Evening star., 1919-10-31
Helpful Hints for the
Woman Who Makes
Her Own Sweater
Concerning the Needle
Utilizing Odds and
Ends.


Ends.
| If YOU are attempting a. new pat
| tern in knitting. help yourself by
making diagram. Draw a hori-
| zortal line at the base of a sheet of
paper, indicating the row of stitches
originally set up. and on this mark
the number of stitches and the kind
of stitches that are to be taken
along that line If specifications are
given for the length in inches that
those set-up stitches are to measure.
indicate this also. From this proceed
with the diagram, showing by lines
the extension of the knitting and
marking each with the number and
kind of stitches required. In this
way you will see before starting the
garment the shape that it is to take
and the approximate proportions.
When the design has to be altered to
suit certain figures you can see at
glance just where the alteration is to
be made by means of the diagram.
When picking up stitches or cor
recting imperfections it is important
to have a very definite idea regarding
the proper twists of the thread in
the various stitches to be employed
To become proficient practice with
little yarn and knit on very large
needles sample pieces of the usual
stitches. Stitches should not be cast
on too tightly. DO not think that py
knitting extremely tight the hnlshed
piece of knitting will be any flrmer
than if you knit comfortably. loosely /;
but on the other hand, to knit tightly
on medium sized needles amounts to
the same thing as knitting 1airlE
loosely on needles a little smaller
The Knitting Needle.
Various brands of knitting needles
are marked in different ways. Amber
knitting needles. nickel knitting
needles. bone needles and those OF
wood are usually marked according to
a different scale, even when hey a:e
made by the same concern. Owing
this fact, it is almost impossible TO
give or receive knitting directions
without having a more dennlte ldea
of the needles required than those
given by the number. If you cannot
compare the needle on which the ar
ticle has been knitted successfully
with your own needles and thus pick
out the right size. it is good idea TO
have the measurement of the rlgnt
size taken by sticking the neeuie
through a calling card. The needle
that is exactly the same size will go
ing it. but very tightly. If it slips
through easily. it is too small
When you are knitting garment
and come to place where 1t is neces-
sary to put stitches aside and use
needles to begin on another place: you
NAV be puzzled to find an extra knit
ting needle on which to slip the
stitches not needed. very large
safety pin makes an ideal holder Tor
these stitches. They can be slipped
on the pin, which is then clasped
tightly. so that there is no danger OF
slipping off. and they are quite safe
until wanted again. The large satety
pins are best for this purpose.
Do not wind all the yarn for a Ger
tain garment at the same time. mo
only one ball at a time, as yarn ina |
| has been wound will not be accepted
for Exchange. and it keeps in better
| condition when lying in the hank
than when wound in any but the very
loosest of balls. Use the tag tnat
comes with it to start the ball: then
if more wool is needed 1t Will serve
as a guide for the person who uses
tho last of the wool, as the tag has
the number and size of the wool on IL
and will be seen when the end OF the
ball is reached Nv.
crocheting a little Slumber rooe 10 Ior
the baby's crib or a small afghan Tie
keen the same weights together rake
long needlesful and work in the sheil
stitch such articles as you may take
a fancy to make.
If warn is thoroughly steamed WhiIe
still in the hank articles mace % 1Ioa',
.. LII NOT shrink when washed. Place
the warn on a dinner plate IN steam ,
or and when thoroughly steamed anu
dried il will be soft and unshrlnkapie.
Wool that has been unraVeieu aites !.
making a mistake may De fiaue a"
GOOD as new by placing it in a steam :
So s,hiecfing it to the same treat
ment. handle
So ar excelIent receptacle for holding
the knitting ball. To the unoer siue
of the middle of the handle .ie q
bone ring about one inch in clrcun- :
fara,ce With stout thread. Keep the
h.I1 of warn with which you are
,,nrL;np in the basket and Deiore
r,ortine tn use it slip the end through n
tha hone ring. This will keep the pan
from falling on the floor WheleVe.
80, null the warn. 1t is very huGn
easier TO work when the yarn 10 heiu
in Mace in this simple manner
Work Over Old Sweaters.
,on have an old sweater
has ceased to be an asset IN your
uardrobe. 1t is faded and soiied. !.
bags where it should hug ana iooHf 70
scrimpy % where it should be ample: al, pie If If
so, get to work and 30 over ao,iT Tne not Of
difficult. To begin with. you should
rin the old sweater apart. care1uiiy
winding the wool t,3n into balls IS as rather feq
go along and knottlng II - aatn in
loosely where you come 10 Dreah
the thread. Break the thread as ilt-
lie az nossible, and unless you have
great deal of wool to work di,S,'la %,1f' and md
sn,aIi nieces. When it is all in baiis'
then then proceed to put it into skeins; nnd
or pasteboard about three.ouarters @ o.
a ward in length. This is con"e-
n;ent size though it may be more or
less. Now wind the yarn off onto INTO
this board. When you have wound
off as much as forms a gooots;t@eSf h;t ef
skein. tie it at one end with bit OIL
ysrn of another color and take from
ihe board and continue to wind an