This mat is made to imitate fur, with ermine in the centre. To make this
mat a yard long and three quarters wide, you require one pound of
fleecy; that is, a quarter of a pound of each of four shades for the
border, half a pound of white for the middle, and one pound of common
for the back; also two skeins of black for the tails; it must all be in
six-thread fleecy, except the common for the back, which requires
twelve-thread. No. 6 pin, by the eagle gauge, is required. Cast on
seventy-two stitches with the common white, knit one plain row, then
take a skein of the darkest or lightest, according to fancy, cut the
skein into half, and divide each half into four, so that the pieces may
be about half a quarter in length; slip the first stitch; then take two
of the pieces of wool, put them on the left hand pin, twisting it so
that one may be behind and the other in front; knit the next stitch, and
the two pieces of wool altogether; bring the ends in front and knit
another stitch, one plain row between each, and three rows of each four
shades; cut previous to commencing the second shade put in two pieces of
the darkest at each end; this for three rows: the third shade, two
pieces of each of the previous shades, and so on, until you have
completed the border, by knitting in the four shades; then put in two
pieces of each colour, and commence the white; you will have
forty-eight stitches for the white; knit twelve rows, that is to say,
six rows putting the pieces in, and every other one being plain, makes
the twelve rows; then knit in six pieces, take two of the black, and
then twelve more white, one piece of black and twelve more white, one
more of black; if the mat is larger or smaller, the centre stitches have
only to be equally divided by spots of black: the next row you must put
in two black over the one in the previous row, and in the third row one
of black over each two; then six more rows of white, that is twelve with
the plain one, and then knit in twelve pieces before you commence the
black; repeat this as above-mentioned; you will find that this time you
will have only space for two black spots; continue in this way till it
is finished: it is then combed out until it resembles fur; you then
twist the four pieces of black together to resemble the tail; a little
gum is then used in twisting this. After having been well combed, they
are made up on a stiff back. They may also be made with an ermine
outside, and a coloured centre, but they are not so pretty.