This stitch is from Caulfeild’s Encyclopedia of Victorian Needlework. It creates a simple, very open fabric quite unlike any other crochet. It seemed an excellent choice for laceweight yarn. The sweater is worked in vertical rows for a slimming look and easy construction. Pull this on over a T-shirt and jeans for some extra crochet pizzazz!
YARN: Malabrigo Lace (100% baby Merino, 470 yd [430 m] per 1.8 oz [50 g]); #194 Cinnabar, 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) skeins.
HOOK: G-6 (4 mm) Tunisian hook or size needed to obtain gauge.
BEFORE BLOCKING: 24 sts = 4" (10 cm); 8 rows = 4½" (11.5 cm).
AFTER BLOCKING: 20 sts = 4" (10 cm); 8 rows = 5" (12.5 cm).
Note: This very open long stitch does not lend itself to absolutely constant gauge. The fabric is very malleable and can be blocked to precise measurements. When measuring gauge before blocking, try to come close to the stated gauge, but don’t worry if you are off by a stitch or two per 4" (10 cm)—this discrepancy can be adjusted for when you block the project. A larger discrepancy should be fixed by adjusting hook size or tension.
FINISHED BUST CIRCUMFERENCE: 36 (41, 48, 52, 55)" (91.5 [104, 122, 132, 139.5] cm).
FINISHED LENGTH: 21 (22½, 23, 24½, 26)" (53.5 [57, 58.5, 62, 66] cm).
Long Loop stitch pattern (patt): Fwd: Insert hook under horizontal bar, draw up lp, sk next vertical bar, insert hook under next horizontal bar, draw up lp, yo, draw through 3 lps on hook, pull final lp up to ½" (1.3 cm) in height (don’t tighten the stitch too much; the little knot at the bottom should be closed but not very tightly), *yo, insert hook first into same sp as 2nd leg of last st, draw up lp, sk next vertical bar, insert hook under next horizontal bar, draw up lp, yo, draw through 3 lps on hook, drawing lp up to ½" (1.3 cm) in height; rep from * across to last st, yo, insert hook in same sp as 2nd leg of last st, draw up lp, insert hook into last st as usual, draw up lp, yo, draw through 3 lps, draw up lp to ½" (1.3 cm). Rtn: Work basic rtn pass (see Glossary).
Ch 100 (106, 110, 116, 120).
FOUNDATION ROW: To work into foundation chs, work into blp as foll: Fwd: Pull up lp on hook to ½" (1.3 cm), yo, sk 2nd ch, insert hook in blp of 3rd ch, draw up lp, insert hook into blp of 4th ch, draw up lp, yo, draw through 3 lps, drawing up last lp to ½" (1.3 cm); *yo, insert hook in last ch already holding last leg of last st, draw up lp, insert hook in next ch, draw up lp, yo, draw through 3 lps, drawing up last lp to ½" (1.3 cm); rep from * across, inserting hook in same ch as last st and in the next ch for each st. Rtn: Work basic rtn pass (see Glossary)—100 (106, 110, 116, 120) sts.
Work even in patt (see Stitch Guide) completing 13 (13, 14, 15, 16) rows including foundation row. At end of last row, ch 56 (60, 60, 65, 70), place last lp on safety pin. First sleeve completed.
Join new yarn at opposite end of last row, ch 56 (60, 60, 65, 70). Fasten off.
NEXT ROW: Work in patt over added chs as for foundation row, work in patt across to 2nd added ch; work in patt over added chs as for foundation ch—212 (226, 230, 246, 260) sts.
Work even in patt completing 7 (9, 11, 13, 13) more rows. At end of last row, divide sts in half, place marker at halfway point of last row.
Counting from Row 1 of patt, you should now have a total of 21 (23, 26, 29, 30) rows.
Work in patt to marker for 13 (13, 14, 14, 15) rows. At end of last row, place final lp on safety pin to be picked up later—105 (113, 115, 123, 130) sts.
On row 21 (23, 26, 29, 30) of side, sk 8 sts from last st worked for back, join yarn in next st.
NEXT ROW: Work in patt across—97 (105, 107, 115, 122) sts.
Work even in patt for 12 (12, 13, 13, 14) more rows.
At end of last row, ch 8, sl st in top of last row completed on back neck. The goal is to create a smooth rtn pass from front to back, to be worked into on next fwd pass.
NEXT ROW: Pick up dropped lp at bottom edge of back, work in patt to last st of back. Do not treat this st as final st of row, instead: yo, insert hook in same sp as 2nd lp of last st, insert hook in next ch, yo, draw through 3 lps. Cont working over added chs in the same way as foundation row, then cont working across front.
Work even in patt completing 7 (9, 11, 13, 13) more rows. Fasten off.
NEXT ROW: Count 56 (60, 60, 65, 70) from bottom edge, join yarn in next st, work in patt for 100 (106, 110, 116, 120) sts, leaving rem 56 (60, 60, 65, 70) sts unworked.
Work even in patt completing 12, (12, 13, 14, 15) more rows. Fasten off.
Block to measurements. Sew side and sleeve seams. Weave in loose ends.
