These directions are for size 14. Changes for sizes 16 and 18 are in parentheses.
MATERIALS
BERNAT Merlaine—34(35-35) skeins
1 pair straight knitting needles No. 2 (standard)
1 steel crochet hook No. 4
1 yd 1 inch belting
1 slide fastener
6 buttons
Snap fasteners
GAUGE: 7 sts = 1 inch; 10 rows = 1 inch
SKIRT
NOTE: Any changes in length of skirt are made before first dec row.
PANEL: Make 4. Cast on 124(130-134) sts. Work in stockinette st for 1 inch. P the next 2 rows to form hemline. Work even in stockinette st until piece measures 2 inches above hemline. FIRST DECREASE ROW: K 6(4-6) sts, * K 2 tog, K 22(24-24) sts, repeat from * ending K 2 tog, K 20(20-22) sts—5 sts dec. Work even for 2 inches. SECOND DECREASE ROW: K 6(4-6) sts, * K 2 tog, K 21(23-23) sts, repeat from * ending K 2 tog, K 19(19-21) sts. Continue in this manner, dec 5 sts every 2 inches, having 1 st less between dec on each dec row, until piece measures 30(31-31½) inches—49(55-59) sts. ON SIZES 16 AND 18 ONLY, on the next row dec 5 sts in same manner as before. ON ALL SIZES, work even on 49(50-54) sts for 1 inch. Bind off all sts.
JACKET
BACK PEPLUM: Cast on 182(191-206) sts. Work in stockinette st for ½ inc. P the next 2 rows to form hemline. Work in stockinette st for ½ inch, ending with a P row. FIRST DEC ROW: K 7(10-10) sts, * K 2 tog, K 28(29-32) sts, repeat from * ending K 2 tog, K 23(24-24) sts—6 sts dec. Work 3 rows even. SECOND DEC ROW: K 7(10-10) sts, * K 2 tog, K 27(28-31) sts, repeat from * ending K 2 tog, K 22(23-23) sts—6 sts dec. Continue in this manner, dec 6 sts every 4th row and having 1 st less between dec on each dec row, until 92(101-104) sts remain. Work even until piece measures 6½(6½-7) inches above hemline. Bind off.
LEFT FRONT PEPLUM: Cast on 98(103-106) sts. Work in stockinette st for ½ inch. P the next 2 rows to form hemline. Work in stockinette st for ½ inch, ending with a P row. FIRST DEC ROW: K 9, * K 2 tog, K 30(32-34) sts, repeat from * ending K 2 tog, K 23—3 sts dec. Work 3 rows even. SECOND DEC ROW: K 9 sts, * K 2 tog, K 29(31-33) sts, repeat from * ending K 2 tog, K 22 sts—3 sts dec. Continue in this manner, dec 3 sts every 4th row until 53(57-61) sts remain. Work even until piece measures 6½(6½-7) inches above hemline. Bind off.
RIGHT FRONT PEPLUM: Work to correspond with left front peplum.
BACK: Cast on 92(100-104) sts. Work in stockinette st, inc 1 st each end of needle every ¾ inch 10(10-11) times. Work even on 112(120-126) sts until piece measures 8(8-8½) inches. SHAPE ARMHOLES: At the beg of each of the next 2 rows bind off 6(7-7) sts. Dec 1 st each end of needle every other row 4(5-5) times. Work even on 92(96- 102) sts until armholes measure 7¼(7½-7¾) inches. SHAPE SHOULDERS: At the beg of each of the next 6(8-6) rows bind off 10(8-11) sts. Bind off remaining 32(32-36) sts.
LEFT FRONT: Cast on 63(66-69) sts. Work in stockinette st, inc 1 st at arm edge every ¾ inch 10(10-11) times. Work even on 73(76-80) sts until piece measures 8(8-8½) inches. SHAPE ARMHOLE: At arm edge bind off 9(10-10) sts. Dec 1 st at same edge every other row 5 times. Work even on 59(61-65) sts until armhole measures 6(6¼-6½) inches. SHAPE NECK: At front edge bind off 24(24-27) sts. Dec 1 st at same edge every other row 5 times. Work even on 30(32-33) sts until armhole measures 7¼(7½-7¾) inches. SHAPE SHOULDER: At arm edge bind off 10(8-11) sts 3(4-3) times.
RIGHT FRONT: Work to correspond with left front, reversing shaping and forming first buttonhole when piece measures 1 inch. DOUBLE BUTTONHOLE: Starting at front edge, work 4 sts; bind off next 3 sts; work 5 sts; bind off next 3 sts; work to end of row. On the next row cast on 3 sts over each 3 sts bound off previous row. Make 5 more double buttonholes, evenly spaced—the last one to be made 1 inch below start of neck shaping.
SLEEVES: Cast on 60(64-68) sts. Work in stockinette st for ½ inch. P the next 2 rows to form hemline. Work even in stockinette st for 2½ inches. On the next row inc 1 st each end of needle and repeat this inc every ¾ inch until there are 86(90-96) sts. Work even until piece measures 17½(18-18) inches above hemline. SHAPE CAP: At the beg of each of the next 2 rows bind off 9(10-10) sts. Dec 1 st each end of needle every other row for 4¼(4½-4¾) inches. At the beg of each of the next 4 rows bind off 3 sts. Bind off remaining sts.
COLLAR: Cast on 164(168-170) sts. Work in stockinette st for ½ inch. P the next 2 rows to form hemline. Work in stockinette st for ½ inch. FIRST DEC ROW: K 7(5-6) sts, * K 2 tog, K 18(19-19) sts, repeat from * ending K 2 tog, K 15(14-15) sts—8 sts dec. Work even for 3 rows. SECOND DEC ROW: K 7(5-6) sts, * K 2 tog, K 17(18-18) sts, repeat from * ending K 2 tog, K 14(13-14) sts.—8 sts dec. Continue in this manner, dec 8 sts every other row and having 1 st less between dec on each dec row, until 92 (96-98) sts remain. Work even until piece measures 2½ inches above hemline. Bind off.
FINISHING: Seam skirt panels, leaving a 6 inch opening from top edge between two panels for slide fastener. Hem skirt. Work 1 row s c around top edge and side opening. Sew underarm, shoulder and sleeve seams. Turn under a 1¼ inch hem on left front and sew in place for facing.
Turn under right front edge and buttonhole st around each double buttonhole. Hem each peplum piece on bottom and turn under a ¼ inch hem on each front edge. Sew upper part of jacket over peplum, overlapping for ¼ inch. Hem collar. Turn under a ¼ inch hem on each short edge of collar and sew in place. Sew collar in place to within 1 inch of each front edge. Hem sleeves. Block jacket and skirt. Face inside top of skirt with belting and close skirt opening with slide fastener. Sew buttons on left front. Close waistline with snap fasteners. Sew in shoulder pads.
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