Party Frock Pattern #550

Size 6 Years

Materials: Clark's O.N.T. (36 balls) or J. & P. Coats (24 balls) of Mercerized Crochet, size 30. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 12.

Gauge: 4 blocks make 1 inch; 4 rows of blocks make 1 inch.

Back. Starting at bottom, make a chain tightly (about 20 ch sts to 1 inch) about 30 inches long, turn. 1st row: S c in 9th ch from hook, * ch 4, skip 4 ch, s c in next ch. Repeat from * until 100 loops are made in all. Cut away remainder of chain. Ch 3, turn. 2nd row: 4 d c in 1st loop, 4 d c in each loop across (100 bls in all). Ch 4, turn. 3rd row: S c between 1st and 2nd bls (4th and 5th d c's), * ch 4, s c between next 2 bls, repeat from * across, thus making a ch-4 loop over each bl. Ch 3, turn. These last 2 rows constitute the pattern. Repeat these 2 rows alternately for 2 inches. Then decrease 2 d c at beginning of each bl-row until 64 bls remain. (To decrease, omit the first 2 d c of regular pattern, and continue in pattern across.) Work should measure 13 inches. If not, add a few rows. (This is waistline.) Then decrease 1 d c at both ends of every other bl-row until 60 bls remain. Work straight until work measures 17 inches in all.

To Shape Armholes: Decrease 4 bls at both ends of next bl-row. (To decrease, sl st across first 4 bls, ch 3, and continue in pattern across to within the last 4 bls.) Then decrease 2 d c at both ends of every bl-row until 44 bls remain. Work straight until work measures 5 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. To shape shoulders, decrease 2 bls at both ends of each bl-row until 32 bls remain. On next row make the usual decrease at shoulder edge and work in pattern across next 10 bls, turn (thus starting neck shaping), and continue to decrease 2 bls at both ends of each bl-row until all bls are worked off. Attach thread at opposite side and work to correspond.

Right Front. Starting at bottom, ch 284 (to measure about 15 inches). Turn and work as for back for 1 inch (56 loops). Then make a buttonhole on next loop-row and every 1½ inches thereafter up to neck edge (about 15 buttonholes in all). (To make a buttonhole, work across loop-row to within 3 bls from end, then, ch 8, s c between last 2 bls, ch 4, s c over last bl; then on next row make 2 bls over ch-8.)

Hereafter continue in pattern decreasing 2 d c at side edge each bl-row until 49 bls remain (keeping front edge straight), * then 1 d c on each of next 3 bl-rows. Work 1 bl-row straight. Repeat from * until 38 bls remain. Then decrease 1 d c on each bl-row thereafter until 34 bls remain. Work straight (still continuing with buttonholes at center front edge) until work measures 17½ inches in all.

To Shape Armhole: Decrease 4 bls on bl-row at side edge once, 2 bls once, and 2 d c every bl-row until 25 bls remain. Work straight until work measures 4½ inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. To shape neck, starting at center front edge, decrease 6 bls on bl-row and 4 d c at neck edge on each bl-row thereafter. At the same time when work measures 5½ inches from 1st row of armhole shaping, shape shoulder by decreasing 3 bls at end of each bl-row until all stitches are worked off.

Left Front. Work as for right front reversing shapings and omitting buttonholes.

Sleeves. Starting at bottom, ch 44 (to measure about 3 inches), turn. Work as for back (8 loops), increasing 5 loops or 5 bls as the case may be, at the end of each row until there are 38 loops in the row. (To increase 5 loops, at end of bl-row ch 29, turn and make s c in 9th ch from hook and continue. To increase 5 bls, at end of loop-row ch 23, turn and make d c in 4th ch from hook and d c in each of next 19 ch, and continue.) Then increase 4 loops at end of each loop-row until there are 70 loops in row. Work straight for 1 inch. To shape top of sleeve, decrease 5 bls at both ends of next bl-row. Then decrease 1 bl at both ends of each bl-row until 36 bls remain, then 2 bls until 8 bls remain. Break off.

Sleeve Band: 1st row: Attach thread at lower edge of sleeve and work a row of s c across, making the necessary amount of s c so that sleeve measures 8¼ inches. Ch 6, turn. 2nd row: * Skip 2 s c, d c in next, ch 2. Repeat from * across. Ch 3, turn. 3rd row: * 2 d c in sp, d c in next d c, ch 3, skip 1 sp, s c in next sp, ch 3, skip 1 d c, d c in next d c. Repeat from * across. Break off.

Collar. Starting at outer edge, ch 254 (to measure about 14 inches), turn and work in pattern as for back (50 loops) decreasing 2 d c at both ends of every other bl-row until 48 bls remain. Work straight until collar measures 2 inches.

Sew up shoulder and side seams. Sew up sleeve seams and sew sleeves in. Work a row of shells as for 3rd row of sleeve bands, around lower edge of dress and around outer edge of collar. Sew collar to neck edge.

Buttons. Starting at center, ch 2. 1st rnd: Make 6 s c in 2nd ch from hook. 2nd and subsequent rnds: 2 s c in each s c around until there are 22 s c in the rnd. Next rnd: S c in 1st s c, * skip 1 s c, s c in each of next 2 s c. Repeat from * around. Following rnd: S c in 1st s c, * skip 1 s c, s c in next s c. Repeat from * around. Break off, leaving a long end to sew button. Stuff button with cotton so that it is very hard. Sew button to a close. Sew buttons on left front to correspond with buttonholes.