Crocheted Shirtwaist Dress Pattern #108

Waist. With Beige ch 57 for right front edge. Work as follows in afghan st: Skip first st from hook, draw up a loop in each ch st, retaining all loops on hook. This is half a row. For 2nd half, thread over, draw through first loop, * thread over, and draw through 2 loops, repeat from * until 1 loop remains on hook. Alternate the colors for each row. Do not break thread but carry it over from one row to the next.

2nd row: With Blue draw up a loop under the perpendicular bar of next st, retaining loop on hook, draw up a loop in st between bars (an increase) and retain on hook. Continue to draw up loops in each bar of sts on last row, and work off as for 2nd half of last row, having 1 extra st on row. (A).

* Increase 1 st at beginning of 2 rows for yoke edge, and keep opposite side even throughout for lower edge of waist. Work next stripe without increasing. Repeat from * until 21 rows are made and there are 71 sts on a row.

Then decrease 1 st at 2nd half of next row, and continue to decrease as increased until 56 sts remain (to decrease at end of row, draw through 3 loops). Work 1 row even. (B).

Begin to shape for underarm. 1st row: Pick up 46 loops, work back. 2nd row: Pick up 36 loops, work back. Work 2 rows over all sts. 5th row: Pick up 27 loops, work back. 6th row: Pick up 16 loops, work back. 7th row: Pick up loops over all sts to end of row, work back. 8th row: Pick up 12 sts, work back. 9th row: Pick up 6 sts, work back. Work 3 rows over all sts (this is center of underarm).

Reverse shaping from 9th to 1st rows incl., then repeat from "A" increasing for yoke at back until 71 sts, then decreasing to 56 sts (this is center back). Repeat "A" and "B", then "A" making 2nd front to correspond to the first.

Yoke. With Beige, ch 36 for center back at neck edge, work 1 row. At end of row ch 7 with Beige, and ch 1 with Blue. With Blue pick up 7 loops on Beige, continue to end of row. Add a separate ch of 7 sts with Beige, continue across. Continue to add 7 sts each end on all stripes 3 more times (91 sts). Work even 4 inches.

Start Points. Work 22 sts, work back decreasing 1 st by drawing through an extra loop at beginning of 2nd half of row. Next row: Pick up 20 sts (draw up 1 loop through last 2 loops). Decrease 1 st at beginning of 2nd half. Next Stripe: Decrease 1 st at end of 1st half only. Continue to decrease 2 sts for one row, and 1 st for next row, for 8 rows. Then increase 1 st at opposite side for armhole on each stripe, and decrease point as before. Work thus until rows are made (7 sts). Break off.

Skip 2 sts on last even row, work across the center 43 sts. Decrease 2 sts each side on 1st row, 1 st each side on next row. Work thus until 1 st remains. Break off. Shape remaining 22 sts as for the first side, decreasing for point at beginning of rows and for armhole at end of rows.

Front of Yoke. Attach Beige at end of 2nd row of back for right shoulder, pick up, and work 7 sts, work back, break off. Attach Blue at end of 3rd row, pick up 7 sts over this ch, and continue over 1st row, work back. Repeat with Beige and Blue over the next 2 rows (28 sts).

On the following row, increase 1 st at neck edge. Repeat every 2nd row 3 times. On Beige stripe add a ch of 16 sts at neck edge, and continue across. Work even 48 sts for 20 rows.

Work over first 23 sts, work back, decrease at end of 1st half of row as on the back of yoke, and increase for the armhole side as before. Work until 15 rows and 8 sts remain. Skip 2 sts at center, and make a half point by decreasing as for center back on this side only.

For left side, attach Beige at end of 1st row on the back, pick up 7 sts, work back. Attach Blue at beginning of next row, pick up 14 sts, and continue shaping to correspond to right shoulder. To shape points on this side, keep beginning of rows even for front edge and decrease at opposite end.

Sleeve. With Blue ch 9 for underarm, pick up 8 sts, work back. Attach Beige. * With double strands, ch 6, drop Blue, and with Beige alone work 13 sts, increase 1 st at opposite side for shoulder, work back. Repeat from * until 56 sts to a row.

Then increase at shoulder side only, until 76 sts on a row. Work 10 rows even, or until 6½ inches from 1st row. This is half of sleeve. Reverse directions for 2nd half, leaving off 5 sts, and decrease 1 st at shoulder side until 8 sts remain. Fasten off. With Blue sc 1 row over lower edge.

Sew sleeve seams. Sew yoke to back and front with points matching. The 7 sts on sides of yoke should be within 6 rows of center of the underarm. Sew sleeves to armholes with center top of sleeve at center top of armhole, and seam at center row between underarm shaping.

Front Band. With Blue pick up 56 sts over 1st row on right side. Continue up front edge, picking up 7 sts on end of every 6 rows (94 sts). Work back. Make Beige stripe. On Blue stripe pick up 7 sts, * pick up and sc off each of the next 4 sts, pick up 6 sts, and retain on hook. Repeat from * making 9th buttonhole 3 sts from top. Work back, pick up sts and make 4 ch, skip 4 sc for each of the buttonholes.

Work Beige stripe. On Blue pick up 1st, sc off, repeat to end, working very tight. For left side begin at top and work down omitting buttonholes.

Collar. With Beige, ch 22, work stripes even for 15 rows. Fasten off on Beige stripe. Attach Blue at beginning of 1st row, sc around 2 short sides and 1 long side, making 3 sc in corners. Sew to waist with center back of collar at center back of yoke and each end at beginning of band on fronts.

Skirt. This is worked lengthwise. With Beige ch 37 (for a 29-inch skirt; for each additional inch desired, ch 7 sts more). At end of rows, ch 8 with double thread, and work next stripe with 7 sts more, keeping opposite end even for lower edge of skirt. Work thus for 18 rows (162 sts).

Then ch 5 at end of the next 5 rows, 3 sts for 10 rows. Work even, until 15 inches from 1st even row at top of skirt (this is for a 38-inch hip and for larger size work 1 inch more).

Then reverse directions for shaping, working back 2nd half of rows to within 3 sts of beginning of rows and continue until 36 sts remain. Make second half of skirt in the same way, beginning 1st row with different color from last row of the 1st piece, so that stripes will alternate on sides. Sew seams with rows matching, and draw up work in sewing to prevent sagging.

Casing for Elastic. Attach Blue at top of skirt, ch 4, sl st in 3rd stripe to the left ½ inch below, * ch 4, sl st to top in 5th stripe from last st, ch 4, sl st in 5th stripe from last st on line below. Repeat from *, ch 4, join to beginning of rnd. Sew skirt to waist with side seams at center of Underarm, and center back and front of skirt at center back and front of waist.

Belt. With Beige, ch 1 inch more than desired waist measure. Work afghan st until 3 Beige stripes, then sc off the sts with Blue. Continue with Blue to sc around all sides making 3 sc in corners.

This free pattern originally published in Spool Cotton #35, Handmade Sports Wear