1862 Garters

The 1862 edition of the Godey’s Lady’s Book included instructions for a “new style of garter”.

This is an adaptation of those instructions to modern knitting terms.

The original pattern specified to make some cord and use it to attach the tassel to the garter; this pattern has optional instructions to use an i-cord instead, which looks nice, but is not, as far as I know, an historically accurate tecnique.

Materials

Yarn

Less than one ball of fingering yarn; the original used red and white wool, but this is a good way to use leftovers of sock yarn.

Needles

Two dpn, size 2.5 mm. This can also be worked on regular straight needles, but some care will be needed when picking up stitches, and you won’t be able to work the i-cord.

Directions

Work the loop; the original used red.

Long tail cast on 6 sts.

Work 44 rows in garter stitch; if using two colours insert the second color (white in the original) so that it is ready to be used after the last row.

Pick up 6 sts from the beginning of the work using the back tip of the needle, so that the working yarn is at the beginning of the needle and the tail from the cast on is at the other end.

To work a rib, knit 6 rows in stockinette:

row 1:

k all sts;

row 2:

k 1, p 10, k 1;

row 3:

k all sts;

row 4:

k 1, p 10, k 1;

row 5:

k all sts;

row 6:

k 1, p 10, k 1;

Reverse the rows to knit the next rib.

Repeat until you have 33 ribs (17 right side ones and 16 wrong side ones).

Try the garter for size: it should easily wrap around the leg above the knee with a bit of spare lenght; if it is too short work a few more ribs until it fits, ending on a right side one.

If using two colours, return to the starting one (red).

Work the triangular end.

row 1:

k all sts;

row 2:

k 9, k2t, k 1;

row 3:

k 8, k2t, k 1;

row 4:

k all sts;

row 5:

k 7, k2t, k 1;

row 6:

k 6, k2t, k 1;

row 7:

k all sts;

row 8:

k 5, k2t, k 1;

row 9:

k 4, k2t, k 1;

row 10:

k all sts;

row 11:

k 3, k2t, k 1;

row 12:

k 2, k2t, k 1;

row 13:

k all sts;

row 14:

k 1, k2t, k 1;

rows 15-31:

if you want, knit 16 rows of i-cord;

last row:

k3t

Pass the working yarn through the live stitch and cut it.

Make a tassel using a 6 cm cardboard template and attach it either to the end of the i-cord or using a cord as in the picture.