Roman Striped Halter Pattern #446

Size 34

Materials: J. & P. Coats Knit-Cro-Sheen, 1 ball of a light color and 2 balls of a dark color.
Milward's Casein knitting pins, 1 pair No. 2 (2¾ mm. size).
Milward's steel crochet hook No. 5.

Gauge: 3 patterns make 1 inch (1 stripe and 1 space make 1 pattern); 12 rows make 1 inch.

The halter is made of two pieces which are made separately, and then sewed together across center front.

Right Front. Starting at bottom of center front with dark color, cast on 3 sts. 1st row: * K 1, thread over. Repeat from * across (5 sts). Mark this edge with colored thread—this to be lower edge. 2nd and all even rows: P across (this is center front edge). 3rd row: K 1, thread over, k 2 together, thread over, k 1, thread over, k 1 (7 sts). 5th row: K 1, * thread over, k 2 together, repeat from * once, thread over, k 1, thread over, k 1 (9 sts). 7th row: K 1, * thread over, k 2 together, repeat from * twice, thread over, k 1, thread over, k 1 (11 sts). Drop dark color, attach light color and work in this manner increasing 2 sts on every other row until there are 19 sts on needle.

16th row: P across. Drop light color, pick up dark color. These 16 rows constitute the pattern. Repeat these 16 rows, increasing as before, until there are 45 sts on needle (5 stripes made). On next row, work in pattern across, then cast on 34 sts (79 sts on needle). Work over these 79 sts, but on next pattern row k the last 2 sts together (79 sts), and on the following pattern row increase 2 sts as before. Hereafter, continue in this manner until there are 101 sts on needle (11 stripes in all).

To shape side, work in pattern across without increasing. Then at beginning of next p row, bind off 2 sts and p remaining sts (99 sts). Repeat these last 2 rows alternately, until 85 sts remain (13 stripes). Next stripe: 1st row: K 1, * thread over, k 2 together, Repeat from * across (85 sts). 2nd row: P across. 3rd row: K 1, * thread over, k 2 together. Repeat from * across (84 sts). 4th row: Bind off 1 st and p across (83 sts). Repeat these last 4 rows until 45 sts remain (23 stripes). Then to shape neck, bind off 2 sts at beginning of each pattern row, at the same time continuing with the decreases at opposite edge, until all sts are worked off. Break off.

Left Front. Starting at bottom of center front with dark color, cast on 3 sts. 1st row: * K 1, thread over, repeat from * across (5 sts). Each pattern row must always end with thread over, k 1. 2nd and all even rows: P across. 3rd row: K 1, thread over, k 1, thread over, k 2 together, thread over, k 1 (7 sts). 5th row: K 1, thread over, k 1, thread over, * k 2 together, thread over. Repeat from * across (9 sts). 7th row: K 1, thread over, k 1, thread over, * k 2 together, thread over. Repeat from * across (11 sts). Drop dark color, attach light color and continue in this manner until 5 stripes are made (45 sts on needle). Cast on 36 sts on free needle and continue in pattern across the 45 sts on other needle (81 sts). On 3rd row of next stripe, * k 2 together, thread over. Repeat from * across (79 sts). 5th row: K 1, thread over, k 1, thread over, * k 2 together, thread over. Repeat from * across (81 sts). Hereafter, continue in this manner until there are 101 sts on needle (11 stripes). At beginning of next pattern row, bind off 3 sts, thread over and continue in pattern across (99 sts). Next row: P across. Repeat these 2 rows alternately until 85 sts remain (13 stripes). Next row: * K 2 together, thread over, repeat from * across (85 sts). Following row: P across. Next row: Bind off 3 sts, * thread over, k 2 together. Repeat from * across (83 sts). Following row: P across. Repeat these last 4 rows until 45 sts remain. Hereafter, continue in this manner and at the same time, bind off 2 sts at beginning of each p row until all sts are worked off.

Tie. With dark color, cast on 3 sts and work in garter st (k each row), increasing 2 sts at end of every other row until there are 15 sts on needle. Work straight until piece measures 2 inches (measuring from point along outer edge). * Then on next row at outer edge, k 2nd and 3rd sts together (thus decreasing 1 st). Work 1 inch straight. Repeat from * 4 more times (10 sts remain). Work straight until piece measures 17 inches (measuring as before). ** Then increase on next row at outer edge. Work 1 inch straight. Repeat from ** until there are 15 sts on needle. Shape end of tie as in the beginning, making decreases where increases were made. Bind off. Work a row of s c all around tie. Sew the two center fronts together, leaving an opening of 5 inches at top. Work a row of s c around neck edge and along both sides of opening. Then work 2 rows of s c all around halter. Sew tie to neck edge, having edge of tie overlap the neck edge on the outside. Fasten points at back of waistline with a button and buttonloop.