Cocktail Jacket Pattern #1127

Size 34

Materials: Chadwick's Red Heart Crepe-de-Mode, 9 skeins (1 oz. skeins).
Milward's Phantom Knitting Pins, 1 pair No. 1 (2½ mm. size).
A belt and a pin.

Gauge: 8 sts (4 diamonds) make 1 inch; 14 rows (4 rows of diamonds) make 1 inch.

Back. Starting at bottom, cast on 136 sts. 1st row: Sl 1 st as if to k, k 1, * place yarn in front of needle, and sl 1 st as if to p, then k 1 (thus making a cross st). Repeat from * across. 2nd row: Sl 1 st as if to k, * k the st under the cross st, then sl the cross st onto right hand needle (without knitting it), k 1. Repeat from * across. 3rd row: Sl 1 st as if to k, * place yarn in front of needle, sl 1 st as if to p, k the next st and the cross st together. Repeat from * across, ending row with k 1. 4th row: Repeat 2nd row but starting with sl 1, k 1 (instead of sl 1). 5th row: Sl 1 st as if to k, * k the next st and the cross st together, place yarn in front of needle, sl 1 st as if to p. Repeat from * across, ending row with yarn in front of needle, sl 1, k 1. These last 4 rows (2nd to 5th incl.) constitute the pattern. Work in pattern, decreasing 1 st at both ends of every 3rd row until 108 sts remain. Work straight until piece measures 4½ inches. Then inc. 1 st at both ends of every 7th row until there are 128 sts on needle. Work straight until piece measures 10½ inches.

To Shape Armholes: Bind off 8 sts at beginning of each of next 2 rows. Then dec. 1 st at end of each row until 96 sts remain. Work straight until piece measures 7 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. To shape shoulders, bind off 4 sts at beginning of each row until 32 sts remain. Bind off.

Right Front. Starting at bottom, cast on 84 sts and work in pattern as for Back for 1 inch. Then dec. 1 st at underarm side every 8th row 4 times (80 sts). Work straight until piece measures 4 inches. Then, starting at front edge, inc. 1 st on next row and every 6th row thereafter until 8 sts are increased, at the same time increasing 1 st at underarm side every 10th row until there are 96 sts on needle. Work straight until piece measures 11½ inches in all.

To Shape Armhole: Starting at underarm side, bind off 10 sts. Then dec. 1 st at armhole edge every other row until 22 sts are decreased, at the same time dec. 1 st at front edge every 5th row until 8 sts are decreased (66 sts). Work straight until piece measures 3 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. Then, starting at front edge, dec. 1 st on next row and every other row thereafter until 32 sts remain, but when armhole measures 7 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping, shape shoulder by binding off 4 sts at armhole edge every other row, until all sts are worked off.

Left Front. Work exactly as for Right Front, reversing shapings.

Sleeves. Starting at bottom, cast on 80 sts, and work in pattern, increasing 1 st at both ends of every 7th row, until there are 100 sts on needle. Work straight until piece measures 5½ inches. To shape top of sleeve, bind off 6 sts at beginning of each of next 2 rows. Then dec. 1 st at both ends of every 4th row until 56 sts remain. Then bind off 2 sts at beginning of each row until 16 sts remain. Bind off.

Sew up underarm seams, easing in the extra length of Front into Back, about 1½ inches below armhole. Sew up shoulder seams. Sew up sleeve seams. Find center top of sleeve and mark with a pin. Measure off 1½ inches on each side of pin and mark. Then measure off 2 inches on each side of these last 2 pins, and mark. Remove center pin (4 pin marks in all). Make ½ inch dart at each pin, taking off ½ inch on each side of pin and graduating it into nothing 1 inch from top edge. Sew darts on wrong side (thus making 4 darts). Sew sleeves in.