Thursday, July 24, 2008

Knitted & Beaded Cuffs, 1890

Knitted & Beaded Cuffs, Weldon's Practical Knitter, 1890

No needle size or gauge given.

These narrow bands, which resemble bracelets rather than cuffs, are always much appreciated by old ladies, who like to wear them in summer when longer ones are too warm. They may be made in a great variety of colours of beads upon any shade of wool, and can be arranged so as to match any dress. Brown and gold always look well together, so do grey and steel, while metallic beads may now be had in various shades of ruby, peacock blue, bronze, or green, besides the more commonplace gold and silver. The wool may be either single Berlin or Andalusian, the latter by preference, as being softer and more elastic. Knitting silk makes handsome cuffs, but it is less pleasant than wool to work with. The beads, of No. 8 size, must be threaded first, and the greater part of them passed along the wool for a long distance before the work is commenced.

Cast on twenty-four stitches, and knit one plain row. Remember that every alternate row must be plain knitting without any beads, or the beads will come on the wrong side of the work.
2nd Row--Slip 3 stitches, as if for purling, from the left hand to the right hand needle, pass 4 beads along the wool till they are close to the work, knit 1 stitch. The stitches that are slipped in one row must be very loosely knitted in the next, or the work will be drawn out of place and the cuff rendered too tight. Knit 3 stitches, passing a bead up to each, knit 3, knit 5 stitches with beads, knit 3, knit 3 bead stitches, slip 3, pass along 4 beads.
Knit the next row plain.
4th Row--Slip 3, pass along 4 beads, knit 1, knit 3 beads stitches, knit 2, slip 1, pass along 4 beads, slip 2, pass along 5 beads, slip 1, pass along4 beads, knit 2, knit 3 bead stitches, slip 3, pass along 4 beads.
Repeat these four rows until the cuff is long enough to fit closely round the wrist. It will probably require about a hundred rows in all. Cast off and sew the ends together on the wrong side.