the needles--"casting them on"--and is done in two ways--by
"knitting on" the stitches, or as follows:--

Hold the thread between the first and second finger of the left hand,
throw it over the thumb and first finger so as to form a loop, and pass
the needle in the loop; throw the thread lightly round the needle, pass
it through the loop, and draw up the thread; this forms the first stitch
(see No. 288).

[Illustration: 288.--Casting On.]

289.--_To Knit On_.

[Illustration: 289.--Knitting On.]

Take the needle on which the stitches are cast in the left hand, and
another needle in the right hand--observe the position of the hands (No.
289). Hold the left-hand needle between the thumb and third finger,
leaving the first finger free to move the points of the needles. (The
wonderful sense of touch in the first or index finger is so delicate,
that an experienced knitter can work without ever looking at her
fingers, by the help of this touch only--in fact, knitting becomes a
purely mechanical labour, and as such is most useful.) Insert the point
of the right-hand needle in the loop or stitch formed on the left-hand
needle, bring the thread once round, turning the point of the needle in
front under the stitch, bringing up the thread thrown over, which in
its turn becomes a stitch, and is placed on the left-hand needle.

290.--_Simple Knitting (plain)_.

[Illustration: 290.--Plain Knitting.]

Pass the right-hand needle into the 1st stitch of the left-hand needle,
at the back throw the thread forward, and with the first finger pass the
point of the needle under the stitch in forming a fresh stitch with the
thread already thrown over, as in "knitting on," only, instead of
placing the newly-formed stitch on the left-hand needle, leave it on the
right-hand needle, and let the stitch drop off the point of the
left-hand needle. Continue thus until all the stitches are taken from
the left to the right-hand needle, and the row is then complete.

291.--_To Purl, Pearl, or Seam_.

Seaming or purling a stitch is done by taking up the stitch _in front_
instead of at the back, throwing the thread over and knitting the stitch
as in plain knitting; but before beginning to purl, the thread must be
brought in front of the needle, and if a plain stitch follows, the
thread is passed back after the purl stitch is made (see No. 291).
[Illustration: 291.--Purling.]

292.--_To Increase_.

Increasing or making a stitch is done