INFANT'S KNITTED SOCKS.
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Hartley, Florence
Half an ounce of White Lamb's Wool. Three No. 13 Knitting Needles. Cast on Thirty stitches.
1st row—Knit.
2nd row—Knit two; make or enlarge one stitch by picking up one from the previous row and knitting it; knit all the rest.
3rd row—Knit. Repeat second and third rows alternately four times more each of them.
12th row—Knit two; make a stitch according to directions above given; knit rest until four remain; knit two together; knit two.
13th row—Knit. Repeat these two rows alternately three times more each.
20th row—Knit two; enlarge one as before directed; knit rest until two remain; enlarge one; knit two.
21st row—Knit. Repeat these two rows alternately three more times each.
28th row—Knit.
29th row—Knit fourteen stitches, and leave the other upon the needle. Take up the third needle and knit twenty rows more, of fourteen stitches each.
49th row—Knit two together; knit twelve; on same needle, and with same wool, cast on twenty-seven stitches.
50th row—Knit.
51st row—Knit two; knit two together; knit rest until four remain; knit two together; knit two.
52nd row—Knit. Repeat these two rows alternately twice more each.
57th row—Knit two; make one in manner directed; knit rest until four remain; knit two together; knit two.
58th row—Knit. Repeat these two rows alternately three times more each.
65th row—Knit all until four remain; knit two together; knit two.
66th row—Knit. Repeat these two rows alternately four more times each.
75th row—Knit.
76th row—Cast off.
This completes the slipper portion of the sock. We now begin the instep-piece. Take the wool and knit off ten stitches from the needle on which the twenty-seven stitches were left; knit these ten from the toe-end, or that where the twenty rows of fourteen stitches each has been made; leave the remaining seventeen stitches still on the same needle. Knit twenty rows of ten stitches, and in every other one pick up the edge-stitch of the toe-piece and knit it with the tenth stitch, so as to unite these two portions, viz: the toe and the instep. With each stitch of the twentieth row, an edge-stitch of the side at the toe-end of the slipper must be picked up, knitted and cast off, and a neat and entire union of the toe of the slipper and the instep piece formed.
This instep piece is to be ribbed in rows of four, viz: four rows in which the plain side is uppermost, and four rows in which the pearled side is uppermost.
We now commence the leg portion of the sock.
With the needle which has been left in the first side of the slipper carefully pick up the edge-stitches all along the instep-piece and side of the slipper; when this is done, there should be about fifty on the needle. Take the wool and knit all along, including the picked up stitches, and the seventeen originally on the needle. Knit two rows.
4th row—Knit two; × make two (not by picking up, but in the ordinary way, by passing the wool twice over the needle), and knit two together; knit one; × repeat.
5th row—Knit all; casting off one of each of the double made stitches. Now knit twenty rows ribbed like the instep-piece.
26th row—× Knit one; make one and knit two together; × repeat all round.
27th row—Knit.
28th row—Knit two; × make one and knit two together; knit one; × repeat.
29th, 30th, and 31st rows—Knit.
32nd row—Cast off.
Take a wool needle, thread it with wool, and sew up the sock neatly, stitch for stitch, from the top of the leg to the point of the sole; then sew the toe; turn it; put on a little rosette of raveled wool; run a ribbon in and out through the holes at rows 4 and 5, of the leg portion, and it is completed.
As this is intended for an Infant's Sock, we have ordered white wool, that being most useful; should it, however, be wished to knit socks for an older baby, the slipper may be made of Cerise, Scarlet, Pale Blue, Green, or Straw-colored wool; and the 26th, 27th, and 28th rows, of the leg portion, and the casting-off done in the color of the slipper; while the instep-piece and the rest of the sock are made in white wool.
The sock may also be enlarged by casting on extra stitches in the beginning, and adding a couple of rows to each of the divisions of the slipper part, and enough to the toe to preserve its form and symmetry.
Almost any of the open anti-maccassar patterns may be used for knitting the sock and instep-piece, if a light lace-like appearance is desired. The well-known rose-leaf pattern looks particularly pretty.