Fancy Tops for Socks and Stockings.
Very pretty effects can be obtained for turnover stocking tops by working in plain knitting in two or three shades of wool. The designs illustrated are worked in grey wool, with black and white introduced just to show the contrast, and when worked in bright colours many of these would be very effective. For instance, saxe blue and a bright brown would be pretty on a grey sock, and emerald green and white on a navy sock is another combination; or the boy’s particular school colours can be introduced, giving a uniform touch to his rig-out.
These tops are not at all difficult to work, and can be added to any sock directions. They are best commenced with six or eight rows of ribbing, as this makes them set well, and when the fancy design is completed the work is turned before commencing the sock itself. Care must be taken to see that you have the correct multiple of stitches for the particular design chosen, and, if necessary, add the required number to give this after the ribbing, decreasing them to the original number again, to get the even rib before commencing the sock.
Another point that should be borne in mind is, that the wools must be allowed to run very loosely, or the design will become contracted. You can also quite easily prevent the wools becoming twisted together in the working, if in changing from one wool to another you weave the wools first over, and then under the shade previously used.
If you find you have the design contracted a little when finished, pressing with a hot iron over a damp cloth will often relieve this. In fact, all knitted garments are the better for being pressed in this way.
The directions given are for a sock for a boy of from six to seven years of age, and the leg measures 11½ inches to the base of the heel when the top is turned over; the foot measures seven inches from heel to toe.
A FINISHED STOCKING SHOWING DESIGN No. 1.
The Sock.
Abbreviations Used.
K = knit; P = purl; N = narrow (decrease a stitch by knitting two stitches together); St = stitch or stitches.
Materials required: 4 ounces of Messrs. J. & J. Baldwin’s 4-ply grey “Beehive” Scotch Fingering, a half ounce each of white and black wool, and four No. 15 steel needles.
With grey wool cast on 64 st, 22 on each of two needles and 20 on the third needle. Work in rib of K 2, and P 2 for 8 rounds. Work one plain round, increasing your number of st to 70, then commence the fancy top, using the three wools as follows:
10th and 11th Rounds.—4 grey (G), 3 white (W), 4 G, 3 black (B). Repeat.
12th and 13th Rounds.—2 B, 2 W, 3 G, 2 W, 2 B, 3 G. Repeat.
14th and 15th Rounds.—2 W, 2 B, 3 G, 2 B, 2 W, 3 G. Repeat.
16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th Rounds.—4 G, 3 B, 4 G, 3 W. Repeat.
20th and 21st Rounds.—2 W, 2 B, 3 G, 2 B, 2 W, 3 G. Repeat.
22nd and 23rd Rounds.—2 B, 2 W, 3 G, 2 W, 2 B, 3 G. Repeat.
24th and 25th Rounds.—4 G, 3 W, 4 G. 3 B. Repeat.
Work a plain round in the grey wool and decrease your stitches to 64 again.
Turn the work, and commence the sock in rib of K 3, P 1.
Work for 5½ inches, then commence shaping for the leg as follows: K 1, N, work in rib to the four last st of the round N, K 1, P 1.
Decrease in this way four times, with 7 rows between each decreasing.
Work an inch without shaping, then divide the st, putting half on to one needle for the heel, taking care that the decreasings made come in the centre of the needle.
The Heel.
Make an extra stitch, so that you have an odd number on the needle (you should then have 29 st), and knit and purl a row alternately (always slipping the first st) until you have worked the same number of rows as you have st on the needle, ending with a purl row.
K 16, N, K 1, turn.
P 5, Purl 2 together, P 1, turn.
K 6, N, K 1, turn.
P 7, Purl 2 together, P 1, turn, and continue in this manner until all the stitches have been worked on to one needle again.
Pick up 14 loops at each side of the heel, and commence working in rounds again for the foot, continuing the rib on the instep needles, but working in plain knitting for the under part of the foot.
In the first round narrow at each side, by taking the two lowest stitches picked up from the side of the heel flap together.
Repeat this decreasing three times, with 1 round between each. Continue the foot without further shaping for 3½ inches, when you will be ready for the toe.
The Toe.
Put half your st on the heel needle, and divide the remainder between the other two needles. Work the toe in plain knitting all round, decreasing at each end of the heel needle, and at the outer end of the other needles every other round, until you have only 20 st left in the round. Place these on to two needles, and cast off both needles together.
For the Small Boy.
Design No. 2.
For this pattern the number of st used must give a multiple of 8.
Design No. 2.
1st and 2nd Rounds.—3 G, 5 B. Repeat.
3rd and 4th Rounds.—1 B, * 1 G, 7 B. Repeat from *.
5th and 6th Rounds.—4 G, * 3 B, 5 G. Repeat from *.
7th and 8th Rounds.—1 G, * W, 2 G, 1 B, 1 G, 1 B, 2 G. Repeat from *.
9th and 10th Rounds.—3 W, 5 G. Repeat.
11th and 12th Rounds.—1 G, * 1 W, 2 G, 1 B, 1 G, 1 B, 2 G. Repeat from *.
13th and 14th Rounds.—4 G, * 3 B, 5 G. Repeat from *.
15th and 16th Rounds.—1 B, * 1 G, 7 B. Repeat from *.
17th and 18th Rounds.—3 G, 5 B. Repeat.
Design No. 3.
For this pattern the number of stitches used must give a multiple of 6.
Design No. 3.
Commence the border by working 2 plain rounds in the black wool, then 2 plain rounds in the white.
5th and 6th Rounds.—1 B, 5 W. Repeat.
7th and 8th Rounds.—1 W, * 3 B, 3 W. Repeat from *.
9th and 10th Rounds.—2 W, 1 B. Repeat.
11th and 12th Rounds.—1 W, 3 B, 1 W, 1 B. Repeat.
13th and 14th Rounds.—1 W, * 3 G, 3 W. Repeat from *.
15th and 16th Rounds.—5 G, 1 W. Repeat.
17th and 18th Rounds.—White.
19th and 20th Rounds.—Black.
4th Design.
For this pattern the number of stitches used must give a multiple of 10
Design No. 4.
1st and 2nd Rounds.—White.
3rd and 4th Rounds.—Black.
5th and 6th Rounds.—1 B, 1 W. Repeat.
7th and 8th Rounds.—White.
9th and 10th Rounds.—1 W, * 2 B, 3 W, 2 G, 3 W. Repeat from *.
11th and 12th Rounds.—4 B, 1 W, 4 G, 1 W. Repeat.
13th and 14th Rounds.—1 W, * 2 B, 3 W, 2 G, 3 W. Repeat from *.
15th and 16th Rounds.—White.
17th and 18th Rounds.—1 B, 1 W, Repeat.
19th and 20th Rounds.—Black.
21st and 22nd Rounds.—White.
Design No. 5.
For this pattern the number of stitches used must give a multiple of 11.
Design No. 5.
1st and 2nd Rounds.—White.
3rd and 4th Rounds.—Black.
5th and 6th Rounds.—3 G, 1 W, 2 B, 2 W, 2 B, 1 W. Repeat.
Effective Patterns.
7th and 8th Rounds.—1 W, 1 G, 1 W, 2 B, 1 W, 2 G, 1 W, 2 B. Repeat.
9th and 10th Rounds.—1 B, * 1 W, 2 B, 1 W, 4 G, 1 W, 2 B. Repeat from *.
11th and 12th Rounds.—3 B, 1 W, 6 G, 1 W. Repeat.
13th and 14th Rounds.—1 B, * 1 W, 2 B, 1 W, 4 G, 1 W, 2 B. Repeat from *.
15th and 16th Rounds.—1 W, 1 G, 1 W, 2 B, 1 W, 2 G, 1 W, 2 B. Repeat.
17th and 18th Rounds.—3 G, 1 W, 2 B, 2 W, 2 B, 1 W. Repeat.
19th and 20th Rounds.—Black.
21st and 22nd Rounds.—White.
Design No. 6.
For this pattern the number of stitches used must give a multiple of 8.
Design No. 6.
1st and 2nd Rounds.—4 B, 4 G. Repeat.
3rd and 4th Rounds.—4 G, 4 B. Repeat.
5th and 6th Rounds.—Black.
7th and 8th Rounds.—3 G, 5 B. Repeat.
9th and 10th Rounds.—2 G, * 2 W, 3 B, 3 G. Repeat from *.
11th and 12th Rounds.—2 G, * 1 B, 3 W, 1 B, 3 G. Repeat from *.
13th and 14th Rounds.—1 G, * 3 B, 2 W, 3 G. Repeat from *.
15th and 16th Rounds.—4 B, * 3 G, 5 B. Repeat from *.
17th and 18th Rounds.—Black.
19th and 20th Rounds.—4 B, 4 G. Repeat.
21st and 22nd Rounds.—4 G, 4 B. Repeat.
Design No. 7.
Only two colours will be needed for this design, and the number of stitches used must give a multiple of 8.
Design No. 7.
1st and 2nd Rounds.—Black.
3rd and 4th Rounds.—Grey.
5th and 6th Rounds.—1 B, 2 G, 4 B, 1 G. Repeat.
7th and 8th Rounds.—1 B, 2 G, 1 B, 4 G. Repeat
9th and 10th Rounds.—1 B, 2 G, 1 B, 4 G. Repeat.
11th and 12th Rounds.—7 B, 1 G. Repeat.
13th and 14th Rounds.—3 G, 1 B, 2 G, 1 B, 1 G. Repeat.
15th and 16th Rounds.—3 G, 1 B, 2 G, 1 B, 1 G. Repeat.
17th and 18th Rounds.—4 B, 2 G, 1 B, 1 G. Repeat.
19th and 20th Rounds.—Grey.
21st and 22nd Rounds.—Black.
Design No. 8.
This border works out a good deal wider than the others, and would perhaps be more suitable for a man’s stocking; or to reduce the width the stripes from each edge could be omitted. Stitches giving a multiple of 8 will be required.
1st and 2nd Rounds.—Black.
3rd and 4th Rounds.—White.
5th and 6th Rounds.—Black.
7th and 8th Rounds.—Grey.
9th and 10th Rounds.—5 G, 3 B. Repeat.
11th and 12th Rounds.—6 G, * 1 B, 7 G. Repeat from *.
13th and 14th Rounds.—2 G, * 1 W, 7 G. Repeat from *.
15th and 16th Rounds.—1 G, * 3 W, 5 G. Repeat from *.
17th and 18th Rounds.—3 W, 4 G, Repeat.
19th and 20th Rounds.—2 W, * 4 B, 1 G, 3 W. Repeat from *.
21st and 22nd Rounds.—3 W, 5 G. Repeat.
Fancy Tops for Socks and Stockings.
23rd and 24th Rounds.—1 G, * 3 W, 5 G. Repeat from *.
25th and 26th Rounds.—2 G, * 1 W, 7 G. Repeat from *.
27th and 28th Rounds.—6 G, * 1 B, 7 G. Repeat from *.
29th and 30th Rounds.—5 G, 3 B. Repeat.
31st and 32nd Rounds.—Grey.
33rd and 34th Rounds.—Black.
35th and 36th Rounds.—White.
37th and 38th Rounds.—Black.