Hint to the Ladies...the socks...are too small

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The Macon Daily Telegraph [Georgia] February, 17, 1864

Hint to the Ladies.—As a general thing a large proportion of the socks that have been sent to this office and forwarded to the soldiers, are too small. We published, some days ago, instructions from a lady on the art of knitting, and our lady friends would do well to observe them. A tight fitting sock affords not half the comfort of a loose one and will wear out in one third the time.

Macon Daily Telegraph [Georgia] January 26, 1864

DIRECTIONS FOR KNITTING SOCKS FOR THE ARMY.—The following directions, which have been furnished by a lady of much experience, may prove useful to those who will engage in knitting woolen socks for the army. The yarn should be bluish grey, No. twenty-two, and the needles No. fourteen to fifteen:

            Set twenty-seven stitches on each needle; knit the plain and two seam rows alternately until the ribbing is three inches long; then knit plain seven inches for the leg, remembering to seam one stitch at the end of one needle.

To form the heel, put twenty stitches on two of the needles, and forty on the other—the seam stitch being in the middle. Knit the first row plain, the next row seam, and so alternately until the heel is three inches long, then narrow on the plain row each side of the seam stitch for five plain rows, which will leave thirty-one stitches. To close the heel, knit the last seam row to the middle of the needle, knit the seam stitch plain, then fold the two needles together, and with another needle take off the seam stitch. Then knit a stitch from both needles at once and bind the seam stitch over it. Continue knitting in this manner until but one is left and the heel closed. Take up as many stitches as there are rows around the heel; knit one row plain; then widen every fifth stitch on the heel needles. Narrow once on every round at each side of the foot until there are twenty-seven stitches on each needle, knit plain six inches; narrow at the beginning and end of each needle on every third round till you have seventeen stitches on each side; then narrow every second till you have seven; then every round until the foot is closed. One pound of yarn, costing from seventy five cents to one dollar, will furnish

furnish four pair of socks.