Slim Princess Dress Pattern #1179

MATERIALS J. & P. Coats Knit-Cro-Sheen, 16 balls of White or Ecru, or 19 balls of any color. Milward's steel crochet hooks Nos. 2 and 5. 10 snap fasteners.

SKIRT (Right Front Panel) ... Starting at bottom of side seam, with No. 5 hook ch 5.

1st row: 6 tr in 5th ch from hook. Ch 1, turn (this is bottom of skirt). Always make turning ch's loosely to allow for stretch.

2nd row: 2 sc in 1st tr, sc in each sc to within last sc, 2 sc in last sc. Ch 4, turn.

3rd row: Dc where ch-4 started, ch 1, dc in next sc, * ch 1, skip 1 sc, dc in next sc (a sp). Repeat from * to within last sc, ch 1, dc in last sc, ch 1, dc in same place. Ch 4, turn.

4th row: Dc where ch-4 started, * ch 1, dc in next dc (a sp). Repeat from * to within turning ch, ch 1, dc in 3rd st of turning ch, ch 1, dc in same place. Ch 1, turn.

5th row: Sc in dc, 2 sc in next ch-1 sp, sc in each dc and in each ch-1 sp across, ending with 2 sc in last sp, sc in 3rd st of turning ch. Ch 4, turn.

6th row: Tr where ch-4 started, tr in each sc across, making 2 tr in last sc. Ch 1, turn. The 2nd to 6th rows incl. constitute the pattern.

Work in pattern, decreasing 1 sp - by omitting the first or last increase-sp, as the case may be - on 2nd row of each pattern at side seam edge until piece measures 15 inches along bottom of skirt, ending with a tr-row. Ch 2 to turn and, continuing with side shaping, keep center front edge straight by working as follows:

1st row: Skip next tr, sc in next tr, sc in each tr across, ending row as usual. Ch 4, turn.

2nd row: Work in pattern to within last 2 sc, skip 1 sc, tr in last sc. Ch 4, turn.

3rd row: Skip next dc, dc in next dc, and continue in pattern across, ending row with sp over last sp, inc. a sp. Ch 1, turn.

4th row: Sc in each st across to within last 2 sps, sc in last st of turning ch. Ch 4, turn.

5th row: * Tr in each of next 2 sts, holding back on hook the last loop of each tr, thread over and pull through all loops on hook (1 tr decreased). Repeat from * once more and continue in pattern across, ending row with tr in last sc. Ch 1, turn.

6th row: Sc in turning ch, sc in each tr across to within last 4 tr, * skip 1 tr, sc in next tr. Repeat from * once more. Ch 4, turn.

7th row: Skip next 2 sc, dc in next sc, and continue in pattern across, ending row with dc in last sc. Ch 4, turn.

8th row: Dc in 1st dc and work in pattern across to within last 2 sps, tr in last dc. Ch 2, turn.

9th row: Skip next dc, sc in next dc and work in pattern across, ending row with sc in last sp, sc at top of turning ch. Ch 4, turn.

10th row: Tr in next sc and work in pattern across to within last 4 sts, dec. 2 sts as before - by working off 2 sts as 1 st, twice. Ch 2, turn. Repeat these last 10 rows until center front edge measures 20 inches.

Then, working in pattern, dec. at both edges as for center front until all sts are worked off. Fasten off.

Left Front Panel ... Work as for right front panel, reversing shapings.

Right Back Panel ... Same as left front panel.

Left Back Panel ... Same as right front panel.

BLOUSE (Left Back) ... Starting at bottom of underarm edge, with No. 5 hook ch 5 and work in pattern, increasing 2 additional tr on each tr-row at underarm edge until piece measures 7 inches along bottom of blouse, ending with tr-row.

Then, keeping center back edge straight as for skirt, work in pattern, omitting additional tr-increases at opposite edge, until piece measures 8 inches in all at underarm edge.

To Shape Armhole: Dec. 2 sc on next sc-row at underarm edge, 2 sps on next sp-row, 1 sp on next row, 2 sc on next row and 2 sts on each of next 3 rows (all decreases are made at same edge). Now keep both edges straight as for skirt until piece measures 7 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping.

To shape shoulder, dec. 1 st or 1 sp, as the case may be, at armhole edge each row until 36 tr or 18 sps remain. Now continue in pattern, working shoulder edge as for center back edge until all sts are worked off. Fasten off.

RIGHT BACK .... Work as for Left Back, reversing shapings.

LEFT FRONT... Starting at bottom of underarm edge, with No. 5 hook ch 5 and work as for Left Back until piece measures 7½ inches along bottom of blouse, ending with tr-row.

Then, keeping center front edge straight, work in pattern, omitting additional tr-increases at opposite edge until piece measures 9½ inches along underarm edge. Shape armhole as for Left Back.

Then, keep both edges straight until piece measures 7 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. Shape shoulder as for Left Back but, when there are 50 tr on a tr-row or 25 sps on sp-row, shape neck by decreasing 1 additional st or sp at center front edge for 1 complete pattern (5 rows). On next row, dec. 18 sts or 9 sps at neck edge, and work in pattern over remaining sts, decreasing 3 sts at both ends of each sc-row and tr-row, and 1 sp at both ends of each sp-row until all sts are worked off. Fasten off.

RIGHT FRONT... Work as for Left Front, reversing shapings.

SLEEVES ... Starting at bottom, with No. 2 hook ch 93 to measure about 14 inches.

1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across (92 sc). Ch 4 (to count as tr), turn.

2nd row: 2 tr in 1st sc, 3 tr in each sc across (276 tr). Ch 4, turn.

3rd row: Tr in each tr across. Ch 1, turn.

4th row: Insert hook in next tr, pull loop through, skip next tr, insert hook in next tr, pull loop through, thread over and pull through all loops on hook. Repeat from * across (92 sts).

5th row: Sc in each st across (92 sts). Ch 4, turn.

6th and 7th rows: Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows (276 tr).

8th row: Sc in each of 3 tr, * insert hook in next tr, pull loop through; skip next tr, insert hook in next tr, pull loop through; thread over and draw through all loops on hook. Repeat from * across to within last 3 tr, sc in each of 3 tr (96 sts). Ch 1, turn.

9th row: Sc in each st across (96 sts). Ch 4, turn.

10th and 11th rows: Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows (288 tr).

12th and 13th rows: Repeat 8th and 9th rows (100 sts).

14th row: Tr in each of 8 sc, * 3 tr in next sc. Repeat from * across to within last 8 sc, tr in each of 8 sc (268 tr). Ch 4, turn.

15th row: Repeat 3rd row (268 tr).

16th row: Sl st across 1st 8 tr, * insert hook in next tr, pull loop through; skip next tr, insert hook in next tr, pull loop through; thread over and draw through all loops on hook. Repeat from * to within last 8 tr (84 sts). Ch 1, turn.

17th row: Skip 1 st, sc in each st across, skip next to the last st (82 sc). Ch 4, turn.

18th row: Tr in each of 9 sc, * 3 tr in next sc. Repeat from * to within last 9 sc, tr in each of 9 sc (210 tr). Ch 4, turn.

19th row: Repeat 3rd row (210 tr).

20th row: * Insert hook in next tr, pull loop through; skip next tr, insert hook in next tr, pull loop through; thread over and draw through all loops on hook. Repeat from * across (70 sts).

21st row: Repeat 17th row (68 sts).

22nd and 23rd rows: Repeat 18th and 19th rows (168 tr).

24th row: Repeat 20th row (56 sts).

25th row: Repeat 17th row (54 sts).

26th and 27th rows: Repeat 18th and 19th rows (126 tr).

28th row: Repeat 20th row (42 sts).

29th row: Repeat 17th row (40 sts). Fasten off.

BELT ... Starting at narrow end, with No. 2 hook ch 15 to measure 2 inches.

1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across. Ch 4, turn.

2nd row: 2 tr in 1st sc, 3 tr in each sc across (42 tr, counting turning ch as 1 tr). Ch 4, turn.

3rd row: Tr in each tr across. Ch 1, turn.

4th row: Insert hook in 1st tr, pull loop through; * skip next tr, insert hook in following tr, pull loop through; thread over and draw through all loops on hook, insert hook in next tr, draw loop through. Repeat from * across. Ch 1, turn.

5th row: Sc in each st across. Ch 4, turn. The 2nd to 5th rows incl. constitute the pattern. Repeat these 4 rows until 5 patterns are completed.

Now change to No. 5 hook, ch 4 and work as follows: 1st row: Tr in next sc, 2 tr in each sc to within last 2 sc, tr in each of next 2 sc. Ch 1, turn.

2nd row: Sc in each tr across. Ch 4, turn.

3rd row: Tr in each sc across. Ch 1, turn. Repeat the 2nd and 3rd rows alternately until piece measures 28 inches, ending with tr-row.

Last row: Sc in each of next 2 tr, * dec. 1 tr by working off 2 sts as 1 st. Repeat from * to within last 2 sts, sc in each of next 2 sts. Fasten off.

CORD... With 2 strands and No. 5 hook, make a chain 22 inches long; sl st in each ch across. Fasten off.

Sew up center back and center front seams of blouse, leaving Front open above neck shaping. Sew up shoulder and side seams, easing in the extra fullness of Fronts 1½ inches down from armhole shaping and leaving a 3-inch opening at left side seam. Sew up sleeve seams and sew sleeves in. Sew up center back and center front seams of skirt. Sew up side seams, leaving a 4-inch opening at top of left side. Be sure that side seams do not sag. Sew skirt to blouse at waistline. Make 2 rows of sc along side opening and sew ½ snap fasteners along opening. Make a row of sc along bottom of skirt and around neck opening. Knot free ends of cord. Pass cord through sps at front neck opening and tie into a bow. (see illustration). Fasten belt with snap fasteners.

This free pattern originally published in Spool Cotton #128, Cotton Flash!