Symphony Dress Pattern #1036

Size 34

Materials: Chadwick's Red Heart Crepe-de-Mode, 22 skeins without tunic, 32 skeins with tunic (1 ounce skeins). Milward's Casein knitting pins, 1 pair No. 2 (2¾ mm. size). Milward's steel crochet hook No. 3. 30 inch length of belting, 6 crystal buttons and a leather belt.

Gauge: 10 sts (or four k 1 ribs) make 1 inch; 12 rows make 1 inch.

SKIRT

Tunic is made separately and sewed on to skirt.

Front. Starting at bottom of skirt, cast on 195 sts and work in garter st (k across) for 4 rows, then work in pattern as follows: 1st row: P 1, * k 1, p 2, repeat from * across, ending row with k 1, p 1. 2nd row: K 1, * p 1, k 2, repeat from * across, ending row with p 1, k 1. Repeat these 2 rows alternately for 6 inches. Then decrease 1 st at both ends of next row and every 12th row thereafter, until work measures 22 inches. Decrease 1 st at both ends of every 6th row until work measures 32 inches. (If longer skirt is desired, work a few rows straight.) Bind off.

Back. Cast on 221 sts and work in garter st for 4 rows. Then work in pattern as for front, decreasing 1 st at both ends of every 12th row until work measures 22 inches; then every 6th row as in front until back measures same as front. Bind off.

BLOUSE

Back. Starting at bottom, cast on 147 sts and work in garter st for 4 rows. Then work in pattern as for skirt, increasing 1 st at both ends of 1 row every 2 inches for 3 times (153 sts). Then work straight until piece measures 8½ inches.

To Shape Armholes: Bind off 8 sts at beginning of each of next 2 rows. Decrease 1 st at beginning of every row until 126 sts remain on needle. Work straight until work measures 3 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. Then continue with smocking pattern as follows:

Yoke. 1st row: With right side of work toward you (the side with the k 1 ribs is the right side), p 1, * thread over, k 1, p 2, k 1, pass the thread over st over the 4 sts just worked (1 group of smocking made), p 2. Repeat from * across (21 groups of smocking) ending row with p 1. Thus a row of smocking is worked. 2nd, 3rd and 4th rows: Work in pattern as usual. 5th row: P 1, k 1, p 2, * thread over, k 1, p 2, k 1, pass the thread over st over the 4 sts just worked, p 2. Repeat from * across (20 groups), ending with k 1, p 1. Another row of smocking is worked. 6th, 7th and 8th rows: Work in pattern as usual. These 8 rows constitute smocking pattern. Repeat these 8 rows until yoke measures 3½ inches deep. Then to shape shoulders, work in smocking pattern, binding off 8 sts at beginning of each of next 9 rows, then 7 sts at beginning of next row (47 sts remain). Over these 47 sts, work in smocking pattern straight for 1 inch. Then work in garter st (k across) until 4 ridges are made on right side. Bind off from, wrong side.

Right Front. Starting at bottom, cast on 90 sts and work in garter st for 4 rows. Next row: Across the first 29 sts, work 5 groups of smocking (this to be front border) and continue in usual pattern across the remaining 61 sts. Work 3 rows in usual pattern. Next row: Across the first 26 sts, work 4 groups of smocking, then continue in usual pattern across remaining 64 sts. Continue working in pattern keeping the front border in smocking st and increasing at underarm edge as in back until piece measures 6 inches. Hereafter, add 1 group of smocking to smocking pattern on every smocking row, in the meantime, when underarm measures same as for back, shape armhole as for back until 78 sts remain. When there are 11 groups of smocking in the row, work in smocking pattern across entire row. Continue in smocking pattern across entire row until armhole measures same as armhole of back. To shape shoulders and neck edge, decrease 1 st at neck edge every row, in the meantime binding off 8 sts at beginning of each row at armhole edge for 4 times, then 7 sts once. Hereafter, work, continuing with the decreases at neck edge but keeping opposite edge straight for 1 inch. Finish with 4 ridges in garter st as in back and bind off on wrong side.

Left Front. Same as right front, but working smocking pattern at end of row instead of at beginning, with first smocking row starting with 61 sts in usual pattern, then thread over, k 1, p 2, k 1, pass the thread over st over the 4 sts just worked, etc.

Sleeves. Starting at bottom, cast on 43 sts and work in garter st for 4 rows, increasing 1 st at both ends of 3rd row. Work 2 rows in usual pattern. Then work in smocking pattern until 5 smocking rows are made, increasing 1 st at both ends of every other row, ending with wrong side of work. (There will be 63 sts on needle.) Break off and place these sts on stitch holder. Make another piece same as this, ending with wrong side of work as before but do not break off. Next row: Work in pattern across, then continue in pattern across previous piece (thus joining the two pieces). Hereafter work in usual pattern throughout sleeve. Work for 2 rows, then bind off 3 sts at beginning of each of next 2 rows. Then decrease 1 st at both ends of each of next 12 rows. Then decrease 1 st at both ends of every other row until 66 sts remain. Decrease 1 st at both ends of each row until 32 sts remain. Decrease 2 sts (k 2 together twice) at both ends of each of next 2 rows. Bind off.

After pieces have been blocked, sew up side and shoulder seams. Sew sleeve seams and sew sleeves in, making a box pleat and a side pleat at each side of box pleat 1 inch apart, at top of sleeve. Sew up side seams of skirt and sew skirt to blouse. With crochet hook, work a row of s c around lower edge of sleeve. Attach thread to lower right front edge of blouse and work along front edge as follows: * Work 22 s c, ch 8 (for buttonloop), turn, skip 6 s c, s c in next s c, turn and work 10 s c in loop. Repeat from * until 6 buttonloops are made, the 6th buttonloop being at neck edge where decreases start. Continue with s c around neck and down left front, being careful not to draw work. Sew buttons on left front, 1 inch in from edge.

Tunic. Back. Cast on 222 sts and work in garter st for 4 rows. Work 2 rows in usual pattern. Then work in smocking st until 7 smocking rows are made, decreasing 1 st at both ends of the 13th row. Hereafter, work in usual pattern, decreasing 1 st at both ends of every 12th row for 5 times, then every 6th row until work measures 22 inches. Bind off.

Right Front. Cast on 96 sts and work as for back until 7 smocking rows are made, working edges straight (no decreases). On next smocking row, work 4 groups of smocking (this is front border), and work remaining sts in usual pattern. There will be 5 groups of smocking in the next smocking row. Continue the front border in smocking st, and remainder in usual pattern until work measures 6 inches. Then decrease 1 st at side seam on next row and every 8th row for 8 times, then every 6th row until work measures 22 inches. Bind off.

Left Front. Same as right front, but having the center front border at end of work instead of at beginning. After pieces have been blocked, sew up side seams and work a row of s c along front edge. Sew tunic to dress at waistline. Sew in belting on inside.