Crocheted Cotton Lace Dress Pattern #102

Materials: Clark's O.N.T. Knitting & Crochet Cotton, 10 balls of main color, and 1 ball of Ecru for collar and sleeve bands. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 3. 2 buttons 1 inch diameter.

Gauge: 1 pattern slightly more than 1 inch, and 5 rows equal 1 inch. These instructions are for a size 16-18.

SKIRT. For the front, ch 227 and turn. 1st row: 1 s c in 9th ch from hook, * ch 3, skip 2 sts, 1 s c in next st, repeat from * across (73 loops). 2nd row: Ch 3, 1 s c in 1st loop, * ch 5, 1 s c in next loop, 1 s c in next s c, 1 s c in next loop. Repeat from * across (36 patterns). Ch 5, skip 2 sts of turning ch, 1 s c into each of next 2 sts, turn. 3rd row: * Ch 5, 1 s c in 3rd st of ch-5, ch 3, 1 s c in 2nd s c. Repeat from * across, ending row with 1 s c in turning ch-3. 4th row: * Ch 5, 1 s c in the 1st loop, 1 s c in next s c, 1 s c in next loop. Repeat from * (37 patterns), ch 2, 1 s c in 3rd st of turning ch, turn. 5th row: Ch 5, * 1 s c in 2nd s c, ch 3, 1 s c in 3rd st of ch-5, ch 3, repeat from * across. Work should now measure about 28 inches in width. 6th to 20th rows incl: Repeat from 2nd row. 21st row: Decrease at each end as follows: Ch 5, skip the 1st loop, 1 s c in next loop, 1 s c in next s c, 1 s c in next loop. Work 35 more patterns, ch 2, 1 s c in 3rd st of turning ch (1 pattern has been decreased). Then * work evenly for 21 rows, and then work a decreasing row as above. Repeat from * once. Work 19 rows, then a decreasing row. ** Work 17 rows, 1 decreasing row, repeat from **. Work 5 rows, 1 decreasing row, 5 rows, 1 decreasing row (8 decreasing rows in all). Work 2 more rows, or until work measures 31 inches, or 1 inch less than desired length, ending with the 2nd row. For the back, ch 173 and turn. 1st row: 1 s c in 9th ch from hook, * ch 3, skip 2 sts, 1 s c in next st. Repeat from * across (55 loops). Follow directions as given for front. Sew up seams, and finish top as follows: Ch 3, * 1 s c in the 2nd s c, ch 1, 1 s c in the 3rd st of ch-5, ch 1, and repeat from * around. Ch 5, 1 tr in s c below, * ch 1, 1 tr in next s c, and repeat from * around. Draw 28-inch piece of elastic in and out. Finish bottom with 1 s c in each st of foundation ch, join with a sl st and work 1 inch of rib st (this is made the same as a s c, but hook is always inserted only through back loop of st), turn, and finish with 1 row of sl st.

BLOUSE. For the back, ch 137, turn. 1st row: 1 s c in 9th ch from hook, * ch 3, skip 2 sts, 1 s c in next st, repeat from * across (43 loops). Work in pattern for 44 rows (about 9½ inches). This brings work up to armhole. Decrease in next row as follows: Sl st back to 3rd s c of row below, work 19 patterns across, 1 d c in next s c, turn. Next row: Sl st to 2nd s c, ch 5, and work pattern across (2 patterns have been decreased at each end). Work 24 more rows, then shape shoulders as follows: Sl st back to 3rd s c of row below, work 14 patterns, 1 d c over next s c, turn; sl st back over next 3 s c and 2 patterns, ch 3, work in pattern to within 2 patterns from last sl st. Break thread. For the front, ch 149, turn. 1st row: 1 s c in 9th ch from hook, * ch 3, skip 2 sts, 1 s c in next st. Repeat from * across (49 loops). Work as for back until you have 12 rows after the armhole decrease. 1st short row: Work 9 patterns, turn. 2nd to 11th short rows incl: Ch 3, 1 s c in 3rd st of ch-5 (this makes a decrease). Work pattern across. Continue working for 9 more rows, always decreasing at neck edge. 12th row: Ch 3, s c in 2nd s c, work pattern across. Work 2 more rows evenly, then shape shoulders as follows: Sl st back to 3rd s c, work pattern to neck, turn. Next row: Work in pattern to last s c, turn. Next row: Sl st to 4th s c, work pattern to neck, and break thread. Attach thread at armhole for right side, ch 2, and follow directions given for left side. Join back and front. Finish bottom by making 1 s c in each loop, 1 s c in same st where s c is worked. Join with sl st and work 3 rows in rib st.

SLEEVES. Ch 125 and turn, 1 s c in 9th ch from hook, * ch 3, skip 2 sts, 1 s c in next st. Repeat from * across (39 loops). Work in pattern for 24 rows. 1st row of decrease: Decrease at both ends in this row as follows: Sl st back to 3rd s c of row below, ch 3, 1 s c in next loop, 1 s c in next s c, 1 s c in next loop, work 16 patterns, turn. 2nd row: Ch 3, 1 s c in 3rd st of ch-5, work pattern across to last ch-5, 1 d c in 2nd s c, turn. 3rd row: Ch 3, 1 s c in next loop, work pattern across, turn. 4th row: Ch 3, 1 s c in 3rd st of ch-5, work pattern across to last ch-5, 1 d c in turning ch-3. Repeat these 2 last rows until there are 6 patterns across, ending with the 4th row. Turn and work 1 s c in each loop. Break thread. Join sleeve seam, and work a band with Ecru, by making 1 s c in each loop, and 1 s c in same st where s c is worked. Join with sl st, turn, and work another row of s c, skipping every 4th s c. Work evenly for 1 inch, always joining with a sl st and turning.

COLLAR. With Ecru, ch 16, turn, 1 s c in 2nd ch from hook, 1 s c in each st of foundation ch, ch 1, turn. * Next row: S c over s c, ch 1, turn. Repeat from * for 8 inches, then ch 6 for neck edge, turn. Skip 1 st, s c across, add 16 more sts for outer edge of collar, turn, and s c across all sts. Work for 19 inches, then work to within 5 sts of neck edge, turn, and work 15 sts for 6 inches. Work 1 row of sl st around tabs and outside edge of collar. Work a 2nd row in rib st.

BELT. With main color, ch 2, skip 1 st, 2 s c in next, ch 1, turn. Work 1 s c over s c, and 2 s c over last s c, ch 1, turn. Repeat working 2 s c in last s c, until there are 18 s c across. In next row, make a buttonhole as follows: Work 6 s c, ch 6, skip 6 s c, work the last 6 s c, ch 1, turn. Work s c over s c and 1 s c in each ch st, s c across. Work evenly for 29 inches, make a slit in same way as buttonhole was made, working 3 s c at each end and making a ch of 12. Work evenly for 3 inches, make another buttonhole, and finish point by skipping 1 st at beginning of every row until 2 sts are left to be finished off. Belt is for 28 inch waist measure. Attach buttons as shown.