THE FIRST KNITTING LESSON
MARY FRANCES stopped at the door of the sewing room when she went
upstairs the next morning after breakfast, for she was sure that she
heard a voice.
Crow Shay was speaking—
“Now then unpack,
Both Knit and Knack,
For Fairly Flew
Has need of you.”
[Illustration: “Now then unpack.”]
“Did she say so?” asked a little voice eagerly.
[Illustration: “Did she say so?”]
“Did she say so?” asked another little voice just as eagerly.
“Not exactly, not exactly,” answered Crow Shay; “but I saw her working
on some knitting.”
“That’s a sign, I guess,” said Knit.
“That’s a sign, I guess,” said Knack.
And they both jumped out of the knitting bag.
“Come, Wooley Ball,” cried Knit, “please help us.”
“Come, Wooley Ball,” cried Knack, “please help us.”
“Help you what?” asked Wooley Ball, rolling over toward them.
[Illustration: “Help you what?”]
“Help us teach the little Miss to knit,” replied Knit.
“Help us teach the little Miss to knit,” echoed Knack.
“I’ll help you!” Crow Shay offered.
[Illustration: “I’ll help you!”]
“You?” cried Knit. “You only crochet!”
“You?” cried Knack. “You only crochet!”
“Only?” exclaimed Crow Shay. “Only? Well, if I ever betted, I’d bet you
both that I can help teach knitting.”
“I’d like to see you!” said Knit.
“I’d like to see you!” said Knack.
“Maybe you will,” laughed Crow Shay. “I’m willing to help you,” he
added.
“Come,” thought Mary Frances. “If that little mischief keeps on, there
will be a quarrel. I must go in,” and she entered the room.
“Why, how do you do, my new friends?” she said, speaking to Knit and
Knack.
“Oh, they are pretty well, thank you,” answered Crow Shay.
“Good-morning, Miss Mary Frances.”
The Yarn Baby’s hair rose high on her head. “Wait till you’re spoken
to, Crow Shay!” said she.
[Illustration: “Wait till you’re spoken to!”]
Crow Shay stepped back on the table.
“You are Knit and Knack, my knitting needles. I know you well,” went on
Mary Frances. “I do hope that you will help me learn to knit.”
“They’re crazy to,” began Crow Shay, “and I am——”
The Yarn Baby gave him such a hard push with her soft little elbow that
he toppled off the table.
[Illustration: Toppled off the table.]
Then the Knitting twins had to laugh. They couldn’t help it.
“Oh, dear!” sighed Mary Frances, picking him up. “Oh, dear! He is so
anxious to help that he forgets his manners; but he will learn some
day.”
“I’ll call the fairy,” thought the little girl, and she said her magic
rhyme.
[Illustration: “I’ll call the fairy.”]
“Why, everybody is all ready for the next lessons,” said Fairly Flew,
looking around after she had greeted Mary Frances. “We will start at
once—
[Illustration: “We will start at once.”]
_To Make a Slip Knot_
Material: About 2 yards four-fold Germantown wool.
One pair bone knitting needles No. 6.
CUT 1
Hold yarn in hands as shown in this picture.
CUT 2
Let upper thread fall behind the second finger of left
hand.
CUT 3
Catch it between the first and second fingers.
CUT 4
Pull hard on the thread in the right hand bringing the
loop off the left-hand fingers.
CUT 5
Draw knot up tight.
CUT 6
Slip the loop on a knitting needle and draw it up close.
[Illustration: PLATE 4—MOTION PICTURES SHOWING THE RIGHT WAY TO MAKE A
SLIP KNOT—FIRST STEP IN KNITTING. SEE PAGE 148]