Child's Knitted Slip-On Pattern #9

SIZE 4 OR 5 YEARS

Materials: Clark's O.N.T. Knitting and Crochet Cotton, 2 balls of color 25 Crystal Blue and 1 ball of Ecru; or J. & P. Coats Crochet Cord, 6 balls of Crystal Blue and 3 of Ecru. Milward's Casein knitting pins, 1 pair No. 1 (2½ mm. size).

Gauge: 9 sts (3 patterns) equal 1 inch; 12 rows equal 1 inch.

This slip-on starts at bottom of back, is worked up to the shoulders and continued down the front.

With Blue, cast on 90 sts, and work in ribbing of k 1, p 1 for 2 inches. Drop Blue but do not break, and with Ecru start the pattern. 1st row: K across, increasing 1 st in every 13th st and in the last st (to increase, k 1 through front loop of st without slipping st off needle, k 1 through back loop of same st and slip off). 97 sts. 2nd row: K 1, * thread over, k 3, sl the 1st of the 3 k-sts over the other 2 sts, repeat from * to end. (This is a pattern row.) Drop Ecru but do not break. 3rd row: Pick up Blue and k across (a plain row). 4th row: * K 3, sl the 1st of the 3 k-sts over the next 2 sts, thread over, repeat from * ending with thread over, k 1 (another pattern row). Drop Blue. 5th row: Pick up Ecru and k across (another plain row). These last 4 rows form the pattern. Work in pattern until piece measures 8 inches from ribbing. Then, for underarm shaping, bind off 3 sts at beginning of next 2 rows. Decrease 1 st at both ends of next 3 plain rows. Work straight until piece is 4 inches from underarm. On next plain row, k 25, bind off next 35 sts (for back of neck), k remaining 25 sts. Con­tinue in pattern over these 25 sts for 4 inches (thus starting the front from shoulder). Then increase 1 st at armhole edge on each of the next 3 plain rows, then work 1 pattern row, and slip these sts on stitch holder. Break thread. Make other side to correspond, drop thread but do not break. Make a center front piece separately, as follows: With Blue cast on 37 sts and work in pattern alternating Blue and Ecru for 2 inches, the last row to be a pattern row in same color as last row on main piece. Break thread. Pick up main piece and continue with dropped thread, working a plain row, then continue over center piece decreasing 1 st at both ends of this center piece for continuation of pattern, and then work over the sts on stitch holder. The center piece will thus have been joined between the shoulder pieces. On next row, cast on 3 sts at each end for underarm. Finish front to correspond with back, decreasing 7 sts before starting the ribbing.

Sleeves. With Blue, cast on 52 sts. Work ribbing of k 1, p 1 for 2 inches. With Ecru, work a plain row, increasing 3 sts at equal intervals. Continue in pattern, increasing 1 st at both ends every inch for 6 times (67 sts). Work 2 inches straight. Bind off 3 sts at beginning of next 2 rows, then decrease 1 st at both ends every 2nd row for 3 times. Bind off remaining sts. Sew side seams. Sew sleeve seams and sew sleeves into armholes. Attach Blue at base of left front opening and work 9 s c up center front piece bringing work to top of opening, ch 4, turn. * Skip 2 s c, s c in next s c, ch 4, repeat from * twice more which will bring work back to base of opening, ch 1, turn. Work 4 s c under each ch-4 loop (completing 3 buttonhole loops), then s c across top of center piece, then make 9 s c down to base of right opening, ch 4, turn, make 3 ch-4 loops over these 9 s c, ch 1, turn and make 4 s c under each ch-4 loop (completing 3 buttonhole loops), then continue making s c around remainder of neck edge, ending at starting point. Sew buttons to correspond with buttonholes.