[Illustration: NO. 7. PLAIN KNITTING.]
Cut No. 7 illustrates plain knitting. This is the stitch generally
used in ordinary knitting. First, cast on the required number of
stitches in one of the ways already described. This done, take in the
left hand the needle on which are the loops, place the thread over
the first finger of the left hand, hold it with the second finger of
the same hand. Take the second needle with the right hand, insert its
point into the stitch, in an upward direction, and throw the thread
around the right hand needle, from right to left. Draw it through
the preceding loop and slip the left hand needle from its loop. Every
loop on the left hand needle is worked in the same manner.
When all the stitches have been worked from the left hand needle,
take that needle in the right hand and continue to work in same
manner.
[Illustration: NO. 8. PURLED KNITTING.]
To _Pearl_, _Purl_ or _Seam_, (meaning the same thing), is done by
holding with the left hand a needle on which a row of stitches has
been cast. Take a needle in the right hand, place the cotton over the
left hand needle and the first finger of the left hand, hold the end
with the second finger of the same hand. Insert the right hand needle
through the loop on the left hand needle, point right to left, in
such a manner as to have the cotton just under the right hand needle.
Pull this cotton through the loop, withdraw the left hand needle from
the loop, and the purled stitch is formed.
_How to Repair a Stitch which has been Half Knitted, or Dropped while
Knitting._—In knitting, one ought to be careful not to drop stitches
or to form half stitches. The latter happens when the thread thrown
over the right hand needle has not been pulled through the loop of
the left hand needle. To remedy this, while working the next round
or row, take the thread which has been thrown over the needle from
it, and pull it through the loop of the stitch. To repair a dropped
stitch, insert the left needle into the stitch, gather all the
threads on the right hand needle and pull them through the loop of
the stitch, one after the other.
_To Increase._—There are two ways to increase. The first is, to knit
both in the lower part of the stitch and also in the stitch itself.
The second way is to bring the cotton forward round the end of the
right needle, to the front; this forms a loop on the right needle
when the next stitch is knitted, and this extra loop is the made
stitch. It is preferable to increase after the first manner in plain
knitting, as this way of increasing is not so marked. The second
manner is used in fancy knitting, as it leaves a little opening after
the stitch is formed.
_To Slip a Stitch_ is to take a stitch off the left needle and to
_slip_ it on to the right needle without knitting.
With any work knitted in rows, it is necessary that the first stitch
of every row be worked as a slipped stitch. If it is a row of _purl_,
the first stitch must be slipped off as if it were plain knitting; if
it is a row of _plain_ knitting, slip the first stitch off as if it
were purl knitting.
_How to Narrow._—The usual way of narrowing is to knit two stitches
together, viz.: put the right needle through two of the loops on the
left needle, and knit them as one stitch. Another method is to slip
a stitch, knit one, and then with the left needle cast the slipped
stitch over the knitted stitch. When the narrowing is used to give a
certain shape to the work, it is well to employ the first method when
narrowing at the end of the round or row; and the second method when
narrowing at the beginning of it.
_Casting Off_ is done as follows: Knit two plain stitches, with the
left needle throw the first stitch over the second, knit a third
stitch, throw the second over the third, knit a fourth, throw the
third over the fourth, and so on until the last stitch is worked.
Pull the cotton through, and a knot is formed.
_The Joining of Ends_ in knitting ought never to be done by knotting
them together. It may be done so that no defect is visible on the
right side of the work, by lapping them three inches together, and
knitting five inches with doubled thread, leaving the ends on the
wrong side of the work. These ends can then be neatly darned into the
wrong side of the work.