Two Piece Surplice Dress Pattern #126

Materials: J. & P. Coats Knit-Cro-Sheen, 13 balls of color 40 French Rose, and 1 ball of White to trim surplice band. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 3. Gauge: 3 triangles equal 1 inch, 3 rows equal 1 inch.

Skirt: Beginning at waist, ch 205, turn.

1st row: Dc in 4th ch from hook, * ch 2, dc in same ch, skip next 2 ch, dc in next. Repeat from * making 10 triangles, then ch 1, skip next 2 ch, dc in next, dc in next ch, ch 1 (this starts gore pattern). Repeat from * along ch making 6 panels of 10 triangles each, ending row with 2 dc together, ch 3 (to count as dc), turn.

2nd row: Dc over next dc, ch 1, * dc in next triangle, ch 2, dc in same triangle. Repeat from * for 10 triangles, then ch 1, dc in each of next 2 dc, ch 1. Repeat from * to end of row, ch 3, turn.

3rd, 4th and 5th rows: Continue with pattern.

6th row: Instead of turning, continue going all around skirt (the 1st 5 rows forming an opening at side).

7th row: Increase on this row. To increase make 1 extra triangle on each side of gore—that is, make 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc in ch-1 of previous row.

Continue for 7 rows, increase on next. * Continue for 8 rows, increase on next. Repeat from * once. Continue for 10 rows, increase on next. Continue for 15 rows, increase on next. Continue without increasing until 4 rows less than the desired length.

Next row, 1 dc in each triangle and dc in each dc. The next 3 rows are dc in each dc. Break off.

Blouse: Back: Ch 115, turn.

1st row: Dc in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, dc in same ch, * skip 2 sts of foundation ch, dc in next, ch 2, dc in same ch. Repeat from * along ch (38 triangles in all). Ch 3, turn.

2nd to 29th rows incl: Continue evenly with pattern. At end of 29th row, ch 1, turn.

30th row: Begin to decrease for armhole. Sc in each st over 1st 2 triangles, ch 3, begin to make a triangle over the 3rd triangle and continue with pattern across to within 2 triangles from end of row. Ch 3, turn.

31st row: Decrease 1 triangle at beginning of row by making dc in 1st triangle and make a triangle over next triangle. Continue with pattern across, decreasing the last triangle of row by making 1 dc in last triangle. Ch 3, turn.

32nd to 39th rows incl: Continue evenly with pattern.

40th row: Decrease 1st and last triangles of row as done previously.

41st, 42nd and 43rd rows: Continue evenly with pattern.

44th row: Decrease 1st and last triangles of row.

45th, 46th and 47th rows: Continue evenly.

48th row: Decrease 1st and last triangles of row.

49th, 50th and 51st rows: Continue evenly.

52nd row: 2 sc in each triangle. Break off.

Front: Ch 94, turn.

1st row: Dc in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, dc in same ch, * skip 2 ch, dc in next, ch 2, dc in same. Repeat from * to end of ch (31 triangles in all), ch 3, turn.

2nd row: * Dc in next triangle, ch 2, dc in same triangle. Repeat from * to within 1 triangle from end of row, then 1 dc in last triangle (this is a decrease). Ch 3, turn.

3rd row: * Dc in next triangle, ch 2, dc in same triangle. Repeat from * to end of row. Ch 3, turn.

4th to 29th rows incl: Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows alternately.

30th row: Decrease for armhole. Sc in each st over 1st triangle, ch 3, and make a triangle over 2nd triangle and continue with pattern, decreasing the last triangle of this row as done previously. Ch 3, turn.

31st to 44th rows incl: Same as 2nd row. Work other side to correspond, sew up underarm seams.

Front Border: 1st row: Holding the wrong side of front towards you, attach thread (French Rose) and make a row of dc in the sps, keeping work flat (about 2 dc in each sp). Break off, turn.

2nd and subsequent rows: Attach White thread, and dc in each dc, but increase 1 dc at armhole edge, on each row. Ch 3, turn. * Work another row of White, then attach French Rose and work one row. Repeat from * once. Break off. Work other side to correspond.

Sleeve: Ch 52, turn.

1st row: Dc in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, dc in same ch, * skip 2 ch, dc in next, ch 2, dc in same ch. Repeat from * to end of ch (17 triangles), ch 3, turn.

2nd and 3rd rows: Continue evenly with pattern.

4th row: Increase 1 triangle at end of this row. (To increase, make 1 extra triangle in the last triangle of previous row). Ch 3, turn.

5th to 9th rows incl: Continue evenly with pattern.

9th to 18th rows incl: Repeat rows 4th to 8th incl.

19th row: Same as 4th.

20th and 21st rows: Work evenly.

22nd row: Increase 1 triangle at end of row.

23rd to 46th rows incl: Repeat 20th, 21st and 22nd rows.

47th and 48th rows: Increase 1 triangle at end of row.

49th row: Work evenly.

50th row: Sc over 1st 3 triangles, ch 3 and make a triangle in 4th triangle and in each triangle to within 3 triangles from end of row. Ch 3, turn.

51st to 64th rows incl: Work triangle over each triangle but decrease last triangle of each row. (To decrease, make 1 dc in last triangle). Ch 3, turn.

65th to 70th rows incl: Decrease as previously done for back at beginning and at end of each row.

Band: Ch 25, turn.

1st row: Dc in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, dc in same ch, * skip 2 ch, dc in next ch, ch 2, dc in same ch. Repeat from * to end of row (8 triangles), ch 3, turn.

2nd and sub. sequent rows: Work pattern until work measures (stretched) your own measurement, taken 2½ inches below natural waistline. Then decrease 1 triangle at beginning and at end of last 4 rows.

Sew band to blouse, with pointed end at right front, easing in the blouse as necessary. Sew up sleeves, leaving a small opening to fasten with snap at wrist, and sew in to blouse. Holding right side of blouse towards you, finish right front, neckline across back, and left front with a row of sc.

This free pattern originally published in Spool Cotton #38, Cotton Fashions for Crochet and Knitting