GENTLEMAN’S SOCK OR HALF-HOSE.
RIBBED KNITTING.
Materials—4 ounces of plain or speckled Fingering Yarn, and 1 ounce of a contrasting color for the top and toe. 5 Knitting Needles No. 17 Bell gauge.
The following directions will make a full-sized Stocking, viz—12 inches round the top of the leg, 12 inches in length from the top to the heel, and 11 inches long in the foot. By using Needles Nos. 16 or 18 it will make a size larger or smaller.
The Leg—Use the color for the top—Cast on 24 stitches on each of four needles, keeping the fifth to make it round.
1st round—Pearl 3 stitches and knit 3 stitches alternately all round; in all 96 stitches.
Work 30 rounds or two inches more the same, always knitting or pearling the same stitches throughout the leg.—With the other color, knit 8 inches more the same.
To Shape the Heel—Knit 23 stitches plain off the 1st needle which leaves a stitch, and putting it on the 2nd needle turn back, so as to work on the 23 stitches. Slip the 1st stitch and pearl the 22 stitches, then, using the same needle, pearl 20 stitches off the next needle, which leaves 4 stitches; put them on the next needle and turn back. The 53 stitches on the other needles are left for the Instep.
1st row—Slip the 1st stitch, knit 20, pearl 1, knit 21; turn back.
2nd row—Slip 1, pearl 42 stitches; turn back.
Repeat the 2 last rows 22 times more.
To round the Heel. 47th row—Slip 1, knit 15, knit 2 together, knit 6, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn back, leaving 16 stitches on the other needle.
48th row—Slip 1, pearl 10, turn back, leaving 14 stitches—slip 1, knit 2 together, knit 7, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn back; † slip 1, pearl 12, that is, 2 stitches on those left unworked, turn back—slip 1, knit 2 together, knit 9, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn back. Repeat from † 6 times more, always knitting or pearling 2 stitches more each time, so as every row to use two of the stitches left unworked; when finished, there will be 25 stitches on the needle.
The Instep—Commence at the end of the 53 stitches left unworked, and with another needle raise 23 stitches from the selvedge formed by the rows at the right side of the heel.
Take another needle, and knit the 25 stitches left from the heel.
Then with the 5th needle, raise 23 stitches down the selvedge of the left side of the heel, and with the same needle knit off the first plain stitch of the 53. Put 51 of these instep stitches on one needle, and place the remaining stitch on the next needle to the left. It will now be 124 stitches round.
1st round—Work across the instep. (Pearl 3 and knit 3, alternately as before, 8 times) then pearl 3; knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 67 plain; then knit 2 together, knit 1 plain.
2nd round—(Pearl 3 and knit 3, 8 times), pearl 3, knit the rest of the round all plain.
Repeat these two rounds 16 times more, knitting 2 stitches less at the stitches marked in italics each time.
Then knit 50 rounds the same as the 2nd round; when finished knit 20 rounds all plain.
The Toe—Join on the other color and decrease thus—
1st round—Knit 2 together, knit 37 plain, knit 2 together, knit 4 plain. Repeat once more to finish the round.
2nd round—All plain.
Repeat the 2 last rounds 16 times more, knitting 2 plain less each time instead of 37.
Place the remaining stitches together so as to double the work, and knitting a stitch off each needle together, cast off the remaining stitches.