Knit 2 Socks at Once – Vintage Knitting Techniques

Wind your yarn in two balls; use one
set of needles, but cast on twice the
number of stitches that would be
required for one sock, using first the
yarn from one ball, then from the other.
Have 40 stitches on each of two needles,
and 48 on the third. Hold one thread
over the right forefinger in the usual
American way, the other on the left
forefinger. The 1st thread (over right
forefinger) is used to purl the 1st or
upper stitch, and the 2d thread (over
left forefinger) to knit the 2d or lower
stitch, unless otherwise directed. By
bearing this in mind the work is greatly
simplified; but one must be careful not
to get “mixed up” in alternating the
stitches.
The ribbed top of the stocking is about
a finger-length, or four inches, and if
found too difficult to do with two
threads the ribbing may be done sep-
arately; then join the socks by putting
one inside the other and knitting the
stitches alternately, first from one,
then from the other, until you have
transferred them to one set of needles.
For the ribbing: (Purl 1st stitch, knit
2d) twice, (knit 1st stitch, purl 2d)
twice; repeat. You will see that you thus
get the double rib( of knit 2. purl 2) on
each sock, working off 8 stitches for one
repeat instead of 4 stitches, as would be
the case were you knitting the socks
separately.
Having finished the ribbing, purl 1st
stitch and knit 2d until the leg of sock
measures eleven inches. Remember to
alternate the threads, always, beginning
a needle with the 1st thread if the pre-
ceding needle ended with the 2d.
For the heel: take 66 stitches on one
needle, and knit and purl back and
forth on these for about two and one-
half inches, slipping the first 2 stitches
of each row. Holding inner side of
socks toward you, slip 2 stitches (1
stitch of each sock), knit and purl 36
stitches, narrow with each thread (thus:
Purl 2 together, letting the stitch be-
tween these 2, or the 2d stitch, slip
off, pick up this stitch and knit 2 to-
gether), then purl 1st and knit 2d
stitch, turn; slip 2, purl and knit 14,
narrow, purl 1 and knit 1, slip 2,
purl and knit 16, narrow, purl and knit
1, turn; slip 2, knit 18, narrow, knit 2
(remembering always that the 1st stitch,
or that for which the right-hand thread
is used, is purled, and the 2d or left is
knitted, alternately), turn; slip 2, knit
20, narrow, knit 2, turn; slip 2, knit 22,
narrow, knit 2, turn; slip 2, knit 24, nar-
row, knit 2, turn; slip 2, knit 26, nar-
row, knit 2, turn; slip 2, knit 28, nar-
row, knit 2, turn; slip 2, knit 30, nar-
row, knit 2, turn; slip 2, knit 30, narrow,
turn, and continue until all the stitches
are narrowed off. Now pick up 12
stitches on side of each heel, alter-
nately purling and knitting, until there
are 24 stitches on 1st needle, purl and
knit across 2d needle, pick up the
stitches on other side of each heel, 24 in

all, for 3d needle, and divide the 34
stitches on upper part of heel, putting 16
stitches on 1st needle and 18 stitches
on 3d; also transfer 8 stitches from 2d
needle to 1st, and 8 stitches from 2d
needle to 3d. There should now be 48
stitches on 1st needle, 46 on 2d needle
and 50 stitches on 3d needle. Knit
once around plain (remembering the
alternate purling and knitting), knit to
within 10 stitches of end of 1st needle,
narrow, knit across 2d needle and 6
stitches on 3d, narrow, and finish the
round plain. Repeat last 2 rounds, nar-
rowing in the same place every other
round until there remain 120 stitches in
all; divide these equally, 40 on each
needle, and knit until the foot is nine
inches in length.
To shape the toe: Knit 10, (purl and knit),
narrow; repeat; knit 5 rounds plain; knit
8, narrow, repeat; knit 4 rounds; knit 6,
narrow, repeat knit 3 rounds; knit 4,
narrow, repeat; knit 2 rounds; knit 2,
narrow, repeat; knit 1 round; knit 1,
narrow; repeat; knit 1 round. Repeat last
2 rounds until 24 stitches remain, break
the yarn, leaving eight or ten inches of
each thread, pull out the needles carefully,
separate the socks, and finish off as fol-
lows: thread a small darner or blunt-pointed
worsted needle with the yarn; have the 12
stitches evenly divided, 6 stitches on each
of 2 needles, laid together, * put needle
through 1st stitch on 1st needle as if to
knit it, draw through and take off, insert
needle in next stitch on same needle as if
to purl, draw through but do not take off;
insert needle as if to purl in 1st stitch
of opposite knitting-needle, draw through
and take off, insert needle in next stitch
of same needle as if to knit, draw through
but do not take off; repeat until all the
stitches are off, always keeping the
yarn between the 2 needles as you
work. Finish off by darning the end
neatly.