Flowery Border Crochet Dress: vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Medium (CYC #4) worsted-weight yarn — the original was knitting worsted or Sayelle: 3 (4) skeins of 4 oz (113 g) White, 1 skein each of Leaf Green and Light Raspberry, and 1 oz (28 g) Orange. Assumption: a 4 oz (113 g) skein of worsted-weight yarn holds about 200–230 yd (183–210 m) — check your label.
• Crochet hook (original: plastic crochet hook size H)
• Tapestry needle
• Hook: Start with 5 mm (US H-8) and change size to match the gauge

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch

chain

sc

single crochet

dc

double crochet

tr

treble crochet

sl st

slip stitch

sk

skip

st

stitch

sts

stitches

rep

repeat

yo

yarn over

sh

shell

beg

beginning

lp

loop

sp

space

ch-sp

chain space

Notes before you start

• Source: "Flowery Border — Crochet Dress", In Fashions: for Him, for Her, in Knits, in Crochets (Star Book No. 230), American Thread Company. Public domain in the USA.
• As printed — materials: AMERICAN THREAD; “DAWN” KNITTING WORSTED or DAWN “SAYELLE”®; 3 (4)—4 oz. skeins White; 1—4 oz. skein each Leaf Green or Premier Green and Lt. Raspberry or Folly Pink; 1 oz. Orange or Burnt Orange; Plastic Crochet Hook size H OR ANY SIZE HOOK WHICH WILL RESULT IN STITCH GAUGE BELOW.. Gauge: Each motif measures about 4 inches..
• Modernisation note: Original is written in US crochet terms; kept as US terms (sc = single crochet, dc = double crochet).
• Modernisation note: Spaced abbreviations (s c, d c, sl st, y o) written as sc, dc, sl st, yo; "trc" written as tr and "d trc" as dtr; "1st" written as "first"; "st of ch" written as "ch" where the stitch is a chain.
• Modernisation note: "Cut yarn" written as "fasten off"; "attach" (yarn) written as "join".
• Modernisation note: Long printed paragraphs split into one row, round or step per line; stitch order unchanged.
• Modernisation note: Vintage sizing and ease differ from today's — compare the printed finished measurements with your own before choosing a size.
• Modernisation note: Round 1 label added to the motif (printed without a number). "1st round" written as "Round 1".
• Modernisation note: "Work 1 more round of motifs" kept as printed; the motifs form a second strip joined to the first.
• Modernisation note: Motif Round 1: "cut yarn, attach White, join" written as "fasten off, join White, join".
• Modernisation note: The unnumbered division, back and front steps are grouped under Back and Front headings; order unchanged.
• Modernisation note: Metric conversions added.

Motif

1. Round 1: With Orange ch 5, join to form a ring, ch 1, 8 sc in ring, fasten off, join White, join. (When changing colors, always complete last half of st with next color.)
2. Round 2: Ch 7, working into single loop of each ch, work 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each remaining ch (petal), sl st in back of 7th sc from beg of petal, sc in next sc of Round 1; rep from beg 7 times (8 petals), join. Fasten off.
3. Round 3: Join Leaf Green in sc between petals, ch 3, 2 dc in same space, *ch 1, 3 dc in next sc between petals; rep from * all around, ch 1, join.
4. Round 4: 5 dc (shell) in center dc, sl st in ch-1 space; rep from beg all around, join. Fasten off.