THE SOLDIERS’ KNITTED CAP.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7912, 28 July 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE SOLDIERS’ KNITTED CAP.

WITH REMOVABLE EAR•COVERINGS. (A lady reader who has made knitted! caps for soldiers sends us the following-particulars, which we publish for the benefit of our ladyreaders. ) To make the cap as described 1 , I used between 4oz. and ooz. of double knitting wool, and a pair of amber celluloid needles, No. 9, 10 inches in length, although I should advise a tight knitter to use coarser ones, saty, No. 7 or 8. The cap is made in three parts, the front half with an opening for the face; the back part, which is just the same, except that it has no opening; and the chin .strap, which can either be thrown back or drawn down so as to bring it over the openings left for the ears. THE FRONT HALF. Begin by casting on 42 stitches; then work backwards and forwards in plain knitting, sometimes called “garter stitch,” till you have d(bne_ 60 rows; that is till you can count 30 ridges or measure about 7 inches. Now rib inches of knit 3, purl 3; then do 30 plain rows, 15 ridges, for the chin. For the opening for the face knit plain 12 stitches; turn, knit 12; repeat these two rows till you have done 20 rows, when you will have 10 ridges. This is for one side of tlie face. When you have dorie the last row, and have reached the end nearest the opening, break off your wool, leaving a long enough end to finish off firmly afterwards. FOR THE OPENING. Start again with the same ball of w r ool and cast off 18 of the 30 stitches remaining on the second needle, still keeping the 12 stitches on the first. This will leave you 12 stitches on the other side of the face,..which must be knitted backwards) and forwards, till you have done 20 rows, and have 10 ridges. Now cast on 18 stitches, knit the 12 stitches left on your needle after making the first half of the side opening; turn, and knit backwards and forwards -along the 42 stitches till you ivave done 34 rows, that is, 17 ridges, or about 4 inches'. FOR THE HEAD. To reduce for the top of the head, knit 5 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat this to the end of the row. Knit back plain. Knit 4 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to the end of the row, and knit back plain. Knit 3, knit 2 together, repeat; knit back plain. Knit 2, knit 2 together, repeat; knit back plain; knit 1, knit 2 together, knit back plain, then cast off. If preferred 1 , the stitches can be slipped and drawn over instead of being knitted together. FOR THE BACK PART. Cast on 42 .stitches; knit 00 rows plain, when .you will Mve 30 ridges, and the work will measure about 7 inches. Rib 2£ inches of knit 3, purl 3; then knit 84 rows plain, when you should have 42 ridges, -measuring about 10 inches. Decrease and cast off as for the front. Sew the front and back pieces together from the beginning of the l ibbing to the top of the head, but leave an opening for the ears exactly opposite the opening for the face, and the same width. THE CHIN STRAP. Cast on 18 stitches, and knit plain backwards and forwards) till you nave done 28 rows, that is 14 ridges. Reduce every alternate row’ by knit 1, knit 2 together, knit to the end of the row. Knit back plain. Repeat this till you have only 7 stitches on the needle; knit 10 rows, or 5 ridges, plain. Now increase on the same side of the strip as that on which you decreased; the best way to do thi, 4 is to put your needle into the first stitch, draw the wool through, but do not slip the stitch off the needle; then put your needle into the back of the same loop, knit, and draw off tho stitch; knit to the end of the row, then knit back plain. Repeat this till you again have 18 stitches on your needle. Knit plain 23 rows, or 14 ridges; then cast off. HOW TO ATTACH IT. Now sew the strr.p at each end just above the opening left for the ear, -o that the end of the strap is at right .angles to the opening, and a little mss than halfway towards it, being eyeful that the straight edge is furthest away from the chin, and the shaped edge nearest it.