Lace Yoke Blouse Pattern #5

Blouse instructions are given for size 16. It is always well to remember to take your own individual measurements—bust, underarm to waistline, across back, length of back to waist, arm, etc.—and check these against your work as you go. Variations frequently occur because of the fact that some persons crochet more loosely or tightly than others. Consequently, you may find it necessary to make a few minor individual adjustments in the directions. Remember also that should you choose to use Mercerized Crochet thread instead of Knitting & Crochet Cotton, a few additional stitches may be required to attain the size desired as diameters of these threads are not the same.

Materials: Clark's O.N.T. Knitting & Crochet Cotton, 4 balls (or, if preferred 10 balls of Clark's O.N.T. or 8 balls of J. & P. Coats Mercerized Crochet size 30). Milward's steel crochet hook No. 3.

YOKE. Make ch the length of neck measurement, and ch 4 additional. 1st row: Beginning in 4th ch from hook, make 2 dc, * ch 2, skip 1, 1 sc in next ch, ch 2, skip 1, 1 dc in next, and repeat from * to end of row with dc in last 3 sts. Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: Dc in 2nd and 3rd dc in 1st row, ch 2. With ch-2 between the sts, work a dc in the sc of the 1st row, and a sc in the dc. Repeat 2nd row until there are 4 rows of this mesh. Ch 3, turn.

5th row: 2 dc, ch 2, 1 sc in 1st dc. * Ch 1, 5 dc in next sc, ch 1, 1 sc in next dc, repeat from * across. Finish with ch-2, 3 dc. Ch 3, turn.

6th row: 2 dc, ch 5, * dc in 2nd, 3rd and 4th dc of group, ch 5, and repeat from * across. Finish with ch-5, 3 dc, ch 3, turn.

7th row: 2 dc, ch 2, * 5 dc in 3rd ch of ch-5 loop, ch 2, 1 sc in 2nd dc of group of 3-dc, ch 2, and repeat from * across. Finish with ch-2, 3 dc, ch 3, turn.

8th row: 2 dc, ch 3, and repeat from * to * in row 6 until end of row. Finish with ch-3, 3 dc. Ch 3, turn.

9th row: 2 dc, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd dc, ch 2, and repeat from * to * in 7th row. Finish with ch-3, 3 dc. Ch 3, turn.

10th row: 2 dc, ch 5. Repeat from * to * in 6th row. Finish row with ch-5, 3 dc. Ch 3, turn.

11th row: Same as 7th row.

12th row: 2 dc, ch 3, dc in 2nd, 3rd, 4th dc, ch 5. Repeat from * to * in 6th row 5 times. In the 6th group ** work 1 dc in 2nd dc, ch 5, 1 dc in 4th dc **. Continue row to 6th group from other end and repeat from ** to **. This is done to increase. In the next row the sc is worked in the top of the 1 dc. Continue row and finish with ch-3, 3 dc. Ch 3, turn.

13th row: Same as 9th row.

14th row: 2 dc, ch 5, repeat from * to * in 6th row, increasing at 6th and 12th groups from both ends. (See ** to ** row 12.) Finish with ch-5, 3 dc. Ch 3, turn.

15th row: Same as 7th row.

16th row: 2 dc, ch 3, repeat from * to * of 6th row, increasing at 6th and 14th groups from each end. Finish with ch-3, 3 dc, ch 3, turn.

17th row: Same as 9th row.

18th row: 2 dc, ch 5, repeat from * to * in 6th row, increasing at 6th and 14th groups from both ends. Finish row with ch 5, 3 dc. Ch 3, turn.

19th row: Same as 7th row. (If Mercerized Crochet is used, make about 6 more rows, so that the yoke will fit down over the top of the shoulders.)

20th row: Sl st to 3rd dc, * ch 6, 1 sc in top of next shell. Repeat from * around yoke.

21st row: Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows until there are 4 rows of narrow mesh at bottom. Sl st in last st. Break off.

FRONT. Make a ch 14 inches long and then ch 4 additional. 1st row: 1 sc in 6th ch from hook, * ch 2, skip 2, 1 dc in next, ch 2, skip 2, 1 sc in next. Repeat from * across. From here on finish row with dc in last st.

2nd row: * 1 sc in dc of row below, ch 2, 1 dc in sc, ch 2, and repeat from * across. Ch 5, turn.

3rd row: * 1 dc in sc, ch 2, 1 sc in dc, ch 2, and repeat from * across.

4th to 12th rows incl: Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows.

13th row: 1 dc in 1st sp, * 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc (called a mesh) in each of next 3 sps, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc in 4th sp. Repeat from * across. Ch 4, turn.

14th row: 1 dc in 1st mesh. Put mesh in mesh of 1st row and mesh over ch-1 of groups of 3 (that is, 2 meshes in the group of 3-dc). Ch 4, turn.

15th row: 1 dc in 1st mesh. Make mesh in mesh across. Ch 4, turn. Repeat 15th row until work measures 8 inches from top of band.

To shape top part of front body: 1st row: Sc to top of the 4th mesh from end, ch 3, work 1 mesh in each of next 9 meshes. In 10th mesh, make 1 dc, ch 1, 1 half dc, in 11th mesh 1 half dc, ch 3, turn.

2nd row: 1 mesh in 2nd mesh of previous row, 1 mesh in each of the next 8 meshes. Ch 3, turn.

3rd row: 1 mesh in 2nd mesh of previous row, 1 mesh in each of the next 5 meshes, then in the 6th mesh work 1 dc, ch 1, 1 half dc. In next mesh 1 half dc. Ch 3, turn.

4th row: 1 mesh in 2nd mesh and 1 mesh in each of next 4 meshes. 1 dc in next mesh. Ch 3, turn.

5th row: 1 mesh in 1st mesh, and 1 mesh in each of next 2 meshes. Decrease next mesh by working 2 together. Ch 4, turn.

6th row: 1 mesh in 2nd mesh, 1 mesh in each of next 2 meshes. Ch 4, turn.

7th row: 1 mesh, and decrease next mesh. Ch 4, turn.

8th row: 1 dc in 1st mesh, 1 mesh in next mesh. Ch 4, turn.

9th row: 1 half dc in 1st mesh and 1 half dc in mesh working off 2 loops together. Break off. Work other side to correspond.

BACK. Make ch 13 inches long. Follow directions for 1st to 12th rows of front and work until back has same underarm measurement as the front. Ch 1 turn.

To shape top part of back body: 1st row: Sl st along top of 1st 3 meshes. Ch 3, 1 mesh in 4th mesh, and continue across to 4th mesh from other side. 1 dc in 3rd mesh. Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: 1 dc in 1st mesh. Work mesh in mesh across, working 1 dc in last mesh. Continue to decrease 1 mesh at each end for 2 more rows. Ch 3, turn.

5th row: Work without decreasing.

6th row: Work 7 meshes, then in 8th mesh, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 half dc; and in 9th mesh, 1 half dc working off 2 loops of last 2 half dc together.

7th row: Ch 3, 1 mesh in 7th mesh of previous row, 1 mesh in each of following meshes.

8th, 9th and 10th rows: Ch 4, decrease 1 mesh at next side of blouse and keep straight on armhole side.

11th row: Ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd mesh of previous row and 1 mesh in each of next 2 meshes. Break off thread. Make other side of back to correspond.

SLEEVE BAND. 1st row: Make ch to fit arm above elbow. Ch 4 additional. Beginning in 5th ch from hook, * 1 dc, ch 2, skip 1st, 1 sc, ch 2, skip 1st, and repeat from * to end of row. Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: * 1 dc in sc, ch 2, 1 sc in dc, ch 2, repeat from * for 3 rows.

SLEEVE. 1st row: Ch 4, 1 dc in 1st sp, * 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc (1 mesh) in next sp. Repeat from * across.

2nd row: Ch 4, 1 dc in 1st mesh. Make row of meshes increasing at the 5th and after that every 7th mesh. To increase, work 3 dc with ch-1 between in 1 mesh, and in the following row a mesh is worked in each of the sps thus made. Continue meshes, increasing at the same places every other row until there are 8 rows of meshes.

9th and 10th rows: Work meshes without increasing.

11th row: Work mesh over mesh and decrease at the same places as the increasing was done (to decrease, make 1 dc in next mesh, ch 1, and 1 dc in next mesh).

12th row: No increases or decreases. Work mesh over mesh.

13th row: Same as 11th row.

14th row: No decreases.

15th row: Same as 11th row, decreasing at regular intervals.

16th row: No decreases.

17th row: Same as 11th row.

18th row: No increases or decreases.

19th row: Start to shape armhole by starting 1½ inches from side of sleeve and continue across to within 1½ inches of other side.

20th to 26th rows incl: Decrease 1 mesh on each side every row. The sleeve should measure about 7 inches across the top.

Sew up underarm seams of blouse, and join to drop shoulder yoke. Sew in sleeves.

This free pattern originally published in Spool Cotton #29, Fashions Crochet and Knitting