For all you crafty types

Materials:-

Double knitting wool – 3 oz
4 Knitting needles, pointed at both ends size 8
Small quantity shirring elastic
Round balloons
1 plastic ball 3½” diameter (three and a half inches)

Cast on 48 stitches 16 on each of 3 needles. Join.
Knit 2, Purl 2. until cuff measures two and a half inches.
Continue in plain knitting.

FIRST ROUND. Increase 1 stitch in every 6th stitch (56 stitches).
Knit 7 rows plain knitting.
8th ROUND. Increase 1 stitch every 7th stitch (64 stitches).
15th ROUND. Increase 1 stitch every 8th stitch (72 stitches).
22nd ROUND. Increase 1 stitch every 9th stitch (80 stitches).
29th ROUND. Increase 1 stitch every 10th stitch (88 stitches).
36th ROUND. Increase 1 stitch every 11th stitch (96 stitches).
43rd ROUND. Increase 1 stitch every 12th stitch (104 stitches).
Continue to knit on these 104 stitches for
another 25 rounds.

Decrease :-
FIRST ROUND. *knit 11 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
2nd ROUND. *knit 10 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
3rd ROUND. *knit 9 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
4th ROUND. *knit 8 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
5th ROUND. *knit 7 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
6th ROUND. *knit 6 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
7th ROUND. *knit 5 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
8th ROUND. *knit 4 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
9th ROUND. *knit 3 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
10th ROUND. *knit 2 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
11th ROUND. *knit 1 slip 1 knit 1, pass slip stitch over. Repeat from *
to end of row.
12th ROUND *Slip 1 Knit 1. Repeat to end of stitches.

Cut the wool. Draw the end through the remaining eight stitches and finish off.
Thread a few strands of shirring elastic around the top and bottom of the cuff.

To use this visual aid :-
Insert the balloon into the cuff and blow it up, tie the end securely. Then insert the ball.
Pressure on the balloon gives a realistic impression of the uterine
contractions and the full dilation of the cervix in the first stage of birth.