Knitted Sunback Dress Pattern

This dress pattern was originally published in June 1934 in Needlecraft The Home Arts Magazine.

The model is in the sixteen-year size, and used eight balls of light-green mercerized crochet-cotton and eight balls of peach knitting-and-crochet cotton. Other requirements are one pair of No. 4 bone needles, one No. 4 circular bone needle, a No. 2 steel crochet-hook, a fancy button or buckle for belt, and seven-eighths yard of one-half inch white elastic.

The stitch measure is twelve stitches to two inches and seventeen rows to two inches.

For skirt: With circular needle and a strand each of green and peach cast on 348 stitches. Knit 18, * purl 21, knit 37; repeat from * 4 times, purl 21, knit 19. Repeat this round 12 times. On next round knit 18, * purl 2 together, purl 17, purl 2 together, knit 37; repeat from * 4 times, purl 2 together, purl 17, purl 2 together, knit 19. Work 13 rounds. Repeat the decreases each side of the 6 purled divisions, having 2 stitches less between decreases in each division. Continue to decrease every 13th round or 1 ½ inches, until 1 purl stitch remains in each section (228 stitches). Knit plain all stitches for 8 inches or until 23 inches from the beginning. Knit every 21st and 22d stitches together, making 10 decreases on the round. Knit 1 ½ inches. Knit 12, * knit 2 together, knit 19, repeat from *, until 10 decreases, knit to end of round. Knit 1 ½ inches; continue to decrease 10 times every 1 ½ inches equal distances apart and between the decreases of last shaped round. Work thus until 178 stitches. Work 1 inch or desired length, bind off.

For the back of waist: Cast on 88 stitches for lower edge with double strand, knit 1 row, purl 1 row for 2 inches. Increase 1 stitch each side; repeat increases every 2 inches 3 times and 8 inches from the beginning. Knit 40 stitches, slip on a holder, bind off 16 stitches for center back. Knit 40 stitches. On beginning purl row bind off 6 stitches for the underarm, purl 34. Decrease 1 stitch at end of the next 6 knit rows for armhole, and decrease 1 stitch at inside, or neck edge, every 8th row 4 times. Work even until 7 inches from the underarm, bind off 24 stitches. Take up the 40 stitches from the holder, purl 1 row. Bind off 6 stitches on beginning of knit row, and decrease on beginning of knit rows 6 times and on end of every 8th knit row 4 times. Finish as for first side.

For the front of waist: Cast on 102 stitches. Increase each side every 2 inches 4 times. Bind off 6 stitches each side for underarm. Decrease 1 stitch each side every knit row 7 times. Work even until 5 ½ inches from underarm. Work 24 stitches, bind off 36 stitches; work 24 stitches even for 2 inches, bind off. Then work first 24 stitches for 2 inches, bind off. Sew side and shoulder seams.

Mark center of 2 purled divisions for center front and back of skirt. Sew to waist with center fronts and backs matching, and divide evenly extra fullness of the waist to fit top of skirt.

For the crochet edge: Attach green at one side of back of neck, with right side of work toward you, double crochet 2 rows around neck edge, making 4 double crochets on end of every 6 rows and decrease 1 stitch at each of the 4 corners. Repeat around armholes.

To make shoulder bows: With green ch 16 st, 1 d c in 2d st from hook and in each st on ch, ch 1, turn. D c 15 st or 1 ½ inches. * Next row work to within 4 st of end of row, 1 s c in next st, turn, 3 sc, d c to end, repeat from * until 3 st remain, fasten off. D c 15 st on opposite side of foundation ch and work to correspond. Loop: Ch 1 ¼ inches, d c 1 row on each side of foundation ch, fasten off. Holding in center of bow, wrap loop over it to simulate a bow. Make a second bow. Fasten in place.

For belt: With green make a ch desired waist measure, 1 d c in 2d st from hook and in each st on ch, ch 1, turn. Work until 1 inch wide. Then d c around all sides, making 3 d c in corners. Ch width of belt, fasten in lower edge, turn, d c over ch to make loop fastening.

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