Peasant Frock Pattern #552

Size 6 Years

Materials: J. & P. Coats Knit-Cro-Sheen, 5 balls. J. & P. Coats Six Strand, 1 skein each of 4 contrasting colors for embroidery. Milward's Casein knitting pins, 1 pair No. 1 (2½ mm. size). A small button. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 5.

Gauge: 15 sts make 2 inches; 12 rows make 1 inch.

Back. Starting at bottom, cast on 188 sts. 1st row: K 1, * k 1 in back loop of next st, thread over, sl 1, k 1, pass sl st over k st. Repeat from * across, ending row with k 1 in back loop of last st. Hereafter repeat the 1st row decreasing 1 st at both ends of every 4th row until 122 sts remain. Work straight until work measures 13 inches in all. Then decrease 1 st at both ends of every 5th row until 104 sts remain. Work straight until work measures 17 inches in all.

To Shape Armholes: Bind off 3 sts at beginning of each of next 2 rows. Then decrease 1 st at end of each row until 82 sts remain. Work straight until work measures 3 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. On next row, work in pattern across 1st 41 sts, turn (thus starting back opening). Work over these 41 sts until work measures 5 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. To shape shoulder, starting at armhole edge, bind off 3 sts every other row until 15 sts in all are bound off. Then continuing with shoulder shaping, bind off 6 sts at opposite edge once (neck edge), 2 sts twice, then, decrease 1 st every other row until all sts are worked off. Attach thread to base of back opening and work other side to correspond.

Front. Starting at bottom, cast on 203 sts and work as for back until 137 sts remain. Work straight until work measures 13 inches in all. Then decrease 1 st at both ends of every 5th row until 119 sts remain. Work straight until work measures 17 inches in all.

To Shape Armholes: Bind off 6 sts at beginning of each of next 2 rows, and 3 sts at beginning of each of the following 4 rows. Then decrease 1 st at end of each row until 85 sts remain. Work straight until work measures 4½ inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. To shape neck, work in pattern across 1st 28 sts, bind off 29 sts, and continue in pattern across the remaining 28 sts. Work over these 28 sts straight until armhole measures same as armhole of back. Shape shoulder as before until all sts are bound off. Attach thread at opposite side of neck edge and work to correspond.

Sleeves. Starting at bottom, cast on 26 sts and work in pattern, casting on 3 sts at end of each row until there are 122 sts on needle. Work straight for 1 inch. To shape top of sleeve, bind off 9 sts at beginning of each of next 2 rows and 2 sts at beginning of each of the following rows until 84 sts remain. Then bind off 3 sts at beginning of each row until 16 sts remain. Bind off.

Work 2 rows of s c around lower edge of sleeves, making the necessary amount of s c on 1st row, so that sleeve measures 8¼ inches.

Front Band. Starting at bottom, cast on 15 sts and work in garter st (k each row), until work measures 4½ inches. Bind off.

Pockets. Starting at top edge, cast on 22 sts and work in garter st for 2 inches. Then bind off 3 sts at beginning of each row until 4 sts remain. Bind off.

Sew up shoulder and side seams. Sew up sleeve seams and sew sleeves in. Sew on front band as in illustration. Work 2 rows of s c around bottom of dress and neck edge. Fasten back opening with a button and a loop.

Embroidery. Using thread double, with one color make a row of running stitch around the edges of pockets, front band, neck edge and bottom of sleeves. Work another row same as this, right next to the first row, but with another color. With single thread, work cross stitches on front band and pockets as in diagram, using the second color for vertical cross stitches and the remaining two colors alternately for horizontal cross stitches. Turn under the edges of pockets and sew in position as in illustration.