Size 34-36
Materials: Clark's O.N.T. (24 balls) or J. & P. Coats (17 balls) Mercerized Crochet, size 10, Ecru or White. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 1 and 9. 2 skeins each of colors 57 Mid Red, 38 Dark Orange and 12 Black of Six Strand Floss. 1½ dozen red buttons.
Gauge: 6 rows equal 1 inch; 9 sts equal 1 inch.
Back: With No. 1 hook, ch 172, turn. 1st row: S c in 2nd ch from hook, * skip 1 st, s c in next st, make 1 s c under last single loop at extreme left of s c just made. Repeat from, * ending with s c in last st of ch. Ch 2, turn. 2nd row: S c in 2nd ch from hook, * skip 1 s c, s c in next, s c under last single loop at extreme left of s c just made, repeat from * ending with 1 s c in last s c. Ch 2, turn. Repeat 2nd row until work measures 10 inches. Then start to shape armhole as follows: Next Row: Sl st in 6 s c, ch 2, and continue as before to within 6 s c from end of row. Next 2 rows: Decrease 4 s c at each end. Then work 6 inches straight. Fasten off.
Waistband: Attach thread at foundation ch, and with No. 9 hook work same as before along other side of foundation ch, making the band 3½ inches wide.
Front: Ch 182, turn. Work same as back for 10 inches, then shape armhole by decreasing 6 s c at each end for next row, then decrease 4 s c at each end for following 3 rows. Then work straight for 6 inches. Make waistband same as for back.
Sleeves: Starting at bottom of sleeve, ch 116, turn. Using No. 1 hook, work 4 rows same as for back. 5th row: Work across to within 2 sts from end, ch 2, turn. (This is a 2 s c decrease). * Work 4 rows straight. Next row: Same as 5th row. Repeat from * 6 more times. ** Work 4 rows straight, increase 2 s c at end of next row. (To increase, after making s c in last st of previous row, make 1 s c at side of this last s c, and 1 d c in last st of previous row). Repeat from ** 13 more times. Then shape armhole by decreasing 3 sts at each end of next row, and decreasing 2 sts at each end for each of next 4 rows. Fasten off. Then to add sts at end, ch 5, s c in 1st st of previous row and continue as before. At end of row, ch 7, turn. Next row: S c in 2nd ch from hook and continue as before, working pattern over the ch-5 added at end of row. Then work straight for 6 inches. Fasten off.
Sew sleeves and underarm seams, leaving waistbands open for buttons. Finish edges of front band with a row of s c and 3 buttonhole loops. Sew buttons on back band to correspond. Fit sleeves into blouse, sew in position and sew buttons on back and front as in illustration. Trim waistbands and sleeves at the wrist with small running stitches. Starting at 1st row at bottom of waistband, work 3 rows of each color in the following order: Dark Orange, Mid Red, Black, Mid Red, Dark Orange, Mid Red, Black, Mid Red, Dark Orange. For sleeve trimming, use the first 5 colors in order.
