The Suit Dress Pattern #1172

MATERIALS J. & P. Coats Knit-Cro-Sheen, 7 balls of a light color and 3 balls of a dark color for Jacket; 12 balls of dark color for Skirt. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 8. 6 buttons. 1 yd. elastic, for skirt.

JACKET No. 1172 BACK ... Starting at bottom, with dark color ch 157.

1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch to within last ch; insert hook in last ch and pull loop through, drop dark color, pull loop of light color through both loops on hook. Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: Holding dark color along row and working over it in order to conceal it, * skip 3 sc, tr in each of next 2 sc, tr in 2nd sc skipped, tr in next sc - the last 2 sts are worked behind bars of 2 tr first made; dc in next sc (1 pattern st made). Repeat from * across to within last sc, thread over, insert hook in last sc and pull loop through, thread over and draw through 2 loops on hook; drop light color and draw dark color through last 2 loops on hook. Ch 1, turn.

3rd row: Concealing light color along top of row, make sc in each st across, sc in 3rd st of turning ch. Change to light color at end of row, as before. Ch 3, turn. The 2nd and 3rd rows constitute the pattern. Repeat these 2 rows alternately, always concealing unused color, until piece measures 3 inches, ending with 3rd row.

Next row: Work 6 pattern sts, skip next 2 sc; tr in each of next 2 sc, holding back the last loop of each tr on hook; thread over and draw through all loops on hook (a decrease); tr in each of 2 sc skipped, holding back the last loop of each tr on hook, thread over and draw through all loops on hook (another decrease); dc in next st, work 2 pattern sts over next 10 sc, dec. 2 sts as before, dc in next st, work 11 pattern sts, dec. 2 sts, dc in next st, work 2 pattern sts, dec. 2 sts, dc in next st, work 6 pattern sts over remaining 50 sts. Change to dark color at end of row (8 sts decreased-148 sts in row).

Following row: Sc in each of next 29 sts, dec. 3 sts - by working off 2 sts as 1 st, 3 times - sc in each of next 7 sts, dec. 3 sts, sc in each of next 52 sts, dec. 3 sts, sc in each of next 7 sts, dec. 3 sts, sc in each of remaining 29 sts (12 sts decreased-136 sts in row). Now work in pattern without decreasing until piece measures 4½ inches in all, ending with 2nd row.

Now work as follows: 1st row: 2 sc in each of 1st 3 sts (3 sc increased); sc in each st to within last 2 sts, 2 sc in each of next 2 sts, 2 sc in 3rd st of turning ch (another 3 sc increased). With light color ch 3, turn.

2nd row: Skip 2 sc, tr in next sc, tr in 2nd sc skipped, dc in sc next to tr first made (a half pattern st); work in pattern to within last 3 sts, make a half pattern over these 3 sts as before. With dark color ch, turn.

3rd row: Sc in each st across. With light color, ch 3, turn.

4th row: Skip 2 sc, 2 tr in next sc (1 st increased), 2 tr in 2nd sc skipped (another increase); dc in next sc; continue in pattern to within last 3 sts, inc. 2 sts as before. With dark color ch 1, turn.

5th and 6th rows: Work in pattern without increasing. Repeat these 6 rows until 50 sts in all (5 pattern sts on each side) are increased. Then work in pattern without increasing until piece measures 10½ inches in all, ending with 2nd row.

To Shape Armholes: 1st row: Sl st across 1st 5 sts, sc in each st to within last 6 sts, sl st in next st, turn.

2nd row: Skip sl st, sl st across next 4 sc, sc in each of next 2 sts, dc in each st to within next dc, dc in next dc and continue in pattern to within last 9 sts; dc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts, sl st in next st, turn. Repeat these 2 rows once more.

Then work straight until piece measures 7½ inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. On next row, to shape shoulders, sl st across 1st 5 sts, and work to within last 5 sts, turn. Repeat this row 8 more times. Fasten off.

RIGHT FRONT... Starting at bottom, with dark color ch 87 to measure about 9½ inches.

1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch to within last ch; in last ch make sc, dc, tr and dtr (3 sts increased, thus starting center front shaping); pick up light color as for Back, ch 4, turn.

2nd row: Skip 1st, 2 tr in next st (an increase), 2 tr in st just skipped (another increase), dc in st next to the 2 tr first made; continue in pattern across, keeping underarm edge straight. With dark color ch 1, turn.

3rd row: Sc in each st across; in turning ch make sc, dc, tr and dtr (3 sts increased). With light color ch 4, turn.

4th row: Same as 2nd row. Repeat 3rd and 2nd rows alternately twice.

9th row: Sc in each st across, sc in turning ch. With light color ch 3, turn. Now work in pattern without increasing until piece measures 3 inches, ending with 2nd row.

Next row: Sc in each st to within last 15 sts, ch 7, skip 7 sts (a buttonhole), sc in each of remaining 8 sts. With light color ch 3, turn. Now work in pattern, making a buttonhole every 2½ inches and, when piece measures 12 inches (ending with 2nd row), shaping armhole as follows:

1st row: Sl st across 1st 5 sts and work in pattern across remaining sts. With light color, ch 3, turn.

2nd row: Work to within last 3 sts. With dark color ch 1, turn.

3rd row: Sl st across 1st 2 sts, work across. Now work without decreasing until the 6th buttonhole is completed. Work 2 more rows.

Next row: Sl st across 1st 8 sts (8 sts decreased at center front edge), work across. With dark color ch 1, turn. Now work without decreasing until piece measures 5 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping, ending with 3rd row.

Hereafter, keeping armhole edge straight, shape neck opening as follows: 1st row: Sl st across 1st 18 sts, sc in next st, dc in next st; work in pattern to end of row. With dark color ch 1, turn.

2nd row: Sc in each st to within 5 sts from sl sts at opposite end, sl st in next st.

3rd row: Sl st in each of next 3 sts, work across. Now work without decreasing until piece measures 6½ inches from 1st row of armhole shaping.

Next row: To shape shoulder, sl st across 1st 10 sts at armhole edge; work across. Following row: Work to within last 10 sts, turn. Repeat these 2 rows once more. Fasten off.

LEFT FRONT ... Work as for Right Front, reversing shapings and omitting buttonholes.

SLEEVES ... Starting at bottom, ch 132 to measure about 14 inches. Work in pattern for 2 inches, ending with 2nd row.

Now inc. a half pattern st at both edges as for Back. Then work without increasing until piece measures 3 inches, ending with 2nd row.

To shape top of sleeve, dec. 15 sts at both ends of next row, 3 sts at both ends of following row and 2 sts at both ends of next row (20 sts decreased at each edge). Now dec. 1 st at both ends of each row until 60 sts (12 pattern sts) remain.

Continuing with end decreases, dec. 1 additional pattern st next to first and last pattern sts, once. Now dec. 1 st at both ends of each of next 3 rows, as before. Fasten off.

Sew up shoulder and underarm seams, easing in extra fullness of Fronts 1½ inches down from armhole shaping. Sew up sleeve seams and sew sleeves in, making 3 tucks at top. Sew on buttons to correspond with buttonholes. Make a row of scallop along outer edges of jacket and along bottoms of sleeves.

SKIRT No. 1172 Starting at bottom, with dark color ch 534 to measure about 68 inches (for your convenience, mark every 100 sts with a colored thread). Join with sl st.

1st rnd: Ch 3 (to count as dc), 2 dc in same place as sl st, * skip 2 ch, tr in each of next 2 ch, tr in 1st ch skipped, tr in next ch. 3 dc in ch following first tr made, ch 1, skip 1 ch, sc in next ch, ch 3, skip 1 ch, sc in next ch (a loop); make 28 more loops, ch 1, skip 1 ch, 3 dc in next ch. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 1, skip 1 ch, sl st in 3rd st of ch-3 first made.

2nd rnd: Sl st in next dc, ch 3, 2 dc in same place as last sl st, * skip next 2 tr, tr in each of next 2 tr, tr in first tr skipped, tr in next tr, 3 dc in center dc of next 3-dc group, skip ch-1 sp, make 2 tr in each of following 30 loops, skip ch-1 sp, 3 dc in center dc of next dc-group. Repeat from * around. Join to 3rd st of ch-3 first made.

3rd rnd: Sl st in next dc, ch 3, 2 dc in same place as last sl st, * skip 2 tr, tr in each of next 2 tr, tr in 1st tr skipped, tr in next tr, 3 dc in center dc of next dc-group, ch 1, sc between next 2 tr, ch 3, skip 2 tr, sc between next 2 tr (a loop); make 28 more loops, ch 1, 3 dc in center dc of next dc-group. Repeat from * around, join.

4th rnd: Sl st in center dc of dc-group, ch 3, 2 dc in same place as last sl st, * skip 2 tr, tr in each of next 2 tr, tr in 1st tr skipped, tr in next tr, 3 dc in center dc of next dc-group, tr in next sp (between dc and sc), 2 tr in each loop across to within next sp (between sc and dc), tr in sp, 3 dc in center dc of next dc-group. Repeat from * around, join.

5th rnd: Sl st in next dc, 2 dc in same place as last sl st, * skip 2 tr, tr in each of next 2 tr, tr in 1st tr skipped, tr in next tr, ch 1, sc between last dc of dc-group and next tr, ch 3, skip 2 tr, sc between next 2 tr (a loop); make 29 more loops, ch 1, 3 dc in center dc of next dc-group. Repeat from * around, join. The 2nd to 5th rnds incl. constitute the pattern.

Next rnd: Work in pattern to within 14th loop, tr in next loop, tr in following loop (2 tr decreased); continue around, decreasing 2 tr at center of each section (16 tr decreased in rnd). Now dec. 16 tr (2 tr in each section) on every 6th row until piece measures 28 inches in all, ending with a tr-rnd. Do not break off.

BEADING... Work a rnd of sc all around top of skirt. Join with sl st. Then * ch 5, sl st on wrong side of skirt at tip of 3rd row from top, and 3 sts to the left of sl st on skirt edge; ch 5, sl st on edge in 6th st from last sl st on edge. Repeat from * around. Fasten off. Pass elastic through beading.

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