LADY’S STOCKING.
IN RIBBED KNITTING.
Materials—5 ounces of Andalusian, Eider, or Welsh Yarn, 5 Knitting Needles No. 18 Bell gauge. The following directions will make a full size stocking, viz., 15 inches round the top of the leg, 26 inches from the top to the heel, and 10½ inches long in the foot. By using Nos. 19 or 17 Needles a size smaller or larger can be made. See [Page 13].
Commence at the top of the leg, and to make the foundation strong, the wool should be used double in casting on the stitches. Cast on 42 stitches on each of two needles, and 36 on the other two; keeping the fifth for making it round.
1st round—Pearl 3 stitches and knit 3 stitches plain alternately all round, in all 156 stitches. Continue the same until it is 13 inches in length.
Always pearl or knit the same stitches throughout the leg.
To Shape the Leg—1st round—Pearl the 3 first stitches; then to decrease, slip 1, knit 1, and turn the slipped stitch over; knit 1 plain; pearl 3 and knit 3, to within 2 stitches of the end, and decrease again by knitting them together.
Knit 8 rounds without decreasing.
Repeat the same, decreasing 2 stitches every 9th round, until it is reduced to 120 stitches.
In these rounds the 3 first stitches are always to be pearled; but the few stitches immediately following will vary, on account of the decreased stitches altering the number to be knitted or pearled. After the decreasing is worked three times, the stitches will require to be pearled together until the rib is decreased.
When the work is reduced to 120 stitches, sufficient rounds are to be worked without shaping to make it 23 inches in length from the top.
To Form the Heel—1st row—Knit 1, pearl 1, knit 28; turn back, so as to work on the 30 stitches, leaving the rest of the stitches unworked.
2nd row—Slip 1, pearl 29; then pearl 27 off the next needle; in all 57 stitches; turn back, leaving 63 stitches on the other needles for the Instep.
3rd row—Slip the 1st stitch, knit, 27, pearl 1, knit 28; turn back.
4th row—Slip 1, pearl 56 stitches; turn back. Repeat the 2 last rows 25 times more.
To round the Heel—47th row—Slip 1, knit 21, knit 2 together, knit 8, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn back, leaving 22 stitches on the other needle.
48th row—Slip 1, pearl 12, turn back, leaving 20 stitches—slip 1, knit 2 together, knit 9, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn back; † slip 1, pearl 14—that is, 2 stitches on those left unworked, turn back—slip 1, knit 2 together, knit 11, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn back. Repeat from † 9 times more, always knitting or pearling 2 stitches more each time, so as every row to use two of the stitches left; when finished, there will be 33 stitches.
The Instep—Take another needle and raise 26 stitches from the selvedge formed by the rows of the left side of the Heel; then with a second needle work across the Instep (pearling 3 and knitting 3 as before, 10 times); then pearl 3; and with a third needle raise 26 stitches from the right selvedge of the Heel; and with a fourth needle knit the 33 stitches of the Heel. It will now be 148 stitches round.
1st round—Work across the instep. (Pearl 3 and knit 3, alternately as before, 10 times) then pearl 3; knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 79 plain; then knit 2 together, knit 1 plain.
2nd round—(Pearl 3 and knit 3, 10 times), pearl 3, knit the rest of the round all plain.
Repeat these two rounds 16 times more, knitting two stitches less at the stitches marked in italics each time. Then knit four inches the same as the 2nd round.
The Toe—1st round—Knit 2 together, knit 49 plain, knit 2 together, knit 4 plain. Repeat once more to finish the round. 2nd round—All plain.
Repeat the last 2 rounds, knitting 2 plain less each time instead of 49, until it is reduced to a few stitches. Then double the work, and knitting a stitch off each needle together, cast them off.