Fine Lace Blouse

Some of the prettiest garments have the simplest shapes, like this little 1930s-inspired lace blouse knitted in silky crochet cotton. It has a plain stockinette stitch back and a lace stitch front. The design interest and shaping are created by a couple of simple pleats at the front waist, and a tie belt at the back, avoiding any complicated shaping on the lace pattern itself. There is a crochet edging around the fronts and collar, and some pretty vintage glass buttons providing a finishing touch.

Yarn

Yarn: the original sample used a laceweight crochet cotton – Anchor Pellicano Crochet cotton no.12 (100% cotton, 385m/421yd-50g) (the cream version shown here) The blouse is also shown reknitted in Soliloquy wool/silk (a 3ply weight at 600m per 100g) and also a laceweight alpaca/silk yarn 800m – 100g both of which worked equally well.

Sizes & yarn quantities

The pattern gives instructions for sizes 32 – 42ins/81.5 – 106.5cm bust

The blouse uses approx. 150 – 200g or 1155 -1540m/1263-1684yds of the aforementioned crochet cotton

Tension: 37sts & 47 rows 10cm/4ins in stocking stitch

Needles etc: 2.25mm (US 1); 2.75mm (US 2); 3.25mm (US 3); 3.75mm (US 5) needles; 2mm (US 1) crochet hook

For more information and to purchase the pattern as a PDF download follow the link below to the Ravelry page (membership of Ravelry not required)