Thursday, June 14, 2007

Proto Vegan Fox

I found this pattern in a collection of patterns from Godey's Lady's Book; I consider it the Victorian Vegan Fox (for those familiar with the Knitty pattern). In truth, it looks like some sort of weasel-snake crossbreed; when I get around to making this one up, I'm going to at least give the thing some legs so that it will look 100% mammal. I thought about adding fangs but if I end up with bitemarks in my neck, no one will believe it was from my scarf. I can imagine some mishap that would have the damned thing sever a major vein or artery in my neck - "Woman Bleeds to Death After Deadly Bite From Knitting Project."



Muff Crocheted in Imitation of Fur

The following articles crocheted in imitation of fur are recommended for the warm winter toilets of young girls, as they are not expensive.

With a fine bone hook, No. 12 Bell guage (sic), and the grey wool, single Berlin (of which you require six ounces), make a chain of 78 stitches.

1st Row: Dc (double crochet), at the end 1 ch.

2nd Row: 1 dc in the first dc, taking up the back of the loop, which is done throughout the work, take up the back of the 2nd loop, draw the wool through, pass the wool round the needle, take up the same loop again, making 3 loops on the needle in this one stitch, draw the wool through these 3, then trough the 2 on the needle; take up the whole of this row in this manner.

3rd Row: Plain dc worked from the back of the loop as before.

Repeat the 2nd and 3rd Rows.

Work a piece wide enough for your muff, then make it up; for this you require blue silk in the piece, two pair of black tassels, some blue ribbon to run in the runner, and a sheet of wadding. Lay your wadding the size of the piece of crochet you have worked, cover it on both sides with silk, then sew together; make a slot at each outer edge, sew up the piece of crochet, place it over the silk, run the edges of the crochet to the extreme edge of the slot, then pass your ribbon in; add the tassels by the join.



The Boa

This is also crocheted in the same stitch as the muff. You require five steel knitting needles, No. 12, for the head as it is knitted, 2 jet buttons for the eyes. For the length of the body make a chain of 117 stitches. Commence with a row of double crochet, then a row of pattern, always working a ch stitch at the end of each row. Work about 8 inches of this crochet for the width of the body. Sew it together, and stuff it with wadding covered with silk.

The Tail

The tail is worked separately, and is crocheted in looped crochet. Make a ch of 20.

1st Row: Dc.

2nd Row: Take up the back of the loop, pass the wool three times round a mesh one and a quarter inch wide, or your 2 fingers of the left hand, put the needle under these loops, loop the wool over, then take up the st again, draw through, then draw through the 2 on the needle; work the row in this manner. Work these 2 rows until you have ten rows of loops; then work 2 more rows, decreasing one stitch on each side now, cut the loops in the middle and comb them with a fine comb. Sew the tail together, then to the body.

The Head is Knitted

Cast on 10 stitches on each of the 4 needles; knit a round. Then 3 rounds knit plain.

4th: Knit 17; You now commence the increase for the forehead. In the 18th st work 2 st thus: knit 1, then purl 1; work the 19th st in the same manner; 20th st, knit plain; the 21st and 22nd st like the 18th and 19th; the rest knit plain.

5th: Knit plain.

6th: Increase like the 4th round in the 2 st on both sides of the 22nd st.

7th: Plain.

8th: Increase like the 4th round on both sides the 24th st; rest plain.

Knit 6 plain rounds.

14th: K 7, k2 together; k 1, knit 2 together; knit plain until the last 12; then k 2 together, k 1, k 2 together.

15th: Plain.

16th: K 5, knit 2 together 3 times; knit plain until the last 11, when knit 2 together 3 times; knit 5.

17th: Like 14th.

18th and 3 next rounds plain.

21st: K 5, knit 2 together twice, knit plain until the last 9, then knit 2 together twice, knit 5.

22nd: Plain.

23rd: K 7, join the black, knit 2 together in black until the last 7, which knit plain in grey.

Knit 8 rounds plain, knitting the black stitches with black and the grey with grey; cast off.

Wad the head to the shape, stitch on the buttons for the eyes, add some shreds of black wool for whiskers, then stitch on the ears, the directions for knitting which follow.

The Ears

Cast 12 st on 1 needle with grey wool. Knit back.

2nd Row: Purl.

3rd Row: Knit 2 together, knit 8, knit 2 together.

4th Row: Purl 2 together, purl all but the last 2, which purl together.

Repeat the 3rd and 4th rows until you have only one stitch left, then cast off, and sew to the head.

5 comments:

Karolina Krátká said...

Woman bitten to death by her scarf..... Do you read Terry Pratchett?

Jane said...

I have read a few of his books - I haven't read a lot of them, though. I take it this comment is from one of his books? Which one? I'll have to find it and quote from it - hee hee!

If you're a lace knitter, are you familiar with MMarioKKnits? He's going to be working up a Disc world lace pattern for his Yahoo! group, in case you're interested!

Karolina Krátká said...

In Maskerade, Nanny Ogg wears her tomcat around her shoulders to the Opera and someone tells her Hey, ma'am, your fur stole is moving... and Nanny replies that she's for beauty without cruelty... and regarding that Greebo was able to hunt for moose........

Jane said...

Ha! That's great! I had a cat who used to enjoy being worn like a stole; I think he liked being able to walk through the house 4 feet taller than normal :-)

Karolina Krátká said...

My cat is a floor-level or chair-level cat, at her maximum a window sill leel cat. She's a Siamese, cannot climb by definition and somehow doesn't fancy high places. She likes my father, he likes sit on the floor at the cat level, that's it.

However, there's one more scene with Greebo the stole, with someone complaining that Hey, Ma'am, your fur stole is eating my chocolates.