Polonaise Cardigan Pattern #1187

MATERIALS: Chadwick's Red Heart Baby Wool, 6 balls (1 oz. balls) of any color. Milward's Steel Crochet Hook No. 2. 5 buttons. A pair of crinoline shoulder pads.

MEASUREMENTS AFTER BLOCKING: Bust—36 inches. Width across back at underarm—17 inches. Width across back at shoulder—13½ inches. Width across each front at underarm—9½ inches. Length from underarm to lower edge—8 inches. Length of sleeve, underarm seam—5 inches. Width of sleeve at underarm—14½ inches. GAUGE: 1 shell and 1 ch-3 sp make ¾ inch; 3 rows of shells make 1 inch.

BACK ... Starting at bottom, ch 109 to measure about 15 inches.

1st row: Dc in 4th ch from hook, ch 1, 2 dc in same place as last dc, * ch 3, skip 4 ch, in next ch make 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc (a shell). Repeat from * across (22 shells and 21 sps). Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: * Shell in ch-1 of next shell, ch 3. Repeat from * across, ending with shell in last shell. Ch 3, turn.

Repeat 2nd row until piece measures about 3½ inches; turn.

Next row: Make a shell at base of turning ch-3, ch-3—a shell and a sp increased—shell in ch-1 of next shell and continue across, ending with shell in ch-1 of last shell, ch 3, shell in last dc of last shell— another sp and shell increased. Ch 3, turn.

Work straight until piece measures 8 inches.

TO SHAPE ARMHOLES: 1st, 2nd and 3rd rows: Sl st in each st of 1st shell and in next st of ch-3; sl st in ch-3 sp, ch 3; shell in next shell, ch 3 and continue in pattern to within last sp, dc in next sp, turn.

4th row: Sl st to ch-1 of 1st shell, ch 3 and complete a shell in ch-1, ch 3 and continue across.

Work straight until piece measures 7 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping.

To shape shoulders, dec. 1 shell and 1 sp at both ends of each row 5 times—to dec. a shell and a sp at beginning of row, sl st across 1st shell and 1st sp; at end of row, work to within last sp, turn. Fasten off.

RIGHT FRONT ... Ch 54 to measure about 7½ inches and work as for Back, increasing 1 shell and 1 sp at underarm edge every 3 inches twice.

Work straight until piece measures 8 inches.

TO SHAPE ARMHOLE: 1st to 4th rows incl: Same as 1st row of armhole shaping of Back, keeping center front edge straight.

Work straight until piece measures about 5½ inches from 1st row of armhole shaping.

Keeping armhole edge straight, shape neck edge as for armhole shaping.

Work 2 rows straight, ending at armhole edge.

To shape shoulder, dec. 2 shells and 2 sps at armhole edge twice. Fasten off.

LEFT FRONT ... Work to correspond with Right Front.

SLEEVES ... Starting at bottom, ch 70 to measure about 9½ inches and work as for Back, increasing 1 shell and 1 sp at both ends of row every inch 3 times.

Work straight until piece measures 5 inches.

To shape top of sleeve, repeat 1st 3 rows of Front shoulder shaping.

Now work straight until piece measures 12 inches.

Next row: Sl st to ch-1 of 1st shell, ch 3, dc in same ch-1—half shell decreased—; ch 3, shell in next shell, and work to within last shell, 2 dc in last shell—another half shell decreased. Ch 5, turn.

Following row: Shell in next complete shell, work in pattern across, ending with shell in last complete shell, ch 2, dc in last dc of last half shell. Ch 3, turn.

Last row: Work in pattern, ending with shell in last shell, dc in 3rd st of turning ch. Fasten off.

BUTTONS (Make 5) ... Ch 2, 10 sc in 2nd ch from hook.

2nd rnd: 2 sc in each sc.

3rd rnd: Sc in each sc.

4th and 5th rnds: Sc in every other sc, inserting button before opening becomes too small.

Fasten off, leaving a 10-inch yarn; use this yarn to sew up opening.

Sew up underarm and shoulder seams. Sew up sleeve seams and sew in sleeves; use fullness of sleeve to make 3 inverted pleats at top.

With right side toward you, attach yarn at bottom of Left Front and work across entire lower edge of blouse as follows: 1st row: 4 sc in each sp across (sc-row should measure about 28½ inches). Ch 1, turn.

2nd and 3rd rows: Sc in each sc across. Ch 1, turn.

Do not break off, but work 3 rows of sc along right center front edge. Ch 1, turn.

Next row: Sc in 1st sc, ch 6, skip 4 sc, sc in next sc (a loop). Make 4 more loops evenly apart across row, having last loop 1 st from end of row. Ch 1, turn.

Last row: Sc across, with 8 sc in each loop. Fasten off.

Work across left center front edge to correspond, omitting loops.

Work 3 rows sc along neck edge, decreasing as necessary to keep work flat.

Work 3 rnds sc around bottom of sleeves.

Sew on buttons. Sew in shoulder pads.

This free pattern originally published in Spool Cotton #139, Sweater News