Two Piece Surplice Dress Pattern #126

Size 34-36

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: D c in 4th ch from hook, * ch 2, d c in same ch, skip next 2 ch, d c in next. Repeat from * making 10 triangles, then ch 1, skip next 2 ch, d c in next, d c in next ch, ch 1 (this starts gore pattern). Repeat from * along ch making 6 panels of 10 triangles each, ending row with 2 d c together, ch 3 (to count as d c), turn. 2nd row: D c over next d c, ch 1, * d c in next triangle, ch 2, d c in same triangle. Repeat from * for 10 triangles, then ch 1, d c in each of next 2 d c, 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 d c, ch 2, 1 d c 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 d c in each triangle and d c in each d c. The next 3 rows are d c in each d c. Break off.

Blouse: Back: Ch 115, turn. 1st row: D c in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, d c in same ch, * skip 2 sts of foundation ch, d c in next, ch 2, d c 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. S c 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 d c in 1st triangle and make a triangle over next triangle. Continue with pattern across, decreasing the last triangle of row by making 1 d c 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 s c in each triangle. Break off.

Front: Ch 94, turn. 1st row: D c in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, d c in same ch, * skip 2 ch, d c in next, ch 2, d c in same. Repeat from * to end of ch (31 triangles in all), ch 3, turn. 2nd row: * D c in next triangle, ch 2, d c in same triangle. Repeat from * to within 1 triangle from end of row, then 1 d c in last triangle (this is a decrease). Ch 3, turn. 3rd row: * D c in next triangle, ch 2, d c 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. S c 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 d c in the sps, keeping work flat (about 2 d c in each sp). Break off, turn. 2nd and subsequent rows: Attach White thread, and d c in each d c, but increase 1 d c 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: D c in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, d c in same ch, * skip 2 ch, d c in next, ch 2, d c 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: S c 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 d c 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: D c in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, d c in same ch, * skip 2 ch, d c in next ch, ch 2, d c 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 s c.