Three different stitches are commonly used in rake knitting.

• 1. Single or plain stitch—Fig. 7.
• 2. Double or cross-stitch—Fig. 8.
• 3. Triple cross-stitch—Fig. 9.

To Cast Stitches on a Long Rake.

Take the long rake, shown in Fig. 1, with nails set ½ inch apart, in rows ¾ inch apart.

Drive a thumb tack or a carpet tack into the side of the rake near each end until the head is just a little above the surface of the wood. This is to hold the yarn after winding.

First Winding.

The same for all stitches.

1. Tie yarn to nail A, leaving an end 3 or 4 inches long which is slipped through the opening of the rake. Let the rake rest in the left hand. With the right hand wind the yarn around the nails as shown in the diagram. Do not pull the yarn too tight; just hold it easily between thumb and finger. When the last nail (B) is reached, wrap the yarn once around the tack to hold it.

2. Draw the smooth flat side of the pick rapidly down the length of the rake between the rows of nails. This pushes the yarn to the bottom of the nails, and leaves space above for the second winding of yarn.

Second Winding.

In single or plain stitch, (Fig. 7) do not cross the yarn.

1. The first winding ended at B with the last cross at C.

2. Wind the yarn around D and E without crossing it, and so on back to the end of the rake where the first winding began. Wrap the yarn around the tack.

3. The yarn has passed twice in front of each nail with the exception of nail B.[1]

4. With the pick lift the lower thread (first winding) over the upper thread, (second winding) and off the nail. Do not stretch the yarn more than just enough to lift it over the head of the nail. Do this at each nail along one side, then along the other, leaving out the nail B which has just one thread. This completes the first row of stitches.

5. Draw the smooth flat side of the pick rapidly down the length of the rake between the rows of nails to push down the yarn, and make room for the next winding.

Second Winding—Continued.

In double or cross-stitch. (Fig. 8)

1. The second winding is the same as the first winding; that is, the yarn is crossed.

2. With the pick lift the lower thread over the upper thread as in single or plain stitch. This completes the first row of stitches.

3. Draw the smooth flat side of the pick along between the rows of nails to make space for the next winding.

Triple cross-stitch. (Fig. 9)

1. Wind once over and back as if for double or cross-stitch.

2. Wind the yarn a third time across the rake, crossing it as in the first and second winding.

3. Three threads now pass in front of each nail except A and B. Lift the lower thread (first winding) over the upper two threads and off the nail. Do this at all the nails except A and B. This completes the first row of stitches.

4. Push threads to the bottom of the nails by drawing the smooth flat side of the pick rapidly along between the rows of nails.[2]

To make the second row of stitches, wind once across the rake, and lift the lower thread off as described above. Push threads to the bottom of the nails, and wind back over the rake for the third row of stitches, and so on.