RIBBED SOCKS FOR SOLDIERS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21185, 7 August 1940, Page 4

RIBBED SOCKS FOR SOLDIERS

NEAT FITTING AND SERVICEABLE PATTERN

The following is a pattern of a ; ribbed sock which we have been requested to publish. The ribbing contributes towards a neat fit: — Materials.—Five skeins of 4-ply fingering wool. A set of four No. 13 needles. Cast on 76 stitches on three needles (28 on one and 24 on the other two). Knit 2, purl 2 for 3sin to 4in. On the next round change to knit 3. purl 1, rib and continue this for 7in. Divide the stitches for the heel as follows.—Knit the first 21 stitches of the round on to one needle, slip the last 21 stitches of the round on to the other end of the same needle (these 42 stitches are for the heel). Divide remaining stitches on to two needles and leave for the instep. Return to the stitches on the heel needle, working the double heel (which is extra strong) as follows: Knit 1, slip, all along the row; purl every stitch on the way back. Repeat these two rows alternately till the heel measures a good 3in (a long heel wears best), and finishing with a purl row. Turn the heel as follows:—Knit 26, knit 2 together, turn; purl 11, purl 2 together, turn; knit 12, knit 2 together, turn; purl 13, purl 2 together, turn; knit 14, knit 2 together, turn. Continue in this manner until all the stitches are worked on to one row. Knit back 13 stitches, thii6 completing the heel.

Slip all the instep stitches on to one needle. Knit the remaining 13 stitches of the heel, knit up 21 stitches at the side of the heel, and the first stitch from the instep stitches; with a second needle rib all but the last of the instep stitches; with a third needle knit the last instep stitch, knit up 21 stitches at the side of the heel and the other 13 heel stitches. Knit one round without shaping. For the Gussets. —First round; On the first needle knit plain to within three stitches of the end, then slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over, knit 1. On the second needle work in rib without shaping. On the third needle knit 1, knit 2 together, knit plain to end of needle. Second round: Plain on the first and third needles and in rib on the second needle.

Repeat the last two rounds until only 20 stitches remain pm each of the first and third needles. Then continue until the foot measures B£in to 9in.

When this measurement is reached the stitches on the second needle are knitted plain (as the first and third needles) for the toe, which is as fol-

lows:—Begin to decrease by knitting every seventh and eighth stitch together for one round. Knit six plain rounds. Then knit every sixth and seventh stitch together for one round. Knit five plain rounds. Knit every fifth and sixth stitch together for one round. Knit four plain rounds. Knit every fourth and fifth stitch together for one round. Knit three plain rounds. Knit every third and fourth stitch together for one round. Knit two plain rounds. Knit every second and third stitch together for one round. Knit one plain round. Then if the stitches are not enough reduced knit two together all the way round. To Finish the Toe.—lt does not matter how many stitches remain to be cast off, provided they are an even number and are divided equally between two needles, one for the stitches that have formed the centre of the instep and one for those that formed the centre of the soe of the sock. Begin on the instep needle. Break off wool about 2ft from the work. On the instep needle: Purl the first stitch, pull the thread right through the stitch and slip the stitch off the needle. Knit the second stitch, puli the thread right through, but keep the stitch on the instep needle. | On the sole needle: Knit the first . stitch, puli the thread right through, I slip the stitch off the needle. Purl the second stitch, pull the thread right through, and keep the stitch on the sole needle. Return to the instep needle: Purl the stitch that you left on the needle, pull the thread through, and slip the I stitch off the needle. Knit the next stitch, pull the thread through and keep the stitch on the instep needle. Return to the sole needle: Knit the stitch that you left on the needle, pull the thread through and slip the stitch off the needle. Purl the next stitch, puli the thread through and keep the stitch on the sole needle. Continue as above, working alternately on the instep and sole needles, till the stitches have been cast off. Run the thread in neatly with a darning needle. Or, alternately, the whole casting off can be done with the wool threaded through a darning needle if this is preferred; but in this case the darning needle must be drawn through the stitch the opposite way, i.e., on the instep needle the darner must be put through the first stitch as the knitting needle would be in plain knitting and through the second as if to purl. On the sole needle the first stitch must be taken as in purling and the second as in plain knitting.