Terrace Blouse Pattern #151

Size 34-36 Materials: Clark's O.N.T. Knitting and Crochet Cotton, 3 balls of Color 116 Blossom Pink or Color 9 Yellow. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 4. Gauge: 4 meshes equal 1 inch; 4 rows equal 1 inch.

Front: Make a chain 20 inches long, without stretching.

1st row: Sc in 4th ch from hook, * skip ch 2, sc in next ch, ch 3, sc in same ch as last sc, and repeat from * along ch, ending with sc, ch 1, 1 dc in last ch. Ch 4, turn.

2nd row: Sc in dc of row below, * sc in 2nd st of next ch-3, ch 3, sc in same place as last sc. Repeat from * across, ending with 1 sc, ch 1, 1 dc (½ mesh). Ch 4, turn.

Repeat 2nd row, increasing 1 mesh at each end of the 20th and 24th rows, until work measures 9 inches. (To increase, sc, ch 3, sc, ch 1, dc in the dc at the end of row below, thus making an extra mesh).

Work is now at underarm. Break off thread and attach it in the 5th mesh and work across to 6th mesh from other end. Into next mesh work sc, ch 1, dc, ch 2, turn, and begin in first whole mesh of last row (to decrease ½ mesh) and work across. Continue decreasing ½ mesh at each end until there are 6 rows from underarm.

Front of Yoke: 1st row: Sc in dc of last row, sc in 2nd st of ch-3, * ch 3, sc in same place as last sc, make 1 knot st (to make knot st, draw loop on hook out ½ inch, draw thread through, making a ch st of it. Put hook between loop and single thread of this ch and make an sc), skip 1 mesh of last row, sc in 2nd st of ch-3 of next mesh and repeat from * across, ending with 1 whole mesh and ½ mesh. Ch 4, turn.

Repeat 1st row of yoke 12 more times, making mesh over mesh and knot st over knot st.

14th row: Find center and work to 2nd mesh from center. Into it put 1 sc, make 1 knot st, turn and work back, thus decreasing 1 stripe at the neck. Continue across half of yoke, decreasing 1 stripe at the neck every other row until the 20th row.

21st row: Work across to the last stripe of whole meshes, make 1 sc in this, then ch 2, 1 sc in half mesh at the end.

22nd row: Turn, sl st back on ch 2 to sc, ch 4, 1 sc in next mesh, ch 4, 1 sc in next mesh. Work as before to neck and decrease 1 stripe.

23rd row: 1 knot st, 1 mesh, ch 4, 1 sc in next mesh and finish off. Make other side to correspond.

Back: Repeat directions for making front to the yoke.

Back of Yoke: Repeat 1st row of front of yoke for 7 rows.

8th row: Find center and work to center, turn (to make opening at center back). If mesh stripe is at the center, make ½ mesh in it, turn and work back. Then when making the other side, make another ½ mesh in the same place and turn. If, however, a knot st is at the center, make ½ mesh over the 2 top threads of it, then turn.

Continue for 8 more rows.

17th row: Work across and decrease 1 stripe at center (see 14th row of front of yoke).

18th row: Work across and decrease 1 stripe at shoulder.

Repeat 17th and 18th rows until all the stripes have been worked off. Break thread. Make other side to correspond.

Neck Band: Join back and front at shoulders. Then attach thread at the center back and make a row of ch 2, 1 sc, putting the sc near enough, so that the neck line lies flat. Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: Dc into each ch and sc of 1st row, working into the front loops only. Ch 4, turn.

3rd row: Sc in back loop of 1st st, * skip 2 dc, 1 sc, ch 3, 1 sc (1 mesh) in the back thread of next dc. Repeat from * around. Finish row with ½ mesh. Ch 3, turn.

4th row: Sc in 2nd ch of 1st whole mesh, * ch 2, 1 sc in next mesh, and repeat from * around. Ch 2, turn.

5th row: Dc in each ch and sc of 4th row, working in back loop. Finish off.

Sleeves: Ch 90, turn.

1st row: Sc in 3rd ch from hook, sc in each st of ch. Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: Dc in front loop of each sc. Ch 4, turn.

3rd row: Sc in 4th ch from hook, * skip 1 dc of last row, 1 sc in back loop of next dc, ch 3, 1 sc in same place as last sc and repeat from * across. Make 1 sc, ch 1, 1 dc in last st. Ch 3, turn.

4th row: 1 sc in 2nd ch of next mesh, ch 2, and repeat from * across. Ch 3, turn.

5th row: 1 dc in back loop of each st of last row and work across. Ch 3, turn.

6th row: 1 sc in front loop of each st of last row. Ch 4, turn.

7th row: 1 sc in back loop of 1st sc, * skip 1 sc, make 1 mesh in back loop of next sc and repeat from * across. Put ½ mesh in back loop of last sc. Work 4 more rows of meshes and break thread.

12th row: Leave 4 meshes for underarm and begin again in 5th mesh. Work across to 6th mesh from other end. Into next mesh make 2 mesh. Ch 2, turn.

13th row: Begin in 1st whole mesh of last row, and work across. Continue decreasing ½ mesh at each end until there are 6 rows from underarm.

18th row: 1 sc in ½ mesh of row below, * make 1 knot st, skip 1 mesh of row below and make 1 mesh in next. Repeat from * across, finishing the row with 1 knot st, and 1 sc in last st of row below.

Repeat 18th row until there are 8 rows of the stripes. Then decrease 1 stripe each row (as in yoke) until there are 2 stripes of whole meshes in the row. Then break off.

Sew up the seam and ease the sleeve into the armhole of the blouse. Make other sleeve to match.

Belt: Holding front with the right side of the bottom edge uppermost, attach thread to right end. 1st row: Ch 2, 1 sc in 1st mesh, then make 2 sc over foundation ch, and between each 2 meshes of the 1st row. Work across. Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: Dc into front loop of each st of last row. Ch 4, turn.

3rd row: 1 sc in last st of row below. * Skip 2 dc, make 1 mesh in back loop of next dc. Repeat from * across. Finish row with ½ mesh. Ch 3, turn.

4th row: * 1 sc in 2nd ch of mesh, ch 2, and repeat from * across. Ch 3, turn.

5th row: Dc in back loop of each st of last row.

Repeat from 2nd row twice. Ch 2, turn.

14th row: Sc into front loop of each st of last row. Break off. Repeat the belt on the lower edge of the back.

Leaving an opening of 1½ inches from the top of the belt, sew up the underarm seams. Fasten the blouse at the sides with 3 buttons and loops and 1 at the back of neck.

This free pattern originally published in Spool Cotton #51, Fifth Avenue Fashions