SQUIRREL-LIKE, we have laid in a goodly store against the changing seasons. Here in this magazine you’ll find Autumn-into-Winter Fashions, Woollies warm as toast, and exciting Embroideries to cosy your home for colder days ahead.
Looking forward to Christmas, we have tucked in, too, Toys and Novelties and Gifts. Though all so smart, so gay, so pretty-making, every article is truly practical and uses only materials found readily today. Special treasure is the Cover Jersey, with simple instructions for knitting its lovely patterning.
FROM Fair Isle of Scotland hails this hand-knit classic—Jersey on our Cover. It features all that is bonniest and best in the ever-popular Fair Isle knitwear . . . true-totradition patterning in lovely moorland colours (note how attractively the shades run through ribbing at neck, wrists and lower edge), and loose, casual fit in favourite sweater style. Jersey is knitted in rounds, entirely in one piece, thus dispensing with any sewing up, and not more than two colours are used at a time throughout, which makes the knitting easy. Do not weave the carried wools into the knitting, but carry them at the back of the work. It is a good idea to hold one colour in the right hand in the usual way and the second in the left hand.
The Fair Islanders use special Shetland wool, but this is in rather short supply and we suggest instead Sirdar Super Shetland Wool, 3-ply. These are the shades and quantities used: 4 am. natural (No. 296), 2 am. each very dark brown (177), fawn (175) and white, and 1 oz. each grey (359) and pink-beige (190). Work with a set of No. 8 Milward’s Knitting Pins, pointed each end. Using these materials and keeping a tension of about 7 sts. and 8 rows to 1 inch, Jersey will fit a 33- to 35-in. bust figure and measure 20/ ins. from, shoulder to lower edge; sleeve seam 21/ ins. long.
Here is an important point. The instructions for making Jersey are given for knitting on three needles, the traditional Fair Isle method—that is, the stitches are divided equally on two needles, the third being used for knitting. To facilitate working, keep the back needle well below the front one. If, however, you find it easier to work with four needles, just divide the sts. on the second needle on to two needles; for instance, for the body, cast on 100 sts. On to first needle and 50 each on the second and third needles. Work as given, counting the second and third needle as one.
Start at the lower edge of the body by casting on 200 sts. (100 on each of two needles or 100 on the first needle and 50 each on second and third). Work in rounds thus, keeping the carried thread to the back of the work : *First 4 rounds—(K. 1 br., p. 1 n.) to end. Next 3 rounds—(K. 1 f., p. 1 b.) to end. Next 3 rounds—(K. 1 g., p. 1 w.) to end. Next 3 rounds—(K. 1 f., p. 1 b.) to end.* Now repeat from * to * once. Now start Fair Isle pattern : 1st round—With br., (k. 4, inc.) to end (240 sts.). 2nd round—K. 2 br., 1 n., (3 br., 1 n.) till 1 rems., 1 br. 3rd round—(K. 1 br., 3 n.) to end. Now work from 4th to 33rd round of chart (page 30) inclusive twice, then from 4th to 20th round inclusive once. Now divide for armholes : Slip first 17 sts. from beginning of first needle to safety-pin for underarm, then slip first 17 sts. from beg. of 2nd needle to safety-pin for underarm. There are now 103 sts. on first needle for Front, 103 sts. on second needle for Back and 17 sts. for each underarm. Continue on second needle, working backwards and forwards in stocking-stitch instead of plain rounds, thus : 1st row—(P. 3 n., 1 br.) to end. Now continue in pattern (starting with 22nd row of chart), dec. each end of the next and every following 4th row till 87 sts. are on needle. (N.B. Do not break off wools at ends of rows, but if wools required are at the other end of row, k. instead of p., or p. instead of k.). Work 37 more rows in pattern without dec., then work right shoulder : 1st row—Patt. 28 sts., turn and work on these 28 sts. only for 5 more rows. Slip these 28 sts. to st.-holder. Slip centre 31 sts. to piece of wool for neck, then work 6 rows in pattern on remaining 28 sts. for left shoulder; leave these sts. on st.-holder.
FRONT—Work exactly as given for Back for 44 rows, then divide for neck : 1st row—Patt. 31, slip next 25 sts. to piece of wool for neck, leave last 31 sts. on st.-holder for right shoulder. Work on first 31 sts. only for left shoulder thus : 1st row—Patt. *Continue in pattern, dec. 1 st. at neck edge of next and alternate rows till 28 sts. remain. Work 8 rows in patt. without dec., then graft to back shoulder with natural.* Return to 31 sts. for right shoulder, work 2 rows in pattern, then work from * to *.
NECK BAND.—With right side facing, slip 31 sts. from wool at back neck to needle, pick up 27 sts. from shoulder to front neck, slip 25 sts. from wool at front neck to needle, then pick up 27 sts. to shoulder (110 sts.). Arrange on two (or three) needles. 1st and 2nd rounds—(K. 1 g., p. 1 w.) all round. Next two rounds—(K. 1 f., p. 1 b.) all round. Next two rounds—(K. 1 br., p. 1 n.) all round. Next round—With n, (k. 1, p. 1) all round. Cast off very loosely in rib with n.
LEFT SLEEVE.—With right side facing, * pick up 47 sts. from front armhole to top of shoulder; with second needle pick up 48 sts. from shoulder along back armhole and slip 8 sts. from pin at underarm to same needle; slip remaining 9 sts. from pin to first needle (56 sts. on each needle). **Now with a third needle take 15 sts. from shoulder end of
each needle and work on these 30 sts. with a fourth needle thus : 1st row—With right side facing and n., k. 30, turn. 2nd row—P. (3 n., 1 br.) 7 times, 2 n., then p. 2 sts. from adjoining spare needle thus : 1 n., 1 br., turn. 3rd row—K. 2 br., (1 n., 3 br.) 8 times, taking last 2 sts. from other spare needle. Continue thus, working pattern from 23rd row of chart onwards and taking in 2 extra stitches at end of each row till 56 sts. are on centre needle (14 rows altogether from start). Break off all wools and secure firmly. Now put all sts. on two needles, 56 on each (or on 3 needles-56, 28, 28) and continue in rounds, starting at underarm with right side facing. 1st round —K. with n. Now continue in pattern as given for body starting at 5th round of chart, for 45 more rounds. Next round—With n., (k. 12, k. 2 tog.) all round (104 sts.). Work 13 rounds in patt. Next round —With n., (k. 11, k. 2 tog.) all round. Work 15 rounds in patt. Next round—With n., (k. 10, k. 2 tog.) all round. Work 13 rounds in patt. Next round—With n., (k. 9, k. 2 tog.) all round. Work 15 rounds in patt. Next round—With n., (k. 8, k. 2 tog.) all round. Work 13 rounds in patt. Next round—With n., (k. 7, k. 2 tog.) all rouria. Work 15 rounds in patt. Next round—With n., (k. 6, k. 2 tog.) all round (56 sts.). Work 2 rounds .n patt. Next round—With br. only, (k. 5, k. 2 tog. j ‘,11 round (48 sts.). Now work cuff : 1st and 2nd rou,is— -(K. 1 br., p. 1 b.) all round. Next 3 rounds—(K. 1 g., p. 1 w.) all round. Next 3 rounds—As 1st round. Next 3 rounds—(K. 1 br., p. 1 n.) all round. Next 3 rounds—(K. 1, f., p. 1 b.) all round. Next 3 rounds—(K. 1 g., p. 1 w.) all round. Next 3 rounds—(K. 1 f., p. 1 b.) all round. Next 3 rounds—(K. 1 f., p. 1 n.) all round. 24th round—With n., (k. 1, p. 1) all round. Cast off in rib with natural.
RIGHT SLEEVE—With right side facing, pick up 47 sts. from back armhole to top of shoulder; with second needle pick up 48 from top of shoulder along front armhole and slip 8 sts. from pin to same needle; slip remaining 9 sts. from pin to first needle (56 sts. on each needle). Now work from ** of Left Sleeve to end.
TO COMPLETE.—Sew in all ends on wrong side. Press with damp cloth and hot iron on wrong side.
TO GRAFT—Place two sets of stitches together. Thread wool into wool needle and pass it purlwise through first loop on front needle then knitwise through first loop on back needle; do not slip loops off needles. *Now slip off first loop in front row knitwise, .pass needle through second stitch purlwise, then in back row slip off first loop purlwise and pass needle through second stitch knitwise. Repeat from * all along.
