Patio Pal Dress Pattern #1091

Materials: J. & P., Coats Knit-Cro-Sheen, 13 balls. Clark's O.N.T. Six Strand Cotton, 1 skein each of 3 contrasting colors for embroidery. Milward's steel crochet hooks, No. 1 and No. 7. 12 buttons ½ inch in diameter, 6 snap fasteners. Gauge: (Dress) 5 sps make 1 inch; 5 rows make 1 inch. (Belt and Pockets) 12 sts make 1 inch; 10 rows make 1 inch. The blouse and skirt are worked separately and then sewed together at waistline.

BLOUSE Back. Starting at waistline with No. 7 hook, ch 156 (to measure about 17 inches), turn.

1st row: Dc in 6th ch from hook, * ch 1, skip 1 ch, dc in next ch. Repeat from * across (76 sps). Ch 4, turn.

2nd row: Skip ch-1, dc in next dc (sp made over sp), * ch 1, dc in next dc. Repeat from * across, thus making sp over sp of previous row. Ch 4, turn.

Hereafter repeat 2nd row increasing 1 sp at both ends of every 4th row until there are 104 sps in the row (to increase 1 sp, make dc in sp, ch 1, dc in dc). Work straight until work measures 13½ inches. Ch 1, turn.

To shape shoulders, on next row work to within 7 sps from end of previous row, then work off the next 2 dc together as 1 dc (5 sps decreased), ch 1, turn.

Following row: Sc across 1st 4 sps, sc in next sp, ch 1, dc in next dc (5 sps decreased), ch 1, and continue in pattern across, decreasing 5 sps at end of row as before. Ch 1, turn.

Continue in this manner, decreasing 5 sps at both ends of every row until 28 sps remain. Break off.

Front. Starting at waistline with No. 7 hook, ch 178 (to measure about 18½ inches), turn.

Work in pattern as for back (87 sps in 1st row) until there are 107 sps in the row and work measures 13½ inches.

To shape neck, on next row work across 1st 48 sps, ch 2, turn. Hereafter work over those 48 sps, decreasing 2 sps at neck edge 3 times and 1 sp twice (40 sps remain). Then keeping neck edge straight, shape shoulder but decreasing 5 sps at armhole edge every row, until all sps are worked off. Break off.

Skip 11 sps at center front, attach thread to next dc and work other side to correspond.

Measure off 7½ inches from shoulder edge down both sides of back and front, mark with a pin. Then measure off 3 inches from the last pins on back only and mark. Sew up underarm seams easing in the extra fullness of front between pin marks of back, leaving 2 inch opening at left side of waistline.

Attach thread at shoulder edge of back and work 2 rows of sc across shoulder, along neck edge, across other shoulder, and all around armhole edge, then across shoulder, neck edge and other shoulder of front, and all around other armhole. Break off.

Buttonloops. With No. 1 hook and 3 strands of thread, make a chain 1 yard long, turn and work a sc in each ch across. Break off. Sew cord across front shoulder to neck edge on wrong side, making 6 buttonloops and having a space of ½ inch between each buttonloop. Cut remainder of cord and finish other shoulder of front in the same way.

Buttons. Starting at center with No. 7 hook, ch 3, then make 6 sc in 3rd ch from hook.

2nd and subsequent rnds: Sc in each sc, increasing when necessary to keep work flat until piece covers top of button. Work 1 rnd straight. Slip button inside, and close up by sc in sc, decreasing when necessary, until button is enclosed. Leave piece of thread to sew button to blouse. Break off. Sew on buttons across shoulders of back to correspond with buttonloops.

Pockets. Starting at top edge, with No. 7 hook, ch 51 to measure about 4½ inches, turn.

1st row: Sc in 3rd ch from hook, sc in each ch across (48 sc). Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: Skip 1st sc, * sc in next sc, ch 1, skip next sc. Repeat from * across, making last sc in turning ch. Ch 3, turn.

3rd row: Skip 1st sc, * sc in next ch-1, ch 1, skip next sc. Repeat from * across. Ch 2, turn.

Repeat 3rd row until work measures 1 inch.

Next row: Work to within last sc and turning ch, then do not ch 1 but make sc in turning ch (thus decreasing 1 st). Ch 2, turn.

Following row: Sc under 1st ch-1, ch 1, and continue in pattern to within last sc and turning ch, then do not ch 1 but make sc in turning ch. Ch 2, turn.

Repeat this last row until 23 sts remain. Break off. Work a row of sc all around pocket edges. Break off. Sew on pockets as in illustration.

Belt. Starting at one end, with No. 7 hook, ch 39 (to measure about 3½ inches), turn.

Work in pattern as for pocket, making 2 buttonholes on the 5th row, ½ inch in from each end (to make a buttonhole, ch 3, skip 2 sc, sc in next ch-1 sp; then on next row, make 2 sc with ch-1 between on ch-3). Then decrease 2 sts at end of next row and every 6th row thereafter at same edge (keeping opposite edge straight), until row measures 2 inches across.

Hereafter work straight until work measures 2 inch less than half of your own waist measurement. Then work other half to correspond making increases where decreases were made and making 2 buttonholes as before. Work a row of scall around belt.

Cord for Belt. Make a cord 21 inches long, same as for buttonloops. Pull through buttonholes of belt and tie.

SKIRT Back. Starting at bottom, with No. 7 hook ch 263 (to measure about 28 inches), turn.

1st row: Dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in each ch across (261 dc counting turning ch as 1 dc). Ch 4, turn.

Work in pattern as for blouse (130 sps) until work measures 7 inches. Then decrease 1 sp at both ends of next row and every 4th row thereafter 9 times (110 sps remain). Hereafter decrease 1 sp at both ends of every 8th row for 5 times (100 sps remain), then every 3rd row for 9 times (80 sps remain). Work straight until work measures 31 inches. Break off.

Front. Starting at bottom, ch 272 (to measure about 29 inches), turn.

Work as for back (135 sps in 1st row) until work measures 31 inches (85 sps remain). Sew up side seams, leaving an opening of 4 inches at left side. Sew skirt to blouse. Sew snap fasteners on both sides of opening.

Embroider belt, and buttons as in diagram, using thread double, and making flowers in single stitch with a French knot in center, leaves in loop stitch, cross marks in cross stitch, remainder in running stitch. Use one color for flowers, stems and leaves; another color for French knots and cross stitches and a third color for straight running stitches. Work 2 rows of running stitch around pockets ½ inch apart using a different color for each row.

This free pattern originally published in Spool Cotton #91, Cotton Fashions