Softie Pullover Pattern #1063

Size 38

Materials: Clark's O.N.T. (20 balls) or J. & P. Coats (17 balls) Mercerized Crochet, size 20. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 7 or 8. A clip and 8 small buttons.

Gauge: 2 shells make 1 inch; 5 rows make 1 inch. For jabot, 3 loops make 1 inch; 6 rows make 1 inch.

Back. Starting at bottom of waistband, ch 178 (to measure about 17 inches), turn. 1st row: D c in 4th ch from hook, and d c in each ch across (176 d c, counting turning ch as 1 d c). Ch 3, turn. 2nd row: Make d c in each st of previous row, ch 3, turn. Repeat 2nd row until band measures 2½ inches deep. At end of last row, ch 5, turn. Next row: * Skip 1 d c, d c in next d c, ch 2, repeat from * until 13 sps are made, then ** ch 2, skip 2 d c, d c in next d c, repeat from ** until 41 more sps are made, then make 13 more sps to correspond with beginning (67 sps). Ch 3, turn. Hereafter work in shell pattern as follows: 1st row: * Make 4 d c with ch-1 between d c's in next sp (1 shell), s c in next sp, repeat from * across (34 shells). Ch 3, turn. 2nd row: * Make a shell between 2nd and 3rd d c's of next shell (a shell is made over shell of previous row), repeat from * across. Ch 3, turn. 3rd row: * Make a shell over next shell, s c in sp between this and next shell, repeat from * across. Ch 3, turn. The last 2 rows constitute the pattern. Repeat these 2 rows alternately, until work measures 10 inches from top of waistband. Ch 5, turn.

To Shape Armholes: 1st row: S c in center of 1st shell, ch 5, s c in center of next shell, ch 3, shell over next shell (2 shells decreased), and work in pattern across to within the last 2 shells, then ch 3, s c in next shell (2 shells decreased). Ch 3, turn. 2nd row: Shell over 1st shell and continue in pattern across (30 shells), then s c in next ch-3 sp. Ch 3, turn. 3rd row: S c in next shell (1 shell decreased), ch 3, work in pattern across until 28 shells are made, then ch 3, s c in next shell, ch 3, turn. 4th row: Same as 3rd row but having 26 shells in the row (instead of 28 shells). Ch 3, turn. Hereafter work in pattern straight until work measures 7 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. To shape shoulders, decrease 2 shells at both ends of each of next 4 rows (10 shells remain). Break off.

Front. Starting at bottom of waistband, ch 201 (to measure about 19 inches), turn and work as for back waistband (199 d c). At end of last row, ch 5, turn. Next row: Same as for back, but making 49 sps instead of 41 sps (having 75 sps in all). Ch 3, turn. Hereafter work in shell pattern (having 38 shells in the row) until underarm measures same as underarm of back. Then shape armhole as for back, but decreasing 5 shells on each side (28 shells remain). Work in pattern over these 28 shells until work measures 1½ inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. Next row: Work in pattern across first 14 shells (to start front opening). Ch 3, turn. Continue working in pattern, keeping both edges straight until work measures 4½ inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. To shape neck, on next row starting at armhole edge, work across first 11 shells (3 shells decreased). Ch 3, turn. Following row: Sl st in center of 1st shell (1 shell decreased), ch 3, and continue in pattern across. Ch 3, turn. Next row: Work in pattern straight. Ch 3, turn. Repeat these last 2 rows until 8 shells remain. Then work in pattern straight until armhole measures same as armhole of back. Then shape shoulder as for back. Attach thread at base of front opening and work other side to correspond.

Sleeves. Starting at bottom of sleeve, ch 122 (to measure about 12½ inches), turn, and work as for back waistband until work measures 1 inch (120 d c). Ch 5, turn. Next row: * Skip 1 d c, d c in next d c, ch 2, repeat from * until 17 sps are made, then ** ch 2, skip 2 d c, d c in next d c, repeat from ** until 17 more sps are made, then make 17 more sps to correspond with beginning (51 sps). Ch 3, turn. Hereafter work in shell pattern as in back (having 26 shells in the row) until work measures 3 inches from top of band. To shape top of sleeve, decrease 2 shells at both ends of next row (22 shells remain). Then decrease ½ shell at end of each row until 13 shells remain. Then decrease 1 shell at end of each row until 4 shells remain. Break off.

Sew up shoulder and side seams, leaving both sides of waistband open. Sew up sleeve seams and sew sleeves in.

Jabot. Starting at bottom, ch 52, turn. 1st row: S c in 7th ch from hook, * ch 5, skip 2 ch, s c in next ch, repeat from * across. Ch 6, turn. 2nd row: S c in 1st loop, * ch 5, s c in next loop, repeat from * across, increasing 1 loop in each of the last 2 loops (to increase 1 loop, make 2 s c with ch 5 between in one loop). Ch 6, turn. Repeat 2nd row, thus increasing 2 loops at end of each row until there are 44 loops in the row. Next row: Work a row of loops across, without increasing. Ch 6, turn. Following row: Work across, increasing 1 loop at end of row. Ch 6, turn. Next row: Work across, without increasing. Following row: Increase 1 loop in 1st loop, work across. Ch 6, turn. Repeat these last 4 rows, until there are 54 loops in the row. On the next row, work across first 27 loops, ch 6, turn (to start front opening). Work over these 27 loops only, until opening measures same as opening on front of blouse. On next row, starting at outer edge, work to within 3 loops from neck opening. Ch 6, turn. Then decrease 1 loop at neck edge every other row, until 18 loops remain. Then work without decreasing until neck edge measures same as front neck edge of blouse. Break off. Attach thread at base of neck opening and work other side to correspond.

Sew jabot to blouse along front opening and front neck edge. Then start edging as follows: 1st row: Attach thread to center back of blouse at neck edge, and work a row of ch-5 loops across back of neck, all around jabot, then continue across remainder of back, making 1 loop for every row. Ch 6, turn. 2nd row: S c in next loop, * ch 5, s c in next loop, repeat from * all around as before. Ch 6, turn. 3rd row: Work 3 loops across, * then ch 5, make a 3-d c cluster in next loop, ch 3, a 3-d c cluster in same loop, ch 5, s c in next loop, make 6 more loops. Repeat from * around. Ch 6, turn. 4th row: Work as for previous row, but under each ch-3 between the 2 clusters make 3 clusters with ch 3 between the clusters. (There will be 1 more loop between the groups than in previous row.) Ch 6, turn. 5th, 6th and 7th rows: Repeat the last 3 rows, but having the cluster groups come between those already made. Break off.

Make 4 chain loops on each side of front waistband and sew buttons on back waistband to correspond. Fasten neck with a hook and eye, then trim with clip.