Thursday, August 24, 2006

Lady's Mitts, 1890

Lady's Mitts
Weldon's Practical Knitter, 1890

Required, 1 oz. of black Andalusian wool and 1 skein of black knitting silk, and 4 steel knitting nedles, No 16. Possibly a modern US size 0 (metric 2.0) or smaller needles. No gauge given but total number of stitches around palm can be compared to glove patterns.
Commence with silk, and cast 21 stitches on each of three needles, 63 stitches in all, for the wrist. Purl three rounds.
4th round--With wool--Knit plain.
5th round--Still with wool--Make 1, knit 1, make 1, knit 1, knit 2 together twice, knit 1, and repeat the same to the end of the round. Repeat the last two rounds six times.
18th round--With silk--Knit plain. Purl three rounds with silk as before. Work 14 rounds with wool in pattern as before. Again purl 3 rounds with silk, and work 14 rounds with wool, and this completes the knitting for the wrist. The rest of the mitten is knitted with all wool. Knit two plain rounds increasing 1 stitch in each round, 65 stitches now on.
1st round of the hand--Knit 1, purl 2, knit 1, purl 1, and repeat.
2nd round--The same.
3rd round--Plain.
4th round--Plain.
5th round--Knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, purl 2, and repeat.
6th round--The same.
7th round--Plain.
8th round--Plain.
These 8 rounds constitute the pattern.
9th round--Begin to increase for the thumb by picking up and knitting a stitch after the first stitch, and picking up and knitting a stitch before the fifth stitch, working all else in pattern as before.
Continue the pattern and increase again in the 13th round after the first stitch and before the seventh stitch. Go on increasing in every fourth round, each time knitting 2 more stitches in pattern between the increasings, till there are 20 stitches increased for the thumb. Now work without any more increasing till there are 11 patterns all done from the wrist.
For the Thumb--Knit in pattern the first 20 stitches, cast on 5 stitches, and join round on three needles. Work 3 patterns--i.e., 24 rounds; do 8 rounds of ribbing, 2 stitches plain and 2 stitches purl; and cast off.
Resume upon the Hand stitches, picking up 5 over those cast on for the thumb. Knit 5 patterns; then 12 rounds of ribbing; and cast off. The mitten for the right hand is worked in the same manner, only the thumb is knitted at the end of the third needle instead of the beginning of the first needle.