CHAPTER XXVI MARY FRANCES REALLY KNITSM
MARY FRANCES had so much trouble getting the knack of this lesson that her fingers seemed like “all thumbs,” try as she would.
“You are nervous.”
“You are a little nervous, my dear,” said Fairly Flew. “Do not get discouraged. Some day you will laugh at yourself for having trouble in doing this, because knitting will be as easy—what is very easy?” she asked.
“Billy says, ‘as easy as rolling out of bed,’” laughed Mary Frances.
“Well, ‘as easy as rolling out of bed,’” finished the fairy.
“Knitting will be easy.”
How Mary Frances wished that that time hadcome, or that the fairy would offer her her magic needles.
Magic needles.
“I cannot offer you my magic needles you know,” went on Fairly Flew; “but I can help you learn the lesson. Just watch me closely.”
She pulled two tiny gold knitting needles from her pocket. The heads of the needles sparkled so that Mary Frances thought they must be diamonds.
Then the fairy drew some fine yarn from her pocket and began to do the lesson just as she had given the directions to Mary Frances.
“Now, watch me closely,” she said, “and take your needles and do exactly as I do.”
Before Mary Frances realized it, she had fifteen nice rows of knitting done.
“Isn’t that splendid!” exclaimed Fairly Flew. “Now you are ready to learn—
(How to Finish Knitted Work)
Note.—When first learning how to bind off work it is easier to use a crochet hook in the right hand in place of the knitting needle, as shown in the picture onpage 167.“Isn’t that splendid!”“I helped!”In doing this work make very loose stitches.1. Knit the first 2 stitches of the last row of work on to a No. 4 crochet hook.2. Slip the left needle into the first loop on the crochet hook and pull this stitch over the top of the hook, and over the stitch nearest the hook.3. Knit another stitch, still using the crochet hook in place of the right-hand knitting needle.4. With the left-hand needle lift the first loop on the crochet needle over the stitch just made and over the hook of the crochet needle.5. Continue doing this until there is but one stitch on the crochet needle. Break off the yarn about 1 inch from the work, and pull it all the way through this last stitch.
Note.—When first learning how to bind off work it is easier to use a crochet hook in the right hand in place of the knitting needle, as shown in the picture onpage 167.
“Isn’t that splendid!”
“I helped!”
In doing this work make very loose stitches.
1. Knit the first 2 stitches of the last row of work on to a No. 4 crochet hook.
2. Slip the left needle into the first loop on the crochet hook and pull this stitch over the top of the hook, and over the stitch nearest the hook.
3. Knit another stitch, still using the crochet hook in place of the right-hand knitting needle.
4. With the left-hand needle lift the first loop on the crochet needle over the stitch just made and over the hook of the crochet needle.
5. Continue doing this until there is but one stitch on the crochet needle. Break off the yarn about 1 inch from the work, and pull it all the way through this last stitch.
photoHow to Bind Off
How to Bind Off
“Look at proud Crow Shay.”
“Good bye.”
Of course, Mary Frances did not find it difficult to follow these directions, because she watched Fairly Flew do the work and made each stitch just as the fairy made it.
“That is splendidly done,” said the fairy as Mary Frances broke off the yarn and fastened the last stitch. “For the next lesson you will make something for Mary Marie.”
“Oh, I do not see how I can wait until to-morrow to start!” exclaimed Mary Frances.
“But you’d better not work any more now—besides, my time is up for to-day,” said Fairly Flew. “It will not seem long until to-morrow, because you’ll be asleep for all night, you know.”
So Mary Frances put away her work.
“Good-bye, dear friends,” she said as she went away.
“Good-bye. We’ll all be ready and waiting to-morrow,” everybody promised at once.
“Good bye.”