To knit a round four or five needles are used; it is thus that stockings, socks, cuffs, mittens, &c., are made.  To knit with four needles, cast on, say, 32 stitches upon one needle, insert a second needle in the last stitch of the first, and cast on 30 stitches; proceed in a similar way with a third needle, but casting on 28 only; when this is done, knit the two extra stitches on the first needle on to the last; this makes 30 stitches upon each needle, and completes the round.

295.—­Casting Off.

Knit two stitches, and with the left-hand needle slip the first stitch over the second; continue this to the end of the row. Note.—­The last knitted row, before casting off, should be knitted loosely.

296.—­To Pick up a Stitch.

This is done by taking up the thread between two stitches and forming a stitch with it.

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The following Designs of New Stitches can be used for a variety of work:—­

297.—­Peacock’s Tail Pattern.

Needles, wood or ivory; Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.’s knitting cotton.

[Illustration:  297.—­Peacock’s Tail Pattern.]

Cast on a number of stitches divisible by nine, as it takes nine stitches for each pattern, and two for each border; the border, which is in plain knitting, will not be mentioned after the first row.

1_st Row_.—­2 plain for border; 2 plain *, make 1, 1 plain, repeat this four times from *, make 1, 2 plain; repeat from the beginning—­then 2 plain for border.

2_nd Row_.—­2 purl, 11 plain, 2 purl; repeat.

[Illustration:  298.—­Spiral Stitch.]

3_rd Row_.—­Take 2 together, 11 plain, take 2 together; repeat.

4_th Row_.—­Purl 2 together, purl 9, purl 2 together; repeat.

5_th Row_.—­Take 2 together, 7 plain, take 2 together.

Begin from the 1st row.

Thirteen stitches are large enough for a stripe for a sofa-cover.  These stripes should be sewn together after all are finished.

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298.—­Spiral Stitch.

Materials:  Needles, thick steel or bone; double wool.

This stitch is far more effective worked in thick wool than in cotton.  It is done in stripes alternately wide and narrow.  For wide stripes cast on twenty-one stitches, for narrow fifteen; this without counting the first and last stitch, the first being slipped, the last always plainly knitted.

1_st Row_.—­Purl 3 together to end of row.

2_nd Row_.—­Make 1, * 1 plain, make 2, repeat from * end by making the last stitch before the plain knitted one at end of row.

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[Illustration 299.—­Knotted Stitch.]

299.—­Knotted Stitch.

Materials:  Needles, wood or ivory; double wool.

Cast on 11 stitches.

1_st Row_.—­All plain, throwing the wool twice round the needle before each stitch.