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Elsie Dressing Gown

long dressing gown with lace patterning

Materials

2 lbs. 8 ozs Paton’s “Totem” Knitting Wool – the original was worked with “Mists” (shade 1911).

Two UK No 4/6mm/US 10 Knitting Needles

One Press Stud

Two Large Buttons.

Measurements

Length from top of shoulder – 50 ins.
Width all round at underarm, to fit – 32 ins. to 34 ins (actual measurement, 37 ins)
Length of sleeve from underarm – 20 ins.

Tension

Work at a tension to produce 14 stitches to 3 inches (18.5sts to 4″)

Pattern

The Back

Cast on 92 stitches.

1st row: K2, * P1, K1, repeat from * to the end of the row.

Repeat this row three times.

5th row: Knit plain.

6th row: K1, purl to the last stitch, K1.

Repeat the 5th and 6th rows twice.

** 11th row: K1, * K3, knit into the front of the second stitch on the left hand needle, and, before slipping it off the needle, knit into the front of the first stitch (this will be termed “Cross” throughout), K1, Cross, K2, repeat from * to the last stitch, K1.

12th row: K1, * P3, Cross (work in the same manner as the previous row, but purling the stitches instead of knitting), P1, Cross, P2, repeat from * to last stitch, K1.

13th row: K1, * K1, Cross, K1, Cross, K4, repeat from * to the last stitch, K1.

14th row: K1, * P5, Cross, P1, Cross, repeat from * to the last stitch, K1.

Repeat the 5th and 6th rows three times.

21st row: K1 , * K5, Cross, K1, Cross, repeat from * to last stitch, K1.

22ndrow: K1, * P1, Cross, P1, Cross, P4, repeat from * to the last stitch, K1.

23rd row: K1, * K3, Cross, K1, Cross, K2, repeat from * to the last stitch, K1.

24th row: K1, * P3, Cross, P1, Cross, P2, repeat from * to the last stitch, K1.

Repeat the 5th and 6th rows three times.**

Repeat from ** to ** twice.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: K1, K2tog, K1, * Cross, K1, Cross, K5, repeat from * to the last 8 stitches, Cross, K1, Cross, K2tog, K1.

Work 19 rows in pattern without shaping, also after the 21st, 41st and 61st rows.

21st row: K1, K2tog, * Cross, K1, Cross, K5, repeat from * to the last 7 stitches, Cross, K1, Cross, K2tog

41st row: K2tog, * Cross, K1, Cross, K5, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, Cross, K1, K2tog, K1.

61st row: K1, K2tog, * K1, Cross, K5, Cross, repeat from * to the last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1.

81st row: K1, K2tog,* Cross, K5, Cross, K1, repeat from * to the last 11 stitches, Cross, K 5, Cross, K2tog.

Work 9 rows in pattern without shaping, also after the 91st, 101st, 111th and 121st rows.

91st row: K1, K2tog, * K1, Cross, K5, Cross, repeat from * to the last 9 stitches, K1, Cross, K3, K2tog, K1.

101st row: K1, K2tog, * K5, Cross, K1, Cross, repeat from * to the last 7 stitches, K4, K2tog, K1.

111th row: K2tog, * Cross, K5, Cross, K1, repeat from * to the last 6 stitches, Cross, K1, K2tog, K1.

121st row: K1, K2tog, K3, * Cross, K1, Cross, K5, repeat from * to the last 10 stitches, Cross, K1, Cross, K2, K2tog, K1.

131st row: K1, K2tog, K4, * Cross, K1, Cross, K5, repeat from* to last 7 stitches, Cross, K1, Cross, K2tog

Work 13 rows in pattern without shaping.

Proceed as follows:

Increase once at each end of the needle in the next and every following 10th row until there are 78 stitches on the needle.

Work 19 rows in pattern without shaping.

Cast off 6 stitches at the beginning of each of the next 2 rows.

Decrease once at each end of the needle in the next and every alternate row until 54 stitches remain.

Work 21 rows in pattern without shaping.

Shape for the shoulders as follows:

1st and 2nd rows: Work in pattern to the last 6 stitches, turn.

3rd and 4th rows: Work in pattern to the last 12 stitches, turn.

5th and 6th rows: Work in pattern to the last 18 stitches, turn .

7th row: Work in pattern to the end of the row. Cast off.

The Right Front

Cast on 92 stitches.

1st row: K2, * P1, K1, repeat from * to the end of the row.

Repeat this row three times.

5th row: K2, (P1, K1) three times, knit plain to the
end of the row.

6th row: K1, purl to the last 8 stitches, (P1, K1) four times

Repeat 5th and 6th rows twice.

11th row: K2, (P1, K1) three times, K1, * K5, Cross, K1, Cross, repeat from * to the last 3 stitches, K3.

12th row: Work in pattern to the end of the row.

13th row: K2, (P1, K1) three times, K2tog, K2, * Cross, K1, Cross, K5, repeat from* to end of the row.

14th row: Like the 12th row.

Repeat the 5th and 6th rows three times.

21st row: K2, (P1, K1) three times, Cross, * K5, Cross, K1, Cross, repeat from * to the last stitch, K1.

22nd row: Like the 12th row.

23rd row: K2, (P1, K1) three times, * K5 , Cross, K1, Cross, repeat from * to the last 3 stitches, K3.

24th row: Like the 12th row.

25th row: K2, (P1, K1) three times, K2tog, knit plain to end of the row.

Repeat the 6th row once, and then the 5th and 6th rows twice.

31st row: K2, (P1, K1) three times, K1, * K3, Cross, K1, Cross, K2, repeat from * to the last stitch, K1.

32nd row: Like the 12th row.

33rd row: K2, (P l, K1) three times, K1, * K1, Cross, K1, Cross, K4, repeat from * to the last stitch, K1.

34th row: Like the 12th row.

Keeping the continuity of the pattern, decrease once (inside the border) in the 3rd and every following 12th row, until 87 stitches remain.

Work 9 rows in pattern without shaping.

Decrease once at the side seam in the next and every following 20th row, whilst at the same time decreasing once (inside the border) in the 3rd and every following 12th row, until 75 stitches remain.

Still decreasing (in side the border) in every 12th row, decrease once at the side seam in every following 10th row, until 66 stitches remain.

Work 13 rows in pattern without shaping.

Increase once (inside the border) in the next and every following 6th row, whilst at the same time increasing once at the side seam in the next and every following 10th row, until there are 73 stitches on the needle.

Increase once inside the border in 4th row.

Work 1 row.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: K2, (P1, K1) three times, K2, cast off 3 stitches, work in pattern to end of the row.

2nd row: Work in pattern to the last 10 stitches, cast on 3 stitches, P2, (P1, K1) four times.

Continue in pattern, increasing once (inside the border) in the 3rd and following 6th row, until there are 76 stitches on the needle.

Work 4 rows in pattern without shaping.

Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row.

Decrease once at the armhole edge in the next and every alternate row, whilst at the same time increasing in the next and every following 6th row at the centre front, until there are 62 stitches on needle, ending at centre front.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: K2, (P1, K1) three times, K2, cast off 3 stitches, knit plain to end of the row.

2nd row: K1, purl to the last 10 stitches, cast on 3 stitches, P2, (P1, K1) four times.

3rd row: K2, (P1, K1) eighteen times, P1, work in pattern to end of row.

4th row: Work in pattern to the last 39 stitches, K1, (P1, K1) nineteen times.

Repeat the 3rd and 4th rows once.

7th row: Cast off 31 stitches, place the next 8 stitches on to a spare needle, work in pattern to the end of the row.

Decrease once at the neck edge in every alternate row until 19 stitches remain.

Work 5 rows without shaping.

Shape for the shoulders as follows:

1st row: Work in pattern to the last 6 stitches, turn.

2nd row: Work in pattern to the end of the row.

3rd row: Work in pattern to the last 12 stitches, turn.

4th row: Like the 2nd row. Cast off.

The Left Front

Cast on 80 stitches.

1st row: * K1, P l, repeat from * to the last 2 stitches, K2.

Repeat this row three times.

5th row: Knit plain to the last 8 stitches, (K1, P1) three times, K2.

6th row: (K1, P1) four times, purl to the last stitch, K1.

Repeat the 5th and 6th rows twice.

11th row: K1, * K3, Cross, K1, Cross, K2, repeat from * to the last 9 stitches, K1, (K1, P1) three times, K2.

12th row: Work in pattern to the end of the row.

13th row: K1, * K1, Cross, K1, Cross, K4, repeat from * to the last 19 stitches, K1, Cross, K1, Cross, K3, K2tog, (K1, P1) three times, K2.

14th row: Like the 12th row.

Repeat the 5th and 6th rows three times.

21st row: K1 , * K5, Cross, K1, Cross, repeat from * to the last 8 stitches, (K1, P1) three times, K2.

Continue in pattern, decreasing once (inside the border) in the 4th and every following 12th row, until 75 stitches remain.

Work 9 rows in pattern without shaping.

Decrease once at the side seam in the next and every following 20th row, whilst at the same time decreasing once at the centre edge in the 3rd and every 12th row, until 63 stitches remain.

Still decreasing once at the centre edge in every 12th row, decrease once at the side seam in every following 10th row, until 54 stitches remain.

Work 13 rows in pattern without shaping.

Increase once at the side seam in the next and every following 10th row, until there are 57 stitches on the needle.

Work 19 rows in pattern without shaping.

Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row.

Decrease once at the arm-hole edge in every alternate row until 41 stitches remain.

Work 2 rows in pattern without shaping.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: (K1 , P1) nine times, purl to last stitch, K1.

2nd row: Work in pattern to the last 18 stitches, (K1, P1) eight times, K2.

3rd row: (K1, P1) nine times, work in pattern to the end of the row.

4th row: Like the 2nd row.

5th row: Cast off 10 stitches. Place the next 8 stitches on to a spare needle, work in pattern to the end of the row.

Decrease once at the neck edge in the next and every alternate row until 19 stitches remain.

Work 6 rows in pattern without shaping, ending at the neck edge.

Shape for the shoulder as follows:

1st row: Work in pattern to the last 6 stitches, turn.

2nd row: Work in pattern to the end of the row.

3rd row: Work in pattern to the last 12 stitches, turn.

4th row: Like the 2nd row. Cast off.

The Sleeves

Cast on 68 stitches.

1st row: K2, * P1, K1, repeat from * to the end of the row. Repeat this row three times.

5th row: Knit plain.

6th row: K1, purl to the last stitch, K1.

Repeat the 5th and 6th rows twice.

11th row: K2, * K5, Cross, K1, Cross, repeat from * to the last 6 stitches, K6.

12th row: Work in pattern to the end of the row.

13th row: K1, K2tog, K2, * Cross, K1, Cross, K 5, repeat from * to the last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1.

14th row: Like the 12th row.

Repeat the 5th and 6th rows twice.

19th row: K1, K2tog, knit plain to the last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1.

20th row: Like the 6th row.

21st row: K2, * K5, Cross, K1, Cross, repeat from * to the last 2 stitches, K2.

22nd and 24th rows: Like the 12th row.

23rd row: * K5, Cross, K1, Cross, repeat from * to the last 4 stitches, K4.

25th row: Like the 19th row.

Repeat the 6th row once, and then the 5th and 6th rows twice.

31st row: K1, K2tog, * K1, Cross, K1, Cross, K4, repeat from * to the last 9 stitches, K1, Cross, K1, Cross, K2tog, K1.

Continue in pattern, decreasing once in every 6th row until 52 stitches remain .

Work 13 rows in pattern without shaping.

Increase once at each end of the needle in the next and every following 10th row until there are 62 stitches on the needle.

Work 3 rows in pattern without shaping.

Cast off 1 stitch at the beginning of each of the next 6 rows, and then 2 stitches at the beginning of every row, until 32 stitches remain.

Cast off.

Work another Sleeve in the same manner.

The Neck Band

Sew up the shoulder seams.

Place the first 8 border stitches on one needle, knit up 50 stitches in rib of (K1, P1) round the neck, and work the last 8 border stitches.

1st row: * K1, P1, repeat from * to the last 2 stitches, K2.

2nd row: Like the 1st row. Cast off.

The Collar

Cast on 80 stitches.

1st row: K2, * P1, K1, repeat from * to the end of the row. Repeat this row once.

3rd row: K2, (P1, K1) twice, knit to the last 6 stitches, (P1, K1) three times.

4th row: K2, (P1, K1) twice, P1, (P9, P2tog) six times, P1, (P1, K1) three times.

5th row: Like the 3rd row.

6th row: K2, (P1, K1) twice, purl to the last 6 stitches, (P1, K1) three times.

7th row: K2, (P1, K1) twice, K4, * Cross, K1, Cross, K 5, repeat from * to the last 14 stitches, cross, K1, Cross, K3, (P1, K1) three times.

Work 2 rows in pattern.

10th row: K2, (P1, K1) twice, P6, * Cross, P1, Cross, P2, P2tog, P1, repeat from * four times, Cross, P1, Cross, P1, (P1, K1) three times.

11th row: Like the 3rd row.

12th row: K2, (P1, K1) twice, * P6, P2tog, repeat from * to the last 7 stitches, K1, (P1, K1) three times. Cast off.

To Make Up the Dressing Gown

With a damp cloth and hot iron, press carefully.

Sew up the side and sleeve seams.

Sew in the sleeves, placing seam ¾ inch in front of the side seam.

Sew on the collar in position.

Sew on the buttons to correspond with the button-holes and the press stud at the centre of the neck.

Using 6 threads of wool in each strand, make a three strand plait for the waist.

Finish the ends with tassels.

Make two lengths of crocheted chain, and attach to the side seam, through which to thread the cord.


The original publication of this pattern is in the public domain, however this digital version with updated language is copyright Sarah Bradberry, July 14th 2012. All rights reserved.