Poems (Kimball)/Knitting Song

by Harriet McEwen Kimball

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!