches to the end of the row. Net 3 plain rows. Net 1 row putting the silk twice round the mesh, then a row netting the 2nd stitch first, and so on until the purse is wide enough.

N.B. This purse is very pretty with only 2 small rows instead of 4, and netted in shades of different colors.

Chequered Purse

Mesh No. 17, and as many needles as you wish to have squares.

Net 6 stitches in pink silk backwards and forwards for 12 rows; net 6 stitches of brown silk, beginning at the distance of 6 stitches from the pink; pass the brown silk through the loop of the pink, and when the rows form alternate squares of pink and brown, begin with the pink over the brown, and the brown over the pink.

Purse in Round Netting

Mesh No. 14; a foundation 72 stitches wide

Every row is alike. After the needle has been drawn through the stitch (as in common netting), before pulling the stitch tight, it is passed under that part of the silk which goes through the stitch.

Matrimony.—For a Purse

Mesh No. 15, and a foundation of 60 or 70 stitches.

Net 1 row. 2nd row, net the 2nd stitch first then net the first, passing the needle through the second as well as the first, to join them together; repeat these stitches to the end of the row. 3rd row, plain netting. 4th row, net a stitch, miss a stitch, net the next, then net the stitch you missed, passing the needle through the last stitch, (it will be seen that the object in netting a stitch before beginning the pattern is to prevent the joined stitches being over each other); repeat the 2 last stitches to the end of the row, netting the last stitch.