The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-26
Women Throughout U. S. Are
Busy Knitting For Red Cross;
Some Pertinent Suggestions

here and there.
Directions for War Kmtters
Sometime ago this page gave a list
Of directions for the knitting of
sweaters, mufflers and WHISTLES for
the army and navy, but so many re-
,, quests have come in from women
anxious to set to work that it is
deemed advisable to repeat the di.
rections. The sleeveless jacket is
particularly useful article and may be
worn over the shirt or used as q sub
stitute for the shirt. 1t slips over
the head and fits smoothly over the
body, clinging to the hips. The
wristlets serve for gloves and wrist.
bands and space is provided for the
thumb to pass through. These easily
knitted wristlets will be of inestima-
BILE comfort to sailors and to soldiers
in the trenches when cold weather
sets in.
The Sleeveless Jacket. Three
fourths of pound of gray knitting
yarn. Cast on 80 stitches. Knit two
and purl two for 4 inches. Knit plain
until sweater measures % inches.
Knit % stitches and bind off "a stich-
es for neck. Knit % stitches Knit
seven ribs on each shoulder. Cast
on "a stitches. Knit plain for 10
inches. Purl two and knit two for
inches. Sew up sides, leaving 9
inches for armhole.
Wristiets. One-fourth pound gray
knitting yarn. Cast on52 stitches.
Sew up leaving twoinche space for
thumb, three inches from top.
The Red Cross also asks for wash.
cloths and knitted wipes" or substi-
tutes for gauze sponges.
/ knitter Wipes. Three-ply No. 8
cotton. No. s amber needles, or their
equivalent. Cast on IS stitches. Knit
across and back or one rib. Knit a
stitch, put thread around needle, knit
next stitch and repeat until you have
ten.of the double rows and nine of
the single large mesh rows, and fin.
J ish of.
WashcIoths. Eight or 10 three-ply
knitting cotton and No. 4 needles.
Cast on 81 stitches and knit until you
haev square. Washcloth should
measure ten inches square.
Tho Social Side Of War Knitting.
Besides it's real purpose Of provid
ing comforts for the men who are 20
: ing forth to fight, and the happiness
1t gives to hundreds of women who
are gladly availing themselves of this
opportunity to do their bit" and Of
fer real service, knitting has its go
cfal side too. Many are the after.
: noon porch parties given in honor OF
knitting this summer. Bridge tables
are not brought out but needles fly
wherever two or three are gaterhed
together. At many of these after.
noon gatherings on the porch or un.
der the trees in the garden, some
member Of the party reads aloud-not
a novel but something interesting,
pertaining to the war. Better work
is accomplished by the knitting con.
tingent in this way. for though one
may chatter blithely while doing or.
dinary knitting, purling requires alb.
sorbed attention and much concentra.
tion-and purling is an important fea-
ture in the knitting Of war garments.
You will note that tn eyoung woman
who knits as she walks has passed
the purling stage on her sweater and
is doing straight knitting. Only an
expert could walk and purl at the
same time.
One has become so accustomed
now to seeing flying knitting needles
in the subway and other public con.
veyances that the sight no longer
arouses special attention. With the
knitting bag always conveniently at
hand, it is easy to add rib or two
between ordering and lunching at a
restaurant. or between the acts at a
matinee. One enthusiastic maiden
even carried her knitting to the NOV.
les. but SO many dropped stitches had
to be picked up next day that she re-
luctantly abandoned the practice. And
by the bye, be sure and learn how to
recover dropped stitches by aid of
crochet hook. A dropped stitch
picked up in time may save nine ribs
of raveled out work, And learn, II
you can. the rapid Dutch method of
knitting. 1t is not as graceful as the
old-fashioned Colonial way of throw
ing the wool over with a movement
of the wrist, but it is much more
, speedy when once acquired. One
must learn this method of knitting as
a beginner. however; it is almost inn