For almost as long as I’ve been a knitter,
I’ve been fascinated by the history of knitting. I’ve
especially enjoyed the mind-twisting process of working with
the often obtuse and obfuscatory language of antique patterns.
There’s a thrill, I find, in watching a project emerge
row by row and knowing that other knitters, long gone, followed
the same path.
The process of decoding, testing and correcting isn’t for everyone,
though; and so in this column I hope to share the excitement of the journey
by removing as many of the roadblocks as possible. You don’t need
to be a historian to come along–just a knitter with a curious mind.
Guy and Dolls
Regarding the Baby Doll Ensemble from Weldon’s
Practical Knitter (Twenty-Sixth Series),
the first
part of which appeared
in the last issue, the editor writes:
Perhaps the work may be too difficult
for a child to manage, but there are many
mothers and aunts or kind friends, good
knitters, who will take delight in dressing
such a doll for a present…
“Perhaps the work may be too difficult
for a child to manage.” Having now
experienced this pattern in its entirety,
I wish to ally myself with those sentiments.
Actually, I wish to rip the editor from his
tomb and scream, “No sh-t, Sherlock!” into
whatever remains of his ear. But Knitty is
a genteel publication and wouldn’t
appreciate that sort of behavior.
It is not, dear reader, that the knitting
itself is particularly complicated. Take
the lace edgings, for example. There are
two of them, one large and one small. The
small edging is a variation of the large
edging. The large edging is designed with
such a logical progression of rows that after
one repeat I had it committed to memory.
Simple. Learn one, and you've learned both.
No, it’s not that the edging is complicated,
it’s just that there’s eight
@#$!* feet of it. Eight. Feet. That’s
2.4384 meters, for metric types. However
you measure, that’s a whole lot of
lace to wrap around a doll that doesn’t
reach my knee, and my knee isn’t that
far off the ground, even when it’s Giselle night
and I’m en pointe.
It seems to have daunted the publishers
of Weldon’s, and they were
a tough bunch. About halfway down the pattern,
errors–an uncommon sight in this trustworthy
publication–began to pop up. I could
almost hear the faint echo of the Victorian
tech editor throwing the manuscript across
her office, screaming, “Forget it!
Nobody’s ever going to knit the whole
bloody thing anyway!”
So, listen. If it so happens that you are
a mother, aunt or kind friend who would delight
in dressing such a doll for a present, and
you would like to deliver that present on
(to pluck a date from the air) 25 December
2011, stop reading and cast on now. NOW!
Because these wee widdle baby clothes are
not of the kwik-n-kute variety. The robe
is 36 inches around at the hem, and that
hem must be edged with three of the eight
feet (2.4384 meters) of lace.
They’re pretty, I’ll give you
that, in a why-dress-the-baby-when-we-can-upholster-it
kind of way. And it takes a sturdy doll to
wear them. They’d crush an American
Girl like a grape. Poor, tiny Ethel
ultimately proved unequal to the task,* and
handed the wardrobe over to her bigger sister,
Clarissa. The project was in its final stages
when I spotted Clarissa in an antiques mall
in Seattle, shamefully attired in a thrift-shop
Steampunk déshabille consisting
of a flimsy black tulle tutu and a strand
of fake seed pearls.
No self-respecting man would leave a noble,
ancient doll to suffer like that, especially
as she was going cheap. (Although it turns
out the fake seed pearls were sold separately.
They’re still there, if you want ’em.)
Of course, winter’s coming and now
I’m going to have to knit something
for Ethel.
Sh-t.
* If you want a smaller ensemble, use
smaller yarn and/or smaller needles. Change
the gauge, change the size. Weldon’s
wouldn’t mind, seeing as they didn’t
bother to specify a gauge in the first
place.
translated by
Franklin Habit from Weldon’s Practical Knitter,
Twenty Sixth Series
model: Clarissa photos: Franklin
Habit
SIZE
Fits doll 14-16 inches high
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Top Petticoat: 16 1/2 inches long including
edging Robe: 20 inches long including
edging Cloak: 16 1/2 inches long x 24 inches wide (at lower edge) including edging
Bonnet: 3 inches high by 2 inches deep
MATERIALS
Yarn Cascade
220 Sport [100% wool; 164 yd/150 m
per 50g skein]; color: 8010; 6 skeins
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] 1
set US #4/3.5 mm 16-inch circular needle 1
set US #3/3.25 mm straight or circular needles
24 sts/48
rows = 4 inches in garter stitch with larger needles.
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
Instructions for single
crochet and crochet chains can
be found here.
SKP: Slip next st as if
to knit, k1, then pass slipped st over st just knit.
Looped Knitting: With working yarn in right
hand, wrap yarn around the tips of the first two fingers of
the left hand and the tip of the right needle, held
together; then wrap the yarn once more over the tip of the
right needle only. With the tip of the right needle,
pull all four wraps through the stitch on the left needle,
and slide that stitch off the needle.
Lace Edging A
Using larger needle, CO 11 sts. Setup row: Knit. Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1 as if to p wyif,
k2tog, yo, k1, [yo, k2tog] 3 times, yo,
k1. 12 sts. Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 [WS]: Knit. Row 3 [RS]: Sl 1 as if to p wyif,
k2tog, yo, k2, [yo, k2tog] 3 times, yo,
k1. 13 sts. Row 5 [RS]: Sl 1 as if to p wyif,
k2tog, yo, k3, [yo, k2tog] 3 times yo,
k1. 14 sts. Row 7 [RS]: Sl 1 as if to p wyif
e, k2tog, yo, k4, [yo, k2tog] 3 times,
yo, k1. 15 sts. Row 9 [RS]: Sl 1 as if to p wyif,
k2tog, yo, k5, [yo, k2tog] 3 times, yo,
k1. 16 sts. Row 11 [RS]: Sl 1 as if to p wyif,
k2tog, yo, k6, [yo, k2tog] 3 times, yo,
k1. 17 sts. Row 12 [WS]: BO 6, k to end.
Repeat Rows 1–12 to desired length. BO.
Lace Edging B Using larger needle, CO 7 sts. Setup row: Knit. Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1 as if to p wyif, k2tog,
yo, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k1. 8 sts. Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 [WS]: Knit. Row 3 [RS]: Sl 1 as above, k2tog, yo, k2,
yo, k2tog, yo, k1. 9 sts. Row 5 [RS]: Sl 1 as above, k2tog, yo, k3,
yo, k2tog, yo, k1. 10 sts. Row 7 [RS]: Sl 1 as above, k2tog, yo, k4,
yo, k2tog, yo, k1. 11 sts. Row 9 [RS]: Sl 1 as above, k2tog, yo, k5,
yo, k2tog, yo, k1. 12 sts. Row 11 [RS]: Sl 1 as above, k2tog, yo, k6,
yo, k2tog, yo, k1. 13 sts. Row 12 [RS]: BO 6, k to end.
Repeat Rows 1-12 to desired length. BO.
DIRECTIONS
TOP PETTICOAT
With larger circular needle, CO 80 sts.
Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist.
Place a marker for start of round.
Neckline and armholes Round 1: K. Round 2: [Yo, k2tog] around. Round 3: Knit. Round 4: K17, BO 6, k until
you have 34 sts on right needle after
BO, BO 6, k to end of round. Round 5: K to first gap, CO
6 sts over gap, k to next gap, CO 6 sts
over gap, k to end of round. 80 sts.
The pattern for these two pieces of the
ensemble can be found in the first part
of this feature, here.
Bodice Bodice round: [K2, p2] around.
Work ribbing as set for 4 inches.
Eyelet round for waist tie, and increase for skirt:
[K1, yo] around. 160 sts.
Repeat Rounds 1–8 until skirt measures 9 inches (approximately
88 rounds) from eyelet round.
BO.
Optional (but historically accurate): Work one round of single
crochet around each armhole.
Lace Trim
Knit a length of Edging A sufficient to
trim lower edge of skirt. BO.
FINISHING
Weave in ends. Sew lace edging to hem of
skirt. Crochet two lengths of 20-inch chain and thread through
eyelet rows at neck and waist; tie in back.
Row 97 [RS]: K4, [SKP, yo, k2tog, k7] twice, SKP,
yo, k2tog, k4. 31 sts. Even Rows 98-104: Purl. Row 99 [RS]: K3, [SKP, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k5] twice, k to end. Row 101 [RS]: K2, [SKP, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k3] twice, k to end. Row 103 [RS]: K1, [SKP, yo, k5, yo, k2tog, k1] 3 times. Rows 105-107: Knit. Row 108 [WS]: K to last 2 sts, k2tog. 30 sts. Row 109 [RS]: Sl 1, [yo, k2tog, k1] to last 2 sts, yo, k2tog. Row 110 [WS]: Purl.
Repeat Rows 109-110 until this section of the
front equals 5 inches, or length of the
doll’s body from
doll’s hips to just below shoulder. End with a WS row.
Put a safety pin in the fabric at the end
of this row.
K 4 rows. Next row [RS]: K3, [yo, k2tog,
k1] across.
P 1 row.
K 2 rows.
Next row [RS]: Join yarn where you left off and BO
until 4 sts rem total. K to end of row. Next row [WS]: K4.
Work Rows 3-8 as above.
Back
Using larger needle, CO 139 sts. Rows 1-5: Knit. Row 6 [RS]: K7, [SKP, yo, k2tog, k7] to end. 127 sts. Row 7 [WS]: Purl. Row 8 [RS]: K6, [SKP, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k5] to last st, k1. Row 9 [WS]: Purl. Row 10 [RS]: K5, [SKP, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k3] to last 2 sts,
k2. Row 11 [WS]: Purl. Row 12 [RS]: K4, [SKP, yo, k5, yo, k2tog, k1] to last 3 sts,
k3. Row 13 [WS]: Purl. Rows 14-16: Knit. Row 17 [WS]: K to last 2 sts, k2tog. 126 sts. Row 18 [RS]: [Sl 1, yo, k2tog, k1] to last 2 sts, yo, k2tog. Row 19 [WS]: Purl.
Repeat Rows 18-19 3 more times.
Work in plain stockinette (k all RS rows, p all WS rows) for
10 inches, or until length of work is equal to length of robe
front from hem to about three-quarters of the length of body
of the front.
Next row [RS]: [K2tog] across. 63 sts. Following row [WS]: P. Next row [RS]: K3, [yo, k2tog,
k1] across. Following row [WS]: P.
Work in stockinette (K all RS rows, p all WS rows) until piece
is equal to length of front from hem to safety pin.
K 4 rows. Next row [RS]: K3, [yo, k2tog,
k1] across.
P 1 row.
K 2 rows.
Work shoulder shaping as for front.
FINISHING
Soak and gently block all pieces. Sew front
of robe to back, leaving gaps near the top to create armholes.
Sew the shoulder straps together. Weave in ends.
Knit a length of Edging A sufficient to trim the lower edge
of the robe. Knit two lengths of Edging B sufficient to reach
from the lower edge of front seams of the robe, over the shoulder,
to the lower edge of the back of the armhole.
Sew Edging A to the hem of the robe. Sew one strip of Edging
B to each seam line from the hem, along the shoulder strap,
and down to the lower edge of the armhole.
Crochet two 20-inch lengths of chain. Run these through the
holes at the neckline and the waist; tie in back.
BONNET Crown
Using smaller needles, CO 11 sts. Row 1: S1 1 as if to p wyib, [k1, p1] to end.
Rep Row 1 until work measures 1.5 inches.
BO.
Back/Sides
CO 17 sts. Row 1: S1 1 as if to p wyib, [k1, p1] to end.
Rep Row 1 until work measures 6.5 inches.
BO.
FINISHING
Sew one long edge of Back/Side strip to
one long and two short edges of the Crown, easing in fullness
as you go.
Looped Edging
CO 5 sts.
Row 1: Knit. Row 2: Sl 1, work next 3 sts as Looped
Knitting, k1.
Repeat these two rows until you have worked a strip that will
run completely around the outer edges of the assembled bonnet–front,
sides and back.
Beginning at center back, sew looped edging to outer edge of
RS of bonnet. See photos as a guide.
At lower corners of front opening, sew two lengths of ribbons
to serve as ties.
Repeat Rows 1–5 44 times – there will
be 23 raised and 22 depressed stripes.
Though the fabric is reversible, the RS will be that which
begins and ends with a raised stripe.
BO.
Lower Edge
Using smaller needles, CO 161 sts. Rows 1-5: Knit. Row 6 [RS]: K7, [SKP, yo, k2tog, k7] to end. 147 sts. Row 7 [WS]: Purl. Row 8 [RS]: K6, [SKP, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k5] to last st, k1. Row 9 [WS]: Purl. Row 10 [RS]: K5, [SKP, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, k3] to last 2 sts,
k2. Row 11 [WS]: Purl. Row 12 [RS]: K4, [SKP, yo, k5, yo, k2tog, k1] to last 3 sts,
k3. Row 13 [WS]: Purl. Rows 14-15: Knit.
BO.
FINISHING
Soak and gently block all pieces. Weave
in ends.
Sew lower edge to center, spreading out the center ridges as
you work to create a smooth seam.
Lace Edging
Knit a sufficient quantity of Edging A
to trim the sides and lower edge of the robe, making sure
edging will turn corners neatly, without curling. Sew long
strip of edging from upper right corner of cloak, around the
perimeter to the upper left corner. Take care to ease the
edging at the corners and avoid curling.
Run a length of yarn through the upper edge of the cloak and
gently gather the ridges together. Weave in gathering yarn on
each edge to secure.
Knit a second length of Edging A sufficient to trim the gathered
upper edge of the cloak center. Sew short strip of edging along
RS of upper edge of cloak.
Sew equal lengths of ribbon to upper corners of robe to serve
as neck ties. Sew two more lengths to right and left edges of
robe, approximately at position of doll’s waist, to serve
as front closures, using photos as a guide.
He teaches and lectures on a variety of
knitting topics, across the United States
and internationally. His dolls are home-schooled,
so that they run no risk of mixing with Barbies
and picking up horrid accents.
Franklin Habit is the Chicago-based proprietor
of the popular knitting blog 
(Interweave
Press).