Leotards | Style No. 137

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This free pattern originally published in the Botany College Hand Knits, Volume II, in 1958.

Instructions are for size 10-12, changes for size 14-16 are in parentheses, see body measurement chart on patternbook page.

MATERIALS: BOTANY KNITTING WORSTED, 4 oz. skeins, Color A - 4 skeins.
BUCILLA HANDI-YARN, ART. 028, Color B - 2 cards for Cords.

KNITTING NEEDLES: 1 pair "Boye" Non-Inflammable Needles, Size 8 - OR SIZE YOU REQUIRE TO KNIT TO GAUGE GIVEN BELOW.
1 pair "Boye" Non-Inflammable Needles, Size 4.
"Boye" Steel Hook, Size 1.

GAUGE: Size 8 Needles - 6 rows = 1 inch

MEASUREMENTS FOR BLOCKING:

Length from top to lower edge, measured on outer edge of leg, 36 inches.

RIGHT HALF - With size 4 needles, cast on 77 (82) sts for waistband.

Rib Pattern - Row 1 - wrong side - K 2, * p 3, k 2; repeat from * to end.

Row 2 - P 2, * k 3, p 2; repeat from * to end.

Repeat these 2 rows for pat. Work pat. even until 3 ins. from beg., end on right side. With size 8 needles, work 1 row. Begin short rows.

Row 1 - right side - Work pat. for 7 sts, turn.

Row 2 and all even numbered rows - Slip 1, work pat. to end.

Always work slip st tog. with st directly below to prevent a hole.

Row 3 - Work pat. for 12 sts, turn.

Row 5 - Work pat. for 17 sts, turn. Continue in this way, working 5 sts more every 2nd row 3 (4) times more, end on right side, turn. Slip 1, work pat. to end. This completes short rows.

Inc. row - right side - Inc. 1 st in first st, work pat. to within 1 st of end, inc. 1 st in last st; 79 (84) sts. Continue pat. repeating inc. row every 1 ½ ins. 4 times, with care to carry out pat. on added sts; 87 (92) sts. Repeat inc. row every 4th row 5 times; every row 10 times; 117 (122) sts. Place marker for end of crotch.

LEG - Continue pat., decreasing 1 st each side every 2nd row 5 times; every 4th row 25 times; 57 (62) sts. Work even until 33 ins. from beg., measured at center, end on wrong side.

Dividing row - side opening - Work 28 (30) sts, place on holder for one side, bind off 1 (2) sts, work to end; 28 (30) sts. Work even following pat. until 3 ins. from opening. Bind off in pat. Beg. at center, finish other side to correspond.

LEFT HALF - With size 4 needles, cast on 77 (82) sts for waistband.

Work rib pat. same as right half for 3 ins., end on wrong side.

With size 8 needles, work 1 row. Begin short rows.

Row 1 - wrong side - Work pat. for 7 sts, turn.

Row 2 and all even numbered rows - Slip 1, work pat. to end.

Continue short rows to correspond to right half, end on right side. Work 1 row from wrong side.

Inc. row - Same as on right half. Finish left half to correspond to right half.

FINISHING - Sew leg seams from lower edge to crotch markers. Sew short sides tog. from crotch to top of waistband for front and long sides tog. for back. Make casing for elastic on waistband, see patternbook page. Block, see patternbook page.

BEADING - With A, from right side, work 1 row sc on side opening working 13 sc from lower edge to bind-off, 1 sc in bind-off and 13 sc on other edge of opening; 27 sc.

Row 2 - Ch 1, turn, work 1 slip st in first sc, * ch 3, skip 1 sc, 1 slip st in next sc; repeat from * 12 times - making 6 eyelets each side and 1 at center.

CORDS - With B, ch 32 ins. Work 1 slip st in horizontal thread of each st. Fasten off. Make 2. Beg. at bottom, lace cords through eyelets on side openings, drawing both ends through center eyelet and tie into a bow at top.

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