New-York tribune., 1880-02-29
KNITTING.
STOCKING-KNITTlNG.
INTRODUCTORY.
From The Weekly Tribune.

IL Is often said that the test OF good Knltter Is
her ability to knit stockings, and that one who can
knit stocking can knit anything else-by sort OF
instinct. But these, like many other old sayings,
contain only O small element Of truth. Stocking
knitting certainly gives a large amount of useful
practice yet there are many ladies who have been
knitting stockings all their lives who would stand
aghast at q simple fancy stitch easy lace pat
tern which an intelligent schoolgirl often would rat
tie off without the least difficulty The trouble Win
them is that they have have never knit anything
besides stockings, and have vague idea that II
this useful article of dress had not been Invented,
knitting would be unknown. Then again. nu-
merous as are the knitteTs of stockings. how few
comparatively acquire the art of turning heel.
They can knit the leg very well, but the heei-t is
,ne Of those difficult and mysterious things which
,nly one woman in hundred can possibly be ex'
,eoted 30 master.
The object of the present series of articles on
stocking-Knitting is to show that these mountains
IF difficulty are after all only mole-hills-to lay
iown general principles. and give such explanations
As will enable the knitter to take the work III hand
irtegently; to point out not only what TO do, but
the hcw and the wherefore; and to supplement this
by such full and minute directions that no lady
reader of The TRIBUNE can possibly fail TO under
stand the whole art.
First, then, stocking may be regarded as made of
the only really difficult work there is in stocking
The leg is easy. 1t is always " cast on at the top
--the number Of stitches depending partly on the
size of the material and the needles and partly on
the size of the leg The smaller the needles the
more the stitches. So, too the larger the leg the
more numerous, Of course the stitches These points
are always covered in sort OF average way ID IN
structons for any particular stocking bat the Knit
fer should not be content with this She should be
ii cba lpr for pa
ual case. For instance. using coarse Worsted ana
large needles 73 stitches may be cast on for child
Of FIVE: 60 for one of seven 81 for one ofnine and
100 for one of eleven. These are average sizes,
but they can be easily increased If finer needles are
used or larger size iI required. In casting on
don't attempt il at first OH three needles which, III
the hands of novice. have an aggravatlng way ol
twisting themselves up and making II no easy TASK
TO be sure that the work starts fair Cast on al the
stitches needed on one needle and knit them OIL on
the three needles. 1t is usual to cast on a number
aivisibe by three with one over This odd stitch
is for the seam stitch. which is to run all down the
back of the leg but is not worked a seam stitch
til after the band has been finished. The stitches
EAST on are eunally distributed among three needles,
and the odd stitch is placed on one which is usually
called the frat. Thus. if there were lo3
stitches, the first needle would have 80
stitches, the second "a and the third 34'
Some regard the middle stitch Of the first needle
lin this supposed the 18TH as the seam-stitch'
while Others prefer TO make the seamsttch the hrs
On the first needle Practically it makes differ
ence where the seam-sitch s long as 1t does not
interfere with the subsequent narrowings but 1t
Is perhaps easier to remember if it is first on the
6rst needle.
After one plain row of knitting the band is begun
Knit 8 plain on the first needle, then purl 2, knit
alternately all round Repeat this row for q inches
to inches when the part of the leg above the calf
is begun in plain knitting, remembering however,
that now the first stitch OF the first needle TO be
seam or purl stitch. Instead of this ribbed
band German knitters frequently substitute
pretty pattern, specimens of which VIII be gwen
in future articles Occasionally too, the upper edge
Of the stocking is worked in sGallops Directions
for this will also be given. The ribbed band at the
top serves two purposes-it makes that part very
elastic, and ii prevents it from curling up.
The stocking is now knit plain generally without
Increasing or decreasing till the middle Of the calf
Is reached At this point the intakes or naIroWlhgs
begin, and on the number and regularity OF these
demands the shape of the leg The narrowings are
always made on the second and third stitches from
the seam-stitch And there is this difference in the
way of making them: Before reaching the seam
Won slip the third. knit the second and throw the
slinned stitch over; after the scam you knit the
there is always one stitch left between the intake
and the seam-stitch. -Four or five rows of plain
knitting or even six or seven In fine work,
should come between the narrowed rows
The number of u narrOwings varies with
the size of the stocking. Thus If 73 STITCHES
were cast on there would be about eighty rows
from the band to the first narrownRs; narrowings
down the leg or 80 rows III all, and 80 more rounds
to the heel Iu the next sized stocking there should
be say 10 rounds to the narrowings, 10 narrowngs
in the leg, and 40 rounds from the last narrowing 10
the heel In large size of say l33 sttches' tneio
would be 14s rounds to the calf, 21 narrowings III
Tho loo and 90 more rounds to the heel. By mar
rowings in the leg, 1t must be remembered are
meant rows in which the narrow'nes already
described are made, one on each side OF the seam
stitch, and these are always separated by interme
diate rows of plain knitting.