RED CROSS KNITTING[T]
EQUIPMENT
This circular is prepared primarily for the use of hand
knitters. Knitting machines may be used if desired,
provided the articles can be as well made and made of
the same yarn.
The color of the yarn has been carefully considered
with the authorities of the War Department and with
the American Red Cross Commissioner for Europe, in
Paris. It has been learned from both of these sources
that articles made in either gray or khaki yarn will
be acceptable. Owing to the difficulty of securing
khaki-colored yarn in large quantities the American Red
Cross Supply Bureau will carry the gray yarn (Oxford
mixture, 4-ply 10’s construction).
Yarn and knitting needles may be procured either from
Red Cross Chapters or from stores, provided the yarn is
of the same grade and needles of the same size as those
described in this circular.
The needles referred to in these directions are
standardized Red Cross needles which can be purchased
from Red Cross Chapters. Their diameter is given
opposite their respective number.
Red Cross Needles No. 1. [circle] 125/1000 inches.
Red Cross Needles No. 2. [circle] 175/1000 inches.
Red Cross Needles No. 3. [circle] 200/1000 inches.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS
Stitches should not be cast on too tightly.
Knitting should be done evenly and firmly and all holes
should be avoided.
Joining should be done by splicing or by leaving two or
three inches at each end of the yarn to be darned in
carefully.
All knots, ridges or lumps should be most carefully
avoided, especially in socks, as they are apt to
blister the feet.
MUFFLER
Material: 2 hanks of yarn (½ lb.); 1 pair Red Cross
needles No. 3.
Cast on 50 stitches or 11 inches. Plain knitting for 68
inches.
[Illustration: Courtesy Bear Brand Yarn Manufacturers.
RED CROSS KNITTING]
WASH-CLOTH
Material: White knitting cotton (medium weight); 1 pair
Red Cross needles No. 1.
Directions:
Cast on 70 stitches, knit back and forth plain until
cloth is about 10 inches square and bind off. Sew a
loop of tape to one corner.
SLEEVELESS SWEATER
Material: 2½ hanks of yarn (⅝ lb.); 1 pair Red Cross
needles No. 3.
Directions:
Cast on 80 stitches. Knit 2, purl 2 stitches for 4
inches. Knit plain until sweater measures 25 inches.
Knit 28 stitches, bind off 24 stitches for neck, loose.
Knit 28 stitches. Knit 5 ridges on each shoulder, cast
on 24 stitches. Knit plain for 21 inches. Purl 2, knit
2 stitches for 4 inches. Sew up sides, leaving 9 inches
for armholes. Two rows single crochet around neck and 1
row single crochet around the armholes.
KNITTED HELMET No. 1
Material: 1 hank of yarn (¼ lb.); 1 pair Red Cross
needles No. 2.
Directions:
The Helmet is made in 2 parts, which afterwards are
sewed together along the top and sides.
Front of Helmet.—Cast on 48 stitches (11 inches), knit
plain for 25 ribs (6 inches) and knit 2, purl 2 for
35 rows. On the next row the opening for the face is
made as follows: Knit 2, purl 2, knit 2, purl 2, knit
2, knit and bind off loosely the next 28 stitches
and purl 1, knit 2, purl 2, knit 2, purl 2. Run the
stitches before the opening on a spare needle and on
the stitches at other side of opening knit 2, purl 2
for 12 rows. The last row will end at the opening and
at that point cast on 28 stitches to offset those bound
off. Begin at the face opening of stitches on spare
needle and knit 2, purl 2 for 12 rows. At the end of
the twelfth row continue all across to the end of other
needle, when there should be 48 stitches on needle as
at first. Knit 2, purl 2 for 24 rows.
Top of Helmet.—Knit 2, narrow (knitting 2 stitches
together), knit 14, narrow, knit 14, narrow, knit 12.
Purl the entire next row. On the third row knit 2,
narrow, knit 13, narrow, knit 13, narrow, knit 11.
Purl fourth row. On the fifth row knit 2, narrow, knit
12, narrow, knit 12, narrow, knit 10. Purl sixth row.
Continue to narrow in the 3 places every plain knitted
row with 1 stitch less between narrowings until 9
stitches are left.
Back of Helmet.—Work in same manner as for front but
omit the face opening. Sew the stitches of upper edges
together with joining stitch. Sew up the side seams
leaving the plain knitting at shoulders open.
KNITTED HELMET No. 2
(Same as No. 1, but knitted in one piece)
Material: 1 hank of yarn (¼ lb.); 4 Red Cross needles
No. 2.
Directions:
Cast on 56 stitches loosely. Knit plain for 8 inches
for front piece, and leave on extra needle. Knit
another piece to correspond for back. These pieces must
be at least 9 inches wide. Slip the stitches of both
pieces on to 3 needles, arranging for last 2 stitches
of back piece to be on beginning of first needle, with
38 stitches of front piece added (making 40 on first
needle).
Divide rest of stitches on other 2 needles; 36-36.
Beginning with first needle, knit 2, purl 2 for 6
inches. Then on first needle knit 2, purl 2 for 18
stitches. Bind off 22 stitches for face opening. (Try
to keep same arrangement of stitches on needles for
further directions.) Knit 2, purl 2 forward and back on
remaining 90 stitches for 1½ inches, always slipping
first stitch. Cast on 22 stitches loosely to complete
face opening, and knit 2, purl 2 for 2½ inches (adjust
stitches by slipping 2 from end of third needle to
first needle, making 42 on first needle).
Knit 1 round plain. Knit 2 stitches together, knit
11, knit 2 stitches together, knit 1. Repeat to end
of round. Knit 4 rows plain. Then knit 2 stitches
together, knit 9, knit 2 together, knit 1. Repeat to
end of round. Knit 4 rows plain. Continue in this way,
narrowing on every fifth round and reducing number
of stitches between narrowed stitches by 2 (as 7, 5,
3, etc.) until you have 28 stitches left on needles.
Divide on 2 needles, having 14 on first needle and 14
on the other, and finish the same as for the toe of a
sock.
WRISTLETS No. 1
Material: ½ hank of yarn (⅛ lb.); 1 pair Red Cross
needles No. 2.
Directions:
Cast on 48 stitches, knit 2 and purl 2 for 12 inches,
and sew up leaving 2 inches open space for thumb 2
inches from the edge.
WRISTLETS No. 2
Material: ½ hank of yarn (⅛ lb.); 4 Red Cross needles
No. 1.
Directions:
Cast on 52 stitches on 3 needles: 16-16-20. Knit 2,
purl 2 for 8 inches. To make opening for thumb, knit 2,
purl 2 to end of third needle, turn; knit and purl back
to end of first needle, always slipping first stitch;
turn. Continue knitting back and forth for 2 inches.
From this point continue as at first for 4 inches for
the hand. Bind off loosely and buttonhole thumb opening.
MEDIUM SIZED SOCK
Quantity of wool required: about one-quarter pound.
56 stitches on three No. 1 Red Cross needles (20 on
first needle, 20 on second needle, 16 on third needle).
Heel:
Knit 2, purl 2, for 3 inches.
Knit plain 8 inches.
Divide stitches: 28 on first needle (for heel), 14 on
second needle, 14 on third needle.
First needle (*): Knit 1 row, turn. Purl 1 row, turn.
Repeat from (*) until you have 27 rows. Always slip
first stitch.
To Turn Heel:
Begin to turn heel on wrong side.
Slip 1, purl 15, purl 2 together, purl 1, turn.
Slip 1, knit 5, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch
over knit stitch, knit 1, turn.
Slip 1, purl 6, purl 2 together, purl 1, turn.
Slip 1, knit 7, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch
over knit stitch, knit 1, turn.
Slip 1, purl 8, purl 2 together, purl 1, turn.
Slip 1, knit 9, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch
over knit stitch, knit 1, turn.
Continue until there are 16 stitches on needle.
[Illustration]
Gusset:
Pick up 13 stitches on side of heel. (1st needle.) Knit
stitches of 2d and 3d needles onto one needle. (2d
needle.) Pick up 13 stitches on other side of heel,
and take 8 stitches from first needle. (3d needle.)
_1st needle_—(A) Knit to within 3 stitches of end, knit
2 together, knit 1. _2d needle_—(B) Knit plain. _3d
needle_—(C) Knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch
over knit stitch, knit to end. (D) Knit around plain.
Repeat A, B, C, D, until you have 14 stitches on 1st
needle, 28 stitches on 2d needle, 14 stitches on 3d
needle. Knit plain 5½ inches.
Kitchener Toe: _1st needle_—(E) Knit to within
3 stitches of end, knit 2 together, knit 1. _2d
needle_—(F) Knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch
over knit stitch, knit to within 3 stitches of end,
knit 2 together, knit 1. _3d needle_—(G) Knit 1, slip
1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over knit stitch, knit
to end. (H) Knit 2 rows plain.
Repeat E, F, G, H, 3 times (making 4 times in all).
Then narrow every other row 5 times.
Knit the 5 stitches of your 1st needle onto your 3d
needle. You have now 10 stitches on each of the two
needles. Break wool (leaving 12-inch length) and thread
it into worsted needle. Hold sock so that the worsted
needle is at your right and, always keeping wool under
knitting needles, weave front and back together as
follows: (*) Pass worsted needle through 1st stitch of
front knitting needle as if knitting and slip stitch
off the knitting needle.
Pass through 2d stitch as if purling and leave stitch
on the knitting needle. Pass through 1st stitch of back
needle as if purling and slip stitch off the knitting
needle. Pass through 2d stitch of back needle as if
knitting and leave stitch on knitting needle.
Repeat from (*) until all stitches are off needles. In
order to avoid ridges across end of toe, fasten wool
down the side.
Laid on a level surface the finished sock should
measure: Foot—Length, 11½ inches, but 10½ to 12½ is
acceptable. Leg—Length, 14 inches; circumference, 8
inches. Cuff—Circumference, unstretched, 6 inches;
stretched to fullest extent, 13½ inches.
BED-SOCK
Material: 4 Red Cross needles No. 2, 1 hank yarn (¼
lb.).
Directions:
Cast on 48 stitches on 3 needles, 16 on each.
Knit plain and loosely for 20 inches. Decrease every
other stitch by knitting 2 together with 12 stitches
and weave together as per directions on sock.
HOT WATER BOTTLE-COVER
Material: White knitting cotton (medium weight); 1 pair
Red Cross needles No. 1.
Directions:
Cast on 56 stitches, knit 2, purl 2 and repeat until
the work is 4 inches deep. Then knit back and forth
plain for 9½ inches more or until entire work measures
13½ inches. Next decrease 2 stitches at beginning and 2
stitches at end of each needle until there are sixteen
stitches left and bind off. Make another piece in same
manner and sew together. Attach a 20-inch piece of tape
to seam at one side of ribbing to tie around neck of
bottle.
* * * * *
FOOTNOTES:
[A] There is unfortunately no standard of measure for crochet hooks and
knitting needles. Various manufacturers number them differently. This
scale is used here for convenience only.
[B] To find size of crochet needles, lay the hooks flat against the
circles. To find the size of knitting needles, lay the needles (not the
points) against the circles.
[C] _Cut_ means picture.
[D] For small hair pins.
[E] See how to attach new yarn, page 142.
[F] This work is begun in the middle of the bag—see the knot on the
right-hand edge in the picture.
[G] Cotton string may be used in place of woolen yarn.
[H] Cotton string may be used instead of woolen yarn.
[I] Other methods of casting on stitches are shown on pages 150 and 261.
[J] See How to Cast On Stitches with Knitting Needle, pages 260 and 261.
[K] The doll’s mittens are so small that they are difficult to make. It
would be a good experiment to make one mitten with wrapping yarn before
attempting to use the saxony wool—just for practice.
[L] This sacque is easy for children to make, and should be made before
Sacque No. 2.
[M] This piece is difficult for children to make.
[N] This piece is difficult for children to make.
[O] This piece makes a pretty bonbon holder for the table.
[P] The curly stitches need not come below each other.
[Q] Other methods are explained on pages 150 and 155.
[R] Courtesy Bear Brand Yarn Manufacturers.
[S] Courtesy Bear Brand Yarn Manufacturers.
[T] For the convenience of knitters the directions from the circular of
Red Cross instructions are here given.
* * * * *
Transcriber’s Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired. Text sometimes uses “Material” and
sometimes “Materials” for the lists of items needed for a project. This
was retained as originally printed.
Page 77, “attemptin” changed to “attempting” (69, before attempting)
Page 111, “Runne.” changed to “Runner” (To Make Runner)
Page 146, “Kanck” changed to “Knack” (“I’d like to see you!” said Knack)
Page 155, footnote anchor added to title of instructions for casting on
stitches.
Page 157, caption, “embarassed” changed to “embarrassed” (Looked
embarrassed)
Page 181, “3” added to third cut instruction (CUT 3)
Page 253, “Directions” was moved from the end of the instructions for
the previous pattern to a location after the Materials for LADY’S
CROCHETED NECKLACE which had no “Directions” subtitle.