Saturday 17 January 2015

Knitting Pattern for Steering Gloves

From the Woman's Own Knitting Supplement, 16th January 1915.



Warm Comforts for which Our Soldiers and Sailors will Thank You


The Steering Gloves




 The bitter cold experienced by men on the trawlers may be more easily imagined than described. These gloves are of great protection to the hands on a bleak winter night.

Materials required: White heather wheeling, khaki colour; two knitting needles, No. 10. 
Cast on 52 st. 
1st row : * K. 2, p. 2; repeat from * to end of row.
2nd row : * K. 2, p. 2: repeat from * to end. 
Repeat the 2nd row 34 times more, 34 rows of ribbing.
37th row : K. plain; repeat this row 15 times.
53rd row : K. 20, p. 1, increase 1 in the next st. (by k. 1 in the front and back), k. 2, increase 1 in the next st. as before, p. 1, k. to end.
54th row : K. all stitches.
55th row : K. 20, p. 1, k. 6, p. 1, k. to end.
56th row : K. 27, increase 1 as before, k. till 22 st. remain, increase 1 in next st., k. to end.
57th row : K. 20, p. 1, k. till 27 remain, p. 1, k. 26.
58th row : K. all stitches.
59th row : K. 20, p. 1, increase 1 in next st,, k. till 28 st. are left on needle, increase 1 in next st., p. 1, k. 26.
60th row : K. all stitches.
61st row : K. 20, p. 1, k. till 27 remain, p. 1, k. 26.
Repeat from and including the 56th row until there are 18 st. between the 2 purled sts. in a repetition of the 59th row, after which repeat the 60th and 61st rows.
In the next row k. 27, put the 18 sts. on to a thread and leave them to be finished to form the thumb later on.  Cast on 4 sts. after having k. the 27th st. at the commencement of this round; follow on and knit to end of row.
K. 35 more rows in plain knitting.
K. another row, and decrease 4 sts. in this row.
K. every 7th and 8th st. together in the next row.
K. 6 rows without decreasing.
In the next row k. together every 6th and 7th st.
K. 5 rows plain.
In the next row k. together every 5th and 6th st. 
K. 4 rows plain.
K. each 2 sts. together in the next row. 
K. 1 row plain.
Run a thread all the remaining sts. on the needle and finish off very securely.
Take up the 18 sts. left on a thread and proceed to finish forming the thumb, by dividing the 18 sts. on to 2 needles ; with a 3rd needle k. up 6 sts. along the space between the two needles.
K. 23 rounds, 1 plain round, and 1 p. round, k. each 2 sts. together in the next round.
K. 3 rounds plain. Finish off the same as at top of glove.  Sew up the two sides securely.


[At the start of the war, many trawlers with their crews had been  mobilised for mine-sweeping duties, as part of the Royal Naval Reserve, so as far as knitters were concerned, trawlermen were as deserving of comforts as regular Royal Navy sailors.] 

No comments:

Post a Comment