Poems (Kimball)/Knitting Song
KNITTING SONG.
STITCH by stitch and row on row,This is the way the stocking must grow. Clickety, clickety, day by day The slender, glittering needles say. Hush-a-bye, Baby, Grandmother sings; Hither and thither the cradle swings.
Pearl and plain and plain and pearl, Be it for boy or be it for girl; Two and two is a neat device; Learn to shift the thread in a trice. Hush-a-bye, Baby, Grandmother sings; Hither and thither the cradle swings.
Inch by inch the long leg grows, Straight and narrow for fitting close; A very poor leg, is the saying well known, That cannot shape a sock of its own. Hush-a-bye, Baby, Grandmother sings; Hither and thither the cradle swings.
Count the stitches and halve them now, And one half set in a single row, And back and forth outside and in Knit the heel on the single pin. Hush-a-bye, Baby, Grandmother sings; Hither and thither the cradle swings.
Knit it long and narrow midway To round it; and bind it off, as we say; Take up the loops on either side And add a few more to make it wide. Hush-a-bye, Baby, Grandmother sings Hither and thither the cradle swings.
Now each side narrow or slip and bind, To shape the instep, as you will find; Then knit straight on till you near the toe; This is the way the foot must grow. Hush-a-bye, Baby, Grandmother sings; Hither and thither thee cradle swings.
Then narrow once more and narrow away, Toeing it off, as knitters say. There is a stocking fit for an heir!Now knit the mate for he must have a pair! Hush-a-bye, Baby; when you are grown Your feet may be worthy to climb to a throne!