The Project Gutenberg eBook of Rake Knitting Patterns

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Title: Rake Knitting Patterns

Author: Bertha Thompson

Release date: May 5, 2019 [eBook #59440]

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Susan Skinner, Tim Lindell and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAKE KNITTING PATTERNS ***

RAKE KNITTING PATTERNS


Twins wearing rake knitted sweaters made by a patient at Kenilworth Hospital, Biltmore, N. C.


Rake Knitting Patterns

Bertha Thompson

Organizer and Director of Occupational Therapy and Principal
of the Summer School of Occupational Therapy,
Woodstock, N. Y.

BRUCE—MILWAUKEE

THE BRUCE PUBLISHING COMPANY
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN


Copyright 1923
The Bruce Publishing Company
Printed in the United States of America


Dedicated to the happiness
of the sick and convalescent.


PREFACE.

Who does not remember the spool-knitter of his childhood, perhaps a home made affair—a large empty spool with four wire brads driven in around the opening at one end—on which one made an endless rope of colored yarns, to use, maybe, for reins when playing horse. Our ex-service patients in the army and public health service hospitals have seized upon the principle of this toy, and have applied it in making “rakes” of various sizes on which they have “knitted” a large number of articles, from silk neckties to wool shawls, caps, sweaters and capes. They have found real interest and pleasure in this pastime. The patient flat on his back in a plaster cast, sometimes with the use of only one hand, has been able to make garments as attractive and well-made as the man who is up and about.

The results of their experiments in “rake knitting” have been so very worth while, that I have wanted to make them available for the use of the sick and convalescent everywhere. Therefore I have prepared this pamphlet of patterns. It does not pretend to exhaust the possibilities of “rake knitting,” but merely offers a few patterns which have been used successfully in knitting with two and four-fold yarn.

Special thanks are due the patients of Kenilworth Hospital, U. S. P. H. S., Biltmore, N. C., who worked out some of these patterns and allowed me to photograph some of their finished work.


TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Page
Chapter 1—Tools and Materials9-12
Chapter 2—Winding a Long Rake13- 6
Chapter 3—Winding Round Rakes17- 8
Chapter 4—General Instructions19-21
1—How to Change from Single or Double Stitch to Triple Stitch.
2—How to Change from Triple Stitch to Single or Double Stitch.
3—How to Cast Off Stitches in Shaping Garments.
4—How to Add Stitches in Shaping Garments.
5—How to Cast Off Knitting from the Rake.
6—How to Take Up the Loose Stitches at the Beginning of the Knitting.
7—How to Sew Garments Together.
8—How to Make Buttonholes.
9—How to Determine the Quantity of Yarn Required for Any Pattern.
10—How to Adapt the Patterns for Smaller or Larger Garments.
11—How to Make Other Patterns.
Chapter 5—To Make Shawls and Scarfs22- 4
General Directions.
Explanation of Diagrams of Borders.
Narrow Scarfs and Mufflers.
Chapter 6—Harmonious Combinations of Colors in Shawls25-43
Color Arrangements Suggested for Eighteen Borders.
Chapter 7—Bed Jacket44- 7
Chapter 8—Boy’s Slipover Sweater48-51
Chapter 9—Child’s Sweater Jacket52- 6
Chapter 10—Men’s Sweaters57-64
1—Buttoned Down the Front, with Sleeves, Collar and Pockets.
2—Slipover, with Sleeves, Collar and Pockets.
3—Slipover, Sleeveless and without Collar.
Chapter 11—Cap65- 6
Chapter 12—Stocking Cap67- 9

{9}

Chapter 1.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS.

Tools.

Rakes—See Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Picks—See Figs. 5 and 6.

Steel crochet hook No. 1.

Darning needle long enough to take wool.

Scissors.

A few thumb tacks or brass headed carpet tacks.

The rakes can be made by a carpenter, or by anyone who can use a hammer, saw and plane.

STRAIGHT RAKES.

Fig. 1.

DIMENSIONS.

Length—32″.
Width—2⅝″.
Thickness—¾″ to ⅞″.
Opening down the center (black)
27″ long.
⅜″ wide.

SETTING OF NAILS.

RAKE No. 1
Nails ½″ apart in rows ¾″ apart, set as in drawing.

RAKE No. 2
Nails ⅜″ apart in rows ¾″ apart.

RAKE No. 3
Nails ⅜″ apart in rows ⅝″ apart.

RAKE No. 4
Nails ⁵⁄₁₆″ apart in rows ¹⁰⁄₁₆″ apart.

SHORT RAKES, with the same setting of nails are useful for knitting collars, pockets and belts.

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Fig. 2. Cap Rake

  • Outside circle diameter = 6⅞″
  • Inner circle diameter = 5¼″
  • Shaded space cut out = ⅝″ wide
  • Rows of nails ⅝″ apart
  • Nails in outer row set ½″ apart
  • Nails in inner row set ⅜″ apart
  • Nails ½″ above surface

Fig. 3. Cap Rake

Size 1.

  • Outside dia. = 11¼″
  • Inside dia. = 9¼″
  • Nails set 1″ apart

Size 2.

  • Outside dia. = 13″
  • Inside dia. = 11½″

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Fig. 4. Rakes.

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Yellow poplar or red gum makes a rake that is light to handle, and holds the nails securely.

Select well-seasoned lumber, free from knots, about ¾ to ⅞ inch thick. Rakes made from thinner wood give in the middle and are not satisfactory.

The opening within the rake can be cut out with a keyhole saw, or better still with a jig saw or a band saw, if such is available.

The rakes must be well-planed and sandpapered, and no roughness left anywhere to catch the wool when knitting.

The dimensions for the rakes are given in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The long rakes (Fig. 1) are set with 1 inch finishing nails or with 1 inch, No. 16 wire brads. The nails must be set carefully as indicated in the drawing and project evenly ⅜ inch above the surface of the wood.

The small double round rake (Fig. 2) is set with 1 inch finishing nails.

The large round rake (Fig. 3) is set with 1½ inch No. 10 wire brads, or with wooden pegs whittled from ⅜ inch doweling, leaving a small head to prevent the yarn from slipping off too easily. The pegs should be securely glued into holes drilled just the right size to take them. Many patients prefer the wooden pegs in the round rakes. Such a rake was sold in some stores during the war and used for knitting hospital stockings to cover surgical dressings.

Fig. 5—Nutpick. Fig. 6

For a pick, an ordinary nutpick, (Fig. 5) will serve very well, or one can be made from a 3 inch finishing nail, set in a wooden handle, bent and filed into shape as shown in Fig. 6, and finished with emery cloth, and oil and pumice.

Materials.

Four-fold yarn or silky wool is used for most garments.

Medium and heavy-weight sweater yarns may be used for men’s sweaters.

Two-fold yarn and silky wool is used for light-weight garments.


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Chapter 2.

WINDING A LONG RAKE.

Three different stitches are commonly used in rake knitting.

To Cast Stitches on a Long Rake.

Take the long rake, shown in Fig. 1, with nails set ½ inch apart, in rows ¾ inch apart.

Drive a thumb tack or a carpet tack into the side of the rake near each end until the head is just a little above the surface of the wood. This is to hold the yarn after winding.

Fig. 10. First Winding.

First Winding.

The same for all stitches.

1. Tie yarn to nail A, leaving an end 3 or 4 inches long which is slipped through the opening of the rake. Let the rake rest in the left hand. With the right hand wind the yarn around the nails as shown in the diagram. Do not pull the yarn too tight; just hold it easily between thumb and finger. When the last nail (B) is reached, wrap the yarn once around the tack to hold it.

2. Draw the smooth flat side of the pick rapidly down the length of the rake between the rows of nails. This pushes the yarn to the bottom of the nails, and leaves space above for the second winding of yarn.

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Fig. 7. Single or Plain Stitch.

Fig. 8. Double or Cross Stitch.

Fig. 9. Triple Cross Stitch.

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Fig. 11. Second Winding.

Second Winding.

In single or plain stitch, (Fig. 7) do not cross the yarn.

1. The first winding ended at B with the last cross at C.

2. Wind the yarn around D and E without crossing it, and so on back to the end of the rake where the first winding began. Wrap the yarn around the tack.

3. The yarn has passed twice in front of each nail with the exception of nail B.[1]

4. With the pick lift the lower thread (first winding) over the upper thread, (second winding) and off the nail. Do not stretch the yarn more than just enough to lift it over the head of the nail. Do this at each nail along one side, then along the other, leaving out the nail B which has just one thread. This completes the first row of stitches.

5. Draw the smooth flat side of the pick rapidly down the length of the rake between the rows of nails to push down the yarn, and make room for the next winding.

Second Winding—Continued.

In double or cross-stitch. (Fig. 8)

1. The second winding is the same as the first winding; that is, the yarn is crossed.

2. With the pick lift the lower thread over the upper thread as in single or plain stitch. This completes the first row of stitches.

3. Draw the smooth flat side of the pick along between the rows of nails to make space for the next winding.

Triple cross-stitch. (Fig. 9)

1. Wind once over and back as if for double or cross-stitch.

2. Wind the yarn a third time across the rake, crossing it as in the first and second winding.

{16}

3. Three threads now pass in front of each nail except A and B. Lift the lower thread (first winding) over the upper two threads and off the nail. Do this at all the nails except A and B. This completes the first row of stitches.

4. Push threads to the bottom of the nails by drawing the smooth flat side of the pick rapidly along between the rows of nails.[2]

To make the second row of stitches, wind once across the rake, and lift the lower thread off as described above. Push threads to the bottom of the nails, and wind back over the rake for the third row of stitches, and so on.


{17}

Chapter 3.

WINDING ROUND RAKES.

The round cap rakes illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 are wound according to the following directions:

Round Cap Rake (Fig. 2.)

Stitches are cast on this round rake in the same way as on the long rake described in Chapter 2, except that the winding continues around the rake.

Single or double stitch may be used.

1. Tie the yarn to one of the nails.

2. Wind once around the rake as directed in Chapter 2 for the first winding, until the nail to which the yarn is tied is reached again.

3. Continue winding until this nail is reached a second time, that is, until two threads pass in front of each nail.

4. Wrap yarn around a thumb tack in the side of the rake.

5. Lift the lower thread (first winding) over the upper thread (second winding) and off the nails. When only one thread remains around each nail, run the smooth flat side of the pick around between the rows of nails to push down the threads, and make room for the next winding.

6. Continue by winding once around the rake; that is, until two threads again pass in front of each nail. Lift the lower thread over the upper thread and off the nails to complete the row of stitches.

Fig. 12.

{18}

Round Cap Rake (Fig. 3.)

To knit a cap on this rake the single stitch is used, as a rule.

1. To cast on stitches, tie yarn to a nail, (Fig. 12), and wind to the left, until nail A is reached again.

2. Then, holding the yarn in the left hand, pass it along in front of nail A, and above the first winding, and lift the lower thread on the nail over the upper and off the nail.

3. Move the rake around a little until the yarn held in the left hand passes in front of nail B. Be sure it is above the thread already on the nail. Lift lower thread over the upper thread and off the nail.

4. Continue in this way around and around the rake until the knitting of the cap is complete. The pattern for a cap is described in Chapter 12.


{19}

Chapter 4.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS.

1. How to Change from Single or Double Stitch to Triple Stitch.

Wind across the rake and back, crossing the yarn. There are now three threads on the nails. Lift the lowest thread over the upper two threads and off the nails.

2. How to Change from Triple Stitch to Single or Double Stitch.

Lift the lower two threads together over the upper thread and off the nails.

3. How to Cast Off Stitches in Shaping Garments.

Lift the stitch from one nail onto the next in the other row.

Lift the stitch already on this nail over the new one, and off the nail.

4. How to Add Stitches in Shaping Garments.

Wind one or more of the empty nails according to directions, when the end of the row of stitches is reached. Wind back across the rake and knit these new stitches in the same way as the others.

5. How to Cast Off Knitting from the Rake.

There are two ways to do this.

1. Leave a length of yarn, when cutting off the ball, long enough to knit once across the rake.

Beginning at the opposite end of the rake, with a large knitting needle lift a stitch first from one row of nails and then from the other until all the stitches are on the needle.

Then cast off as in ordinary knitting. (See directions in any book on knitting.)

2. Another way is to take off the stitch from the first nail with a crochet hook, then the stitch from the first nail in the other row, and draw this one through the stitch already on the hook. Then take off the next and draw it through the stitch on the hook, and so on until all the stitches have been crocheted from the rake.[3]

It will be found that sometimes, with certain yarns, this makes a very tight edge. In this case it is better to use the length of yarn left hanging, and having lifted off two stitches, instead of drawing{20} the second through the first, draw a loop of the yarn through both, leaving this loop on the hook. (This is called a slip stitch.) Take off the next stitch and repeat. Continue until all the stitches have been crocheted from the rake.

6. How to Take Up the Loose Stitches at the Beginning of the Knitting.

Examine a piece of knitting that has just been cast off the rake.

It will be observed that the last row is much tighter than the first.

To take up these loose stitches at the beginning, crochet once across, using the slip stitch described in paragraph 2 of section 5 of this chapter.

7. How to Sew Garments Together.

Use one strand of yarn and a short darning or tapestry needle. Match the stitches, take up one thread on each side, and do not draw the yarn too tightly.

8. How to Make Buttonholes.

Cast stitches off two to six nails, depending on the size of the buttonhole to be made, beginning at the sixth nail from the edge. Add these nails again in the very next row of knitting.

Crochet around the buttonholes with a single stitch or finish with a buttonhole stitch, using one strand of yarn.

Loops may be made instead of buttonholes by crocheting along the edge to be fastened, leaving loops of chain-stitch long enough to go over the button.

9. How to Determine the Quantity of Yarn Required for Any Pattern.

Some yarns work up more quickly than others, and some stretch more.

This difference in yarns makes it impossible to give exact quantities required for any pattern which would apply to all brands of yarn, or to give the exact number of nails that must be used to knit a given width.

Therefore the size of the finished garment is indicated instead. Where a quantity is given, it is only approximately estimated from the kinds of yarn I have used.

Select a good brand of yarn, and find out by experiment how far one ounce will go. Choose the rake you are going to use. Knit a piece 6 or 12 inches wide. Make a note of the number of nails it{21} takes. With this as a guide it will not be difficult to estimate the amount of yarn needed for any of the patterns in this pamphlet. It is always better to get a little too much than not to have enough. It is often difficult to match a yarn, particularly at local stores.

10. How to Adapt the Patterns for Smaller or Larger Garments.

The measurements are given on each pattern. It will readily be seen that these can be changed to make the garment smaller or larger.

Having made the experiment suggested in section 9, and having found out how many nails it takes to knit a piece 6 or 12 inches wide, with a given kind of yarn, it will not be difficult to find out how many nails to use in knitting the size garment desired.

11. How to Make Other Patterns.

Almost any simple, straight-line garment can be knitted on a rake.

Make an outline drawing of the garment as it will look before the seams are sewed together.

Decide upon the measurements, length, width, etc.

Having made the experiment suggested in section 9, it will not be difficult to work out the new pattern.


{22}

Chapter 5.

TO MAKE SHAWLS AND SCARFS.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS.

1. Rakes used for knitting shawls and scarfs.

For four-fold yarn and silky wool use rakes No. 1 or No. 2 shown in Fig. 1.

For two-fold yarn or silky wool use rakes No. 2 or No. 3.

2. Single or double stitch is used in knitting shawls. (See Chapter 2.)

Fig. 13.

3. Quantity of yarn required. (Read section 9 of Chapter 4.)

Four-fold yarn, 16 to 18 ounces, for the body of the shawl (ground color). Six ounces for an average width border.

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Four-fold silky wool, 14 to 16 ounces for the ground color. Four to 5 ounces for the border.

Two-fold yarn or silky wool, about 7 to 8 ounces for the ground color. Two to 3 ounces for the border.

Fig. 14.

4. Average length of shawl, 60 to 72 inches when finished.

5. To join yarns of different color. Tie a square knot between nails B and C, Fig. 13, and cut the ends off close to the knot.

Fig. 15. Cap and Scarf.

6. To make a good edge to which the fringe can be knotted, crochet once across the end of the shawl, using the slip stitch described in section 5 of Chapter 4.

7. Do not make the fringe too heavy. Double two or three lengths of yarn and knot into the shawl at the bottom of each rib. These may be left hanging or may be knotted in various ways. (See Fig. 14.)

{24}

Explanation of Diagrams of Borders.

Figs. 16 to 33 show some borders for shawls which may be worked out in one or more colors.

The number of rows of knitting required for each stripe are given.

To find out how long to make the center of the shawl, measure the distance from the beginning of the knitting to the edge of the last stripe in the border. Allow the same for the border on the other end, and subtract the number of inches required for both from the entire length of the shawl.

Narrow Scarfs and Mufflers.

Almost any of the designs for borders can easily be adapted for use in narrow scarfs or mufflers.

The scarf shown in Fig. 15 is 60 inches long and 10 inches wide. It took 6 ounces of silky wool for the ground color and 1¼ ounces for the border.


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Chapter 6.

HARMONIOUS COMBINATIONS OF COLORS IN SHAWLS.

In planning the colors to be used in a shawl or scarf, the Standard Color Card of America will be found very helpful. This may be obtained from the Textile Color Card Association of the United States, Inc., 315 Fourth avenue, New York. The card contains 133 standard colors, and is being very widely used in every branch of industry interested in color. The manufacturers of knitting yarns have based their standard colors on this card, which is so well-known among dealers throughout the country that it is possible to order a color by its name and number, stating that these have been taken from the standard color card. The Textile Color Card Association is very glad to give full information concerning the color card and its use.

Some of the color arrangements in the following pages have been taken from this color card.

Where the standard trade name for a color is not commonly known, I have given the more usual descriptive name.

The colors are lettered to correspond to the letters used in the diagrams, the main color of the shawl being called the ground color.

Where strongly contrasted colors are used, a narrow line of black (one or two rows of knitting) between the colors will help to harmonize them.

The following suggested color combinations are only a few of the many good combinations of colors which may be used.

{26}

Fig. 16.

Border 1 (Fig. 16.)

Blue ground.

Purple ground.

Brown ground.

Green ground.

Gray ground.

Pink ground.

{27}

Fig. 17.

Border 2 (Fig. 17.)

Blue ground.

Green ground.

Brown ground.

Gray ground.

Purple ground.

{28}

Fig. 18.

Border 3 (Fig. 18.)

Blue ground.

Green ground.

Tan ground.

Brown ground.

Purple ground.

Coral ground.

{29}

Fig. 19.

Border 4 (Fig. 19.)

Green ground.

Nile-green ground.

Blue ground.

Scarlet ground.

Pink or old rose ground.

Light or dark purple ground.

Brown ground.

{30}

Fig. 20.

Border 5 (Fig. 20.)

Cream ground.

Burnt-orange ground.

Black ground.

Green ground.

Light or dark purple ground.

Gray ground.

{31}

Fig. 21.

Border 6 (Fig. 21.)

Pink or old rose ground.

Blue ground.

Green ground.

Purple ground.

Brown ground.

Tan ground.

Gray ground.

Fig. 22.

Border 7 (Fig. 22.)

Blue ground.

Purple ground.

Gray ground.

Green ground.

{33}

Fig. 23

Border 8 (Fig. 23.)

Cream ground.

Salmon ground.

Green ground.

Coral or strawberry ground.

Brown ground.

{34}

Fig. 24.

Border 9 (Fig. 24.)

Brown ground.

Tan ground.

Green ground.

Blue ground.

{35}

Fig. 25.

Border 10 (Fig. 25.)

Blue ground.

Mahogany or terra-cotta ground.

Green ground.

Tan ground.

Purple ground.

{36}

Fig. 26.

Border 11 (Fig. 26.)

Gray ground.

Tan ground.

Cream ground.

Blue ground.

Green ground.

{37}

Fig. 27.

Border 12 (Fig. 27.)

Pink or old rose ground.

Blue ground.

Green ground.

Tan ground.

{38}

Fig. 28.

Border 13 (Fig. 28.)

Tan ground.

Lavender ground.

Yellow-pink ground.

Deep cream ground.

Blue ground.

{39}

Fig. 29.

Border 14 (Fig. 29.)

Tan ground.

Blue ground.

Gray ground.

Old-rose or pink ground.

Lavender ground.

{40}

Fig. 30.

Border 15 (Fig. 30.)

Gray ground.

Cream ground.

Tan ground.

Corn color ground.

Blue ground.

{41}

Fig. 31.

Border 16 (Fig. 31.)

{42}

Fig. 32.

Fig. 33.

{43}

Borders 17 and 18 (Figs. 32 and 33.)

{44}


Chapter 7.

BED JACKET.

Quantity of Yarn Required.

Four-fold—about 18 ounces of wool yarn, or 16 ounces of silky wool.

Two-fold—8 to 9 ounces.

Rake.

For four-fold yarn use No. 1 rake shown in Fig. 1.

For two-fold yarn use No. 2 rake shown in Fig. 1.

Stitches.

For the body of the jacket—single stitch as described in Chapter 2.

For cuffs and collar—double stitch.

Fig. 34. Bed Jacket.

{45}

DIRECTIONS.

Read carefully the instructions given in Chapters 2 and 4.

To Knit the Cuffs, Sleeves and Body of the Jacket.

1. Knit the cuff directly in the center of the rake so as to allow room for adding the same number of stitches on either end in shaping the sleeve. (See Fig. 35.)

2. Cast stitches on 44 nails, 22 in each row. (See Chapter 2.)

3. Knit 2½ inches of double stitch (Chapter 2) to make the cuff, A, B, D, C, Fig. 35.

4. To shape the sleeve, C, D, E, F, when using four-fold yarn, increase the number of stitches by adding one more nail at the end of every row of winding until all the nails of the rake are in use. Use single stitch. (See Chapter 2.)

5. For a looser sleeve, or for two-fold yarn, add two nails at a time for the first 6 inches, and then one nail at a time for the rest of the sleeve. (See dotted line in Fig. 35.)

6. Knit 33 inches—single stitch.

7. Cast off stitches as described in section 3 of Chapter 4, to shape the second sleeve. Where you added one nail at a time in shaping the first sleeve, cast off one nail at a time in shaping the second sleeve. If you added two nails, cast stitches off two nails at a time, until only 44 nails, 22 in each row, are left.

8. Knit 2½ inches double stitch to make the second cuff.

9. Cast the knitting from the rake as described in section 5 of Chapter 4.

10. Take up loose stitches at the beginning of the first cuff as described in section 6 of Chapter 4, and sew up the seams of the sleeves.

To Knit Collar No. 1. (Fig. 36.)

1. Cast stitches on twelve nails, six in each row, and knit 7 inches, double stitch.

2. With the next winding of yarn add 24 nails, all at one time, to the right of the knitting, to form the wide part of the collar (H-I). Eighteen nails in each row are now being used.

3. Continue knitting for 18 inches with double stitch.

4. Cast stitches off 24 nails added above, leaving twelve nails, six in each row.

5. Continue knitting for 7 inches—double stitch.

6. Cast knitting from the rake.

7. Crochet around the outer edge of the collar, using single crochet stitch.

{46}

BED JACKET

Cuffs, sleeves, and body of jacket in one piece.
Two collars

Fig. 35

Fig. 36—Collar No. 1.

Fig. 37—Collar No. 2.

Fig. 38

{47}

8. Sew the collar to the body of the jacket as indicated in the drawing. (See directions in section 7, Chapter 4.)

9. Fold collar back along the dotted line.

10. Make a cord and tassels and fasten under the collar. A very good cord can be knitted on four nails of the rake, two in each row, using single stitch, or a “spool knitter” can be made from a large empty spool with four 1-inch No. 16 wire brads driven in around the opening at one end. The winding of a spool knitter is similar to the winding of the round cap rake, Fig. 3. (See Chapter 3.)

To Knit Collar No. 2. (Fig. 37.)

1. Cast stitches on 40 nails, twenty in each row.

2. Knit double stitch for 7 inches.

3. Cast stitches off 24 nails at one end of knitting to produce M N, Fig. 37.

4. On the next winding add these 24 nails again.

5. Knit 18 inches—double stitch.

6. Cast off the same 24 nails again, thus producing O P, Fig. 37.

7. On the next winding add these 24 nails again.

8. Knit 7 inches—double stitch.

9. Cast knitting from the rake.

10. Crochet once around the outer edge of the collar with a single crochet stitch.

11. After the collar is sewed to the body of the jacket it is folded back as indicated by the dotted line in the drawing, and fastened with crochet covered buttons and loops. (See Figs. 37 and 38.)


{48}

Chapter 8.

BOY’S SLIPOVER SWEATER.

(Without sleeves or collar—See Frontispiece and Figs. 39 and 40.)

Fig. 39. Pattern for Back of Boy’s Slipover Sweater.

{49}

Quantity of Yarn Required.

6 ounces of four-fold yarn.

Rake.

No. 2 (⅜ inch—¾ inch) makes a very good sweater.

No. 3 (⅜ inch—⅝ inch) makes a closer sweater.

Fig. 40. Pattern for Front of Boy’s Slipover Sweater.

{50}

Stitches.

Triple stitch for the bands at the bottom of sweater and double stitch for the body part, as described in Chapter 2.

DIRECTIONS.

Study Figs. 39 and 40 carefully and consult them as you follow the directions given here. The back and front of the sweater are knitted in one piece.

To Knit the Back of the Sweater (Fig. 39.)

1. Cast stitches on about 80 nails, 40 in each row, as described in Chapter 2.

2. Knit 2½ inches of triple stitch. (See Chapter 2.)

3. Change from triple stitch to double stitch by winding rake and lifting the two lower threads over the upper thread and off the rake. (See section 2, Chapter 4.)

4. Knit 10½ inches double stitch. (See Chapter 2.)

5. Cast stitches off four nails at both end of knitting, A-A.

6. Knit 1¼ inches.

7. Cast stitches off two nails at each end of knitting, B-B.

8. Knit 1¼ inches.

9. Cast stitches off two more nails at each end, C-C.

10. Knit 2 inches.

11. Cast stitches off twenty nails, ten nails in each row, directly in the center of the knitting to make the back of the neck. (See section 3, Chapter 4.)

The knitting is now in two parts and two balls of yarn must be used.

To Knit the Front of Sweater Refer to Fig. 40.

12. Knit the shoulders straight for 3 inches.

13. Then, to make the V neck, every time the yarn is wound toward the center, add one nail on each shoulder piece until the two parts of the knitting meet in the center at E.

14. Add two nails at C and B on both armholes.

15. Add four nails at A on both armholes.

16. If the sweater is to be left open down the front for a few inches and laced with a cord, continue using the two balls of yarn, winding each from the side of the sweater to the center only and back to the side.

If the sweater is to be closed from the point E down, cut off one ball when the last winding brings it to the armhole at A. Continue knitting the full width of the front with the other ball.

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17. Knit 10½ inches.

18. Change from the double stitch to triple stitch for the band by winding once across the rake and back to make three threads around each nail before lifting the lowest thread over the upper two and off.

19. Knit 2½ inches triple stitch, to correspond to the band at the bottom of the back of the sweater.

20. Cast knitting from the rake. (See section 5, Chapter 4.)

21. Take up the loose stitches at the beginning of the knitting at the lower edge of the back. (See section 6, Chapter 4.)

22. Sew up the under arm seams. (See section 7, Chapter 4.)

23. Crochet around the armholes and the neck with a single crochet stitch. If the neck has been left open down the front for a few inches, crochet around this opening, making loops for the cord lacing.

A man’s slipover sweater may be made in the same way by simply changing the measurements.


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Chapter 9.

CHILD’S SWEATER JACKET.

This child’s sweater jacket is suitable for children ranging in age from 4 to 6 years. It is made with sleeves, a collar, pockets, and a belt.

For body of sweater see Figs. 39 and 40.

For sleeves, collar, and pockets see Figs. 42, 43, 44 and 45.

Quantity of Yarn Required.

Twelve ounces of four-fold yarn.

Rake.

No. 2 (⅜ inch × ¾ inch) Fig. 1.

No. 3 would make a very closely knitted sweater.

Stitches.

Double stitch for the band at the bottom, the cuffs, and the top of the pockets.

Single stitch for the rest of the sweater.

DIRECTIONS.

To make the body of the sweater, follow the directions given for the boy’s slipover sweater in Chapter 8, with the following changes:

1. Knit the bands at the bottom with double stitch instead of triple stitch, and the body of the sweater with single stitch instead of double.

2. Cast off only sixteen nails at the back of the neck, eight in each row. (See section 11, Chapter 8.)

3. Leave the sweater open all the way down the front; that is, continue using two balls of yarn, and wind from the sides to the center only and back to the sides. (See section 16, Chapter 8.)

To Knit the Sleeves (Fig. 42.)

1. Begin to knit the sleeve at the top. Cast stitches on sixteen nails in the center of the rake, eight nails in each row.

2. Using the single stitch, add two nails in each winding until about 60 nails are in use, 30 nails in each row. The sleeve should measure about 10 inches at E F, Fig. 42.

3. Knit five rows, then cast a stitch off one nail on one side of the sleeve.

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Fig. 41. Child’s Sweater Jacket Made by a Patient at Kenilworth Hospital.

4. Knit five rows, then cast a stitch off one nail on the other side.

5. Knit four rows, cast a stitch off one nail on the first side of the sleeve.

6. Knit four rows, cast a stitch off one nail on the other side.

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Fig. 42. Sleeve

Fig. 43. Collar and bands

Fig. 44. Pocket

Fig. 45. Collar for slipover sweater

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7. Repeat 5 and 6 for three times; that is, until six more nails have been dropped, three on each side of the sleeve.

8. Then every three rows of knitting, drop two nails at a time, first on one side of the sleeve and then on the other, until only 42 nails remain in use, 21 in each row.

9. When the sleeve measures 12 inches from D to F, change to a double stitch on the next winding. Knit 2½ inches double stitch for the cuff.

10. Cast the knitting from the rake.

To Knit Collar and Bands (Fig. 43.)

The collar and the bands for down the front are made in one piece.

1. To find the exact length required, measure from the bottom edge of the front of the sweater to point E at the neck. (See Fig. 40.) This gives the length A-B of the band shown in Fig. 43. Measure from E around the neck of the sweater to the center of the back. This gives the length C-D, Fig. 43, of one-half of the collar.

2. Cast stitches on twelve nails, six in each row. Knit 2½ inches of band A-B with double stitch, and the rest of the length single stitch. Remember to provide for the buttonholes. (See directions given in section 8, Chapter 4.)

3. When the band is the required length, with the next winding add 24 nails to the right of the knitting, twelve nails in each row, making 36 nails in all. Knit the collar until a piece of the required length has been made.

4. Cast stitches from the 24 nails added above for the collar.

5. Knit the second band, using double stitch for the last 2½ inches.

6. Cast knitting from the rake.

7. Take up the loose stitches at the beginning of the first band, as described in section 6 of Chapter 4. Crochet around the outer edge of the collar with a single crochet stitch.

To Knit the Pockets (Fig. 44.)

1. Cast stitches on 30 nails.

2. Knit 2¼ inches of single stitch.

3. Knit 1 inch of double stitch.

4. Cast knitting from the rake.

To Knit the Belt.

1. Knit a length as long as desired, using twelve nails and a single stitch. Make two buttonholes, 3 inches apart, near the end{56} that will wrap over. This end may be pointed by casting off one stitch on each row of knitting for the last eight or ten rows.

The parts of the sweater are now ready to be sewed together as described in section 7 of Chapter 4.

Fig. 45 shows the pattern for a collar when the sweater is made slipover style, closed down the front.

1. Cast stitches on four nails, two in each row. Keep one side, A-C, of knitting straight. On the other side add two nails at a time until the collar is wide enough. About twenty nails in each row makes a good collar. Use single stitch.

2. Continue knitting on these 40 nails until the straight edge of the collar is long enough to go from the point of the V in the front, around to the upper end of the V on the other side.

3. Cast stitches off two nails at a time, to slope the collar to correspond to the other end, until only four nails remain.

4. Cast knitting from the rake. Crochet around the outer edge of the collar with a single crochet stitch.

Remember that it is the straight edge of this collar which is sewed to the sweater.


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Chapter 10.

MEN’S SWEATERS.

The following three styles of men’s sweaters (Figs. 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51) are described in this chapter:

1. Buttoned down the front, with sleeves, collar and pockets.

2. Slipover, with sleeves, collar and pockets.

3. Slipover, sleeveless and without collar. (See Boy’s Slipover Sweater, Chapter 8.)

SWEATER No. 1.

This man’s sweater is buttoned down the front and is made with sleeves, a collar and pockets.

Quantity of Yarn Required.

32 ounces of four-fold yarn.

If heavy sweater yarn is used it will require 42 ounces, and the sweater must be knitted on rake No. 2. (Fig. 1.)

Rake.

For four-fold yarn use rake No. 4 (⁵⁄₁₆ inch—¹⁰⁄₁₆ inch) Fig. 1.

Stitches.

Single and triple cross-stitch. (See Chapter 2.)

DIRECTIONS.

Read carefully the general directions given in Chapter 4, and study Figs. 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51. Consult them as you follow the directions given here. The back and the front of the sweater are knitted in one piece.

To Knit the Back of the Sweater.

Compare Fig. 47 with Fig. 39. It will be seen at once that there is a great similarity.

1. Cast stitches on 144 nails, 72 in each row.

2. Knit 3 inches of triple cross-stitch.

3. Change to single stitch as described in section 2 of Chapter 4, and knit 25½ to 28½ inches, depending on the desired length AB of the sweater. (See Fig. 47.)

4. Cast stitches from 28 nails, fourteen in each row, in the center of the knitting to make the back of the neck (C). The knitting is now in two parts and two balls of yarn must be used.

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Fig. 46. A Patient Wearing a Rake Knitted Sweater of Heavy Yarn Made by Himself.

To Knit the Front of the Sweater.

1. Knit the shoulder pieces straight for 3 inches, Fig. 48.

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MAN’S SWEATER

(Front and back)

Fig. 47 Fig. 48

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2. To shape the V neck (E-F) on every sixth row when the yarn is wound on the nails toward the center, add one nail on each shoulder piece until the two parts of the knitting meet in the center.

Sleeve for man’s sweater.

Fig. 49

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3. As the sweater is to be buttoned down the front, continue to use two balls of yarn, winding each from the side of the sweater to the center only and back to the side.

4. Knit until the fronts measure the same as the back, remembering to make the last 3 inches with triple cross-stitch to correspond to the band at the bottom of the back. Section 1 of Chapter 4 describes how to change from single to triple cross-stitch.

5. Cast knitting from the rake.

6. Take up the loose stitches at the lower edge of the back as described in section 6 of Chapter 4.

7. Sew up the side seams as described in section 7 of Chapter 4. Make opening GH for sleeves about 7½ to 9 inches.

To Knit the Sleeves.

1. Cast stitches on about 100 nails, 50 in each row, to produce the straight line AB, Fig. 49.

Note:—The sleeve at the top should measure the same as the armhole.

2. To shape the sleeve, cast stitch from one nail at a time every six rows of knitting, first on one side of the sleeve and then on the other, as indicated on the drawing. Then every five rows, every four rows, every three rows, every two rows, until the sleeve is long enough (about 18 to 22 inches) and narrow enough at the cuff (about 8 inches). On the very last row at this point three nails should be dropped altogether on each side of the sleeve. Watch carefully the shaping of the sleeve as you narrow so as not to get it too tight at any point.

3. Change to triple cross-stitch by winding once across the rake and back, to make three threads around each nail before lifting the lower thread over the upper two and off.

4. Knit 3 inches of triple cross-stitch for the cuff.

5. Cast the knitting off the rake.

6. Sew up the seam of the sleeve, and sew the sleeve in the armhole of the sweater so that the seam in the sleeve and the side seam of the sweater come together. (See section 7 of Chapter 4 for directions for sewing.)

7. Make other sleeve to match.

To Make Collar and the Bands for Down the Front.

Two styles of collar are shown by Figs. 50 and 51.

Fig. 50—Double collar

Fig. 51—Single collar

Double Collar and Bands.

1. Cast stitches on 32 nails, sixteen in each row, to make AB,{63} Fig. 50.

2. Knit 3 inches of triple cross-stitch.

3. Change to single stitch.

4. Measure the edge of one of the front pieces of the sweater to find out how long the bands (BC) must be. Decide how far apart the buttonholes are to come. To make the buttonholes, cast off stitches on nails, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,—22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and add them again on the next winding.

5. When the band is long enough, increase the width of the knitting to make the collar by adding one nail at each end on every sixth or seventh row of knitting until the distance C D, Fig. 50, measures the same as the side E F of the V neck of the sweater front shown in Fig. 48.

6. Knit straight for about 10 inches, which is usually the distance around the neck of the sweater, measured from point E in Fig. 48 on one side, to the same point on the other.

7. Cast stitch off one nail at each end on every sixth or seventh row of knitting, reversing what you did in section 5 above, until there are again only 32 nails in use.

8. Knit the second band, omitting the buttonholes. Make the last 3 inches with triple cross-stitch.

9. Cast knitting from the rake.

10. Take up the loose stitches at the beginning of the first band.

11. Double the collar and bands along the dotted line, being sure that the two parts of the buttonholes come together. Sew to the body of the sweater as indicated in the diagram, finding the exact center of the collar and of the sweater, and sewing from the center to the fronts.

12. Crochet the buttonholes, or finish them with a buttonhole stitch, using a single strand of yarn.

Single Collar and Bands.

1. Knit band on sixteen nails, eight in each row. Cast stitches off nails 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and add them again on the next winding, to make the buttonholes. Knit the first 3 inches with triple cross-stitch, and then change to single stitch.

2. When the band is long enough, as described in section 4, for the double collar, increase the width of the knitting to form the collar by adding one nail on the right only every five or six rows, until the collar is wide enough.

3. Knit the collar straight for about 10 inches, as described in section 6, for the double collar.

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To be sure of your measurements, lay the collar and band along the edge to which it is to be sewed, noting that with this single collar and bands, it is the straight edge which comes next to the body of the sweater.

4. Cast stitches off the nails added above, one nail every five or six rows, reversing what you did in section 2, until only sixteen nails remain in use.

5. Knit the second band, omitting the buttonholes. Knit the last 3 inches with triple cross-stitch.

6. Cast knitting from the rake.

7. Take up the loose stitches at the beginning of the first band.

8. Sew the long, straight edge of bands and collar to the body of the sweater, and fold the collar back along the dotted line.

Pockets.

1. For a pocket 5 inches wide, cast on about 70 stitches, 35 nails in each row.

2. Knit 3½ inches single stitch.

3. Knit 1 inch triple cross-stitch.

4. Cast knitting from the rake.

5. Sew pockets to the front of the sweater just above the band of triple cross-stitch.

SWEATER NO. 2.

This sweater is of the slipover style, with sleeves and a collar.

Follow the foregoing directions for sweater No. 1, with the following changes:

1. When the two parts of the front have come together in the center, after shaping the V neck, drop one ball of yarn when winding brings it to the armhole. Continue knitting the full width of the front with the other ball.

2. To make a double collar, omit the bands and cast on eight stitches, four in each row, and knit as directed for the double collar, ending with eight nails. Cast knitting from the rake.

To make a single collar, cast stitches on only four nails and proceed as for the single collar in Style No. 2, ending with four nails. Cast knitting from the rake.

Crochet around the outer edge of all single collars, using a single stitch.

SWEATER NO. 3.

This sleeveless slipover sweater is made just like the boy’s slipover sweater described in Chapter 8, but the measurements given in Figs. 47 and 48 are used.


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Chapter 11.

CAP.

Quantity of Yarn Required.

Four-fold yarn—for crown—about 2¼ ounces.

For bands—about 1¼ ounces.

The cap may be made of one color, or the crown and bands may be different. (Figs. 15 and 52.)

Rake.

No. 4 (⁵⁄₁₆ inch—¹⁰⁄₁₆ inch) (Fig. 1.)

Stitches.

Double stitch (See Chapter 2.)

DIRECTIONS.

To Knit Crown of Cap (Fig. 53.)

1. Cast stitches on 60 nails, 30 in each row, leaving the same number of empty nails at both ends of the rake.

2. Knit with double stitch, adding two nails at the end of each row until 84 nails are in use.

3. Knit 12 inches.

4. Cast stitches off two nails at the end of each row of knitting until there are again only 60 nails in use, 30 in each row.

5. Cast knitting from the rake.

To Knit Bands (Fig. 54.)

1. Cast stitches on 84 nails, 42 in each row.

2. Knit double stitch for 3¾ inches.

3. Cast knitting from the rake.

4. Knit second band in the same way.

To Sew Crown and Bands Together.

1. Gather end A B of the crown, Fig. 53, and sew it to the middle of one of the long sides of a band. Gather the other end of the crown in the same way, and sew it to the other band.

2. Continue the sewing of the bands around the edge of the crown until the bands just meet on the side or overlap about ¼ inch.

3. Turn the bands up and fasten them to the crown on the sides to keep them in place.

4. Make very small pompoms, not more than 1 inch across, of the same color yarn as the crown, and fasten them to the bands{66} where they come together on the side of the cap. Put some crocheted loops of yarn between as shown in Fig. 52.

Cap—(see Photograph Fig. 15)

Fig. 52

Fig. 53

Fig. 54

5. If the cap is too loose around the head, tighten the bands by running a double strand of yarn through the knitting just where the crown is sewed to the bands.

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STOCKING CAP
2 to 10 yrs.

Fig. 55

Fig. 56

Fig. 57


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Chapter 12.

STOCKING CAP (Figs. 55, 56 and 57).

Quantity of Yarn Required.

2 to 3 ounces. Select two colors.

Rake.

Round rakes.

Fig. 2—makes a very closely knitted cap, 2 to 4 years.

Fig. 3—Size 1—makes a very good cap, 2 to 4 years.

Size 2—makes cap for 5 years and over.

For the larger sizes the yarn is not held as tightly as for the smaller sizes.

Stitches.

See Chapter 3 on winding round rakes.

Fig. 58. Circle and Shuttle.

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DIRECTIONS.

1. Cast stitches on rake as described in Chapter 3, using the color of yarn chosen for the crown of the cap.

2. Knit 7 inches.

3. Change to the other color of yarn and knit 11 inches for the rolled band.

4. Change to the first color of yarn again and knit 8 inches.

5. Cast knitting from the rake as described in section 5 of Chapter 4.

6. Gather each end and fold so that section A, Fig. 55, comes inside of section C.

7. Fasten gathered ends together.

8. Roll band once to make the cap with tassel, Fig. 56, and twice to make the style shown in Fig. 57.

Pompom.

To make a pompom for the cap cut the circle and shuttle, shown in Fig. 58, out of cardboard.

1. Fill the shuttle with yarn the color of the band, and wind the cardboard circle until it is well covered.

2. With a darning needle, run a length of yarn along the inside circle and under the yarn. Tie as tightly as possible.

3. Cut the yarn very carefully along the outer edge of the circle.

4. Wrap the bunch of yarn in the center once or twice and fasten before drawing it through the hole in the circle.

5. Trim down to the desired size.

The stocking cap, Fig. 56, can be made to hang longer on the side of the head by adding a few more rows of knitting to sections A and C, Fig. 55.


FOOTNOTES:

[1] As the knitting proceeds it will be found that a nail at one end or the other is left with only one thread each time the yarn passes over and back. This corresponds to the first “slipped stitch” in knitting with needles.

[2] Care must be taken to do this after each row of stitches has been lifted over the nails. As the knitting grows it can also be gently pulled through from the other side of the rake.

[3] Be sure always to take a stitch first from one row of nails and then from the other.


[Transcriber’s note—the following changes have been made to this text:

Page 41: yelllow to yellow—“Light yellow-green.”]