Parisian Striped Blouse Pattern #121

Size 34 Materials: Clark's O.N.T. (16 balls) or J. & P. Coats (11 balls) Mercerized Crochet, color 126 Spanish Red, Size 10, and 1 ball White, Size 10. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 2.

Back. With Red, ch 120 (to measure about 14 inches), turn. 1st row: 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in each of next 2 sts of ch, * ch 2, skip 2 sts, dc in each of next 14 sts, repeat from * 6 more times (7 groups of 14-dc and 2 3-dc end groups), ch 1, turn.

2nd row: Sc in each dc, and ch 2 over each ch-2 of previous row. Continue across, ch 3, turn. (Turning ch-3 always counts as 1 dc at beginning of next row).

3rd row: Dc in each sc, ch 2 over each ch-2. Ch 2, turn.

4th to 10th rows incl: Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows alternately.

11th row: 2 dc in 1st st (this is an increase), dc in each sc, and ch 2 over each ch-2. 2 dc in last st, ch 1, turn.

12th to 42nd rows incl: Repeat 2nd and 11th rows alternately, thus increasing 1 dc at beginning and end of every dc row (19 sc in each end group on 42nd row). Ch 3, turn.

43rd row: Dc in each of next 2 sc (3 dc in group), ch 2, skip 2 sc, 1 dc in each of next 14 dc (thus dividing off a new group of 14-dc), ch 2, dc in each sc, ch 2 over each ch-2, working in last group 14 dc, ch 2, skip 2 sc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, ch 1, turn (11 groups in all).

44th to 62nd rows incl: Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows alternately (no increases). There will be 3 sc in each of the two end groups, turn.

To Shape Armhole, 63rd to 68th rows incl: Sl st in first 2 sts at beginning of row, work across to within 2 sts from end of row, thus decreasing 2 sts at each end (8 sts left in each end group at 68th row). Turn.

69th to 95th rows incl: Work evenly. No decreases. Turn.

To Shape Shoulder, 96th row: Sl st in first 5 sts, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts, ch 2 over ch-2, and continue across to within 5 sts from end of row, thus decreasing 5 sts at each end. Turn.

97th to 100th rows incl: Decrease 5 sts at beginning and 5 sts at end of each row.

Front. With Red, ch 120 (to measure same as back), turn. 1st and 2nd rows: Same as 1st and 2nd rows of back.

3rd row: Same as 11th row of back.

4th row: Same as 2nd row.

5th to 10th rows incl: Repeat 3rd and 4th rows alternately, thus increasing 1 dc at beginning and 1 dc at end of every dc row.

11th row: Same as 3rd row, excepting that 2 dc are decreased on center group by skipping first and last dc of group (12 dc left in this group).

12th to 34th rows incl: Continue alternating 3rd and 4th rows, decreasing 2 sts in each center group of 21st and 31st rows (as was done in 11th row). There are 19 sc in each end group on 3rd row.

35th row: Divide off a new group on each side of work as done on 43rd row of back (11 groups).

36th to 45th rows incl: Increase 1 dc at each end on each dc row, and make the 2 decreases in center group of 41st row. There should be 8 dc in each end group at 45th row.

46th to 62nd rows incl: Work evenly, excepting for the 2 decreases at 51st row in the center group. There should be 4 dc left in this group.

To Shape Armholes and Neckline, 63rd to 95th rows incl: Same as for back, in the meantime on the 66th row: Sc in each dc, ch 2 over each ch-2 to within first dc of center 4-dc group (thus decreasing at neck edge), turn.

67th row: Sl st into first st, 2 dc over ch-2, and continue pattern to end of row.

68th to 91st rows incl: Work pattern decreasing 1 st on every row at the neck edge, and working evenly at the armhole edge.

To Shape Shoulder, 96th row: Work to within 5 sts from armhole, turn.

97th to 100th rows incl: Same as for back. Break off. Work other side of front to correspond.

Sleeve. With Red, ch 84 (to measure about 9 inches), turn. 1st row: Work as for 1st row of back, having only 10 dc (instead of 14) in each group. (7 groups of 10-dc).

2nd to 21st rows incl: Increase 1 st at beginning and 1 st at end of each row.

22nd to 35th rows incl: Decrease 3 sts at beginning and 3 sts at end of each row.

36th to 43rd rows incl: Decrease 2 sts at beginning and 2 sts at end of each row. Break off. Make other sleeve to correspond.

Cuff. Attach White to foundation ch of sleeve. 1st row: * Dc in each of next 10 dc, 2 dc over ch-2, 1 dc in each of next 5 dc, ch 2, 1 dc in same st as previous dc, 1 dc in each of next 5 dc, 2 dc over ch-2, and repeat from * around. Ch 3, turn.

2nd and 3rd rows: * 1 dc in each dc, over ch-2 make 2 dc with ch-2 between, and repeat from * to end of row, ch 3, turn.

4th row: Same as 2nd row, but make ch-8 instead of ch-2, to use as buttonholes. Sew on buttons covered with White to correspond with buttonholes.

Sew up side, shoulder, and sleeve seams, and sew sleeves in blouse. Work a row of sl st (with Red) around neckline to prevent stretching.

Collar. This blouse is completed by finishing the neck with the V Collar Pattern.

This free pattern originally published in Spool Cotton #46, Paris Sponsors Crochet