Free Vintage Crochet Babies' Jacket Pattern - Handbook of Wool Knitting and Crochet

This free vintage crochet babies' jacket pattern is from the Handbook of Wool Knitting and Crochet. The pattern has been updated to modern use with AI. You will find the original text from the book at the bottom of this page in italics. The book's how to crochet section is here: A Lesson In Crochet - Handbook of Wool Knitting and Crochet.  The modern pattern is untested. I am adding these free vintage crochet patterns to my blog so they are in one place and easily searched.

Vintage Crochet Babies' Jacket Free Pattern

Modern Pattern:

This vintage crochet pattern creates a garment (likely a lightweight jacket or blouse) using a combination of treble crochet and a cross stitch pattern. You'll need approximately three skeins of a medium-weight yarn (like a 4-ply) and one spool of a finer crochet cotton or silk thread, plus 2.5 yards of ribbon. Choose a hook size that works well with your yarn.

Body of Jacket:

Chain 100. Turn.

Row 1: Skip the first 4 chains (these count as a treble crochet), treble crochet (tr) in each of the remaining 96 chains, drawing each loop to approximately 5/8 of an inch long. Break and fasten off the yarn. This is done so that all the following rows are worked on the right side. You can turn your work if you prefer, but the texture won't be quite the same.

Row 2: Attach the yarn where you began. Pull up a loop, make 2 tr in the top of the 3rd tr, and 1 tr back to where you attached the yarn. This creates a cross stitch. Repeat from * 32 times in total. Break and fasten off the yarn. Re-attach at the beginning of the row.

Row 3: Work 21 tr over the first 7 crosses (3 tr per cross). (Work 12 tr over the next 2 crosses, 18 tr over the next 6 crosses) twice. Work 12 tr over the next 2 crosses, and then 21 tr over the remaining 7 crosses. This brings you to the end of the row. The 12 tr over 2 crosses are for widening. The other tr are worked with 2 tr on each cross and 1 tr between.

Row 4: Repeat Row 2, creating 38 cross stitches.

Row 5: Work 21 tr plain (3 tr over each cross). Work 24 tr over 4 crosses, 21 tr plain, 12 tr over 2 crosses, 21 tr plain, 24 tr over the next 4 crosses, and 21 tr plain.

Row 6: Work 48 cross stitches.

Row 7: Work 21 tr plain, 12 tr over the next 2 crosses, 12 tr plain, (12 tr over the next 2 crosses, 24 tr plain) twice, 12 tr over the next 2 crosses, 12 tr plain, 12 tr over the next 2 crosses, and 21 tr plain.

Row 8: Work 58 cross stitches.

Row 9: Work 24 tr plain, skip 12 crosses, 24 tr plain, 12 tr over the next 2 crosses, 24 tr plain, skip 12 crosses, and 24 tr plain.

Row 10: Work 36 cross stitches.

Row 11: Work plain tr, adding 3 extra tr under each arm and 6 extra tr over the 6 crosses at the center back.

Row 12: Work 40 cross stitches.

Row 13: Work plain tr, adding 6 extra tr at the back.

Row 14: Work 42 cross stitches.

Row 15: Repeat Row 13.

Row 16: Work 44 cross stitches.

Row 17: Repeat Row 13.

Row 18: Work 46 cross stitches.

Row 19: Work plain tr, without widening at the back.

Neckline Shaping:

Along the neck edge, create spaces for the ribbon: Attach the yarn at the end of the foundation chain. Chain 5, skip 2 stitches, tr in the next stitch. Chain 2, skip 2 stitches, tr in the next stitch. Repeat from * across.

Border:

Work a row of cross stitches entirely around the jacket, adding extra cross stitches at the corners to keep the work flat. Follow this with a row of tr, widening by adding extra tr at the corners for smooth turning. Finish with a row of shells: 8 tr in one stitch, skip 3 stitches, slip stitch in the next stitch, skip 3 stitches. Repeat from * around.

Edging:

Using the crochet cotton or silk, work a double crochet (dc) between the first two tr of a shell. (Chain 2, dc between the next two tr) 6 times. Chain 2, dc between the shells. Chain 2. Repeat from * around.

Sleeves:

Row 1: Work 6 tr on the tr under the arm and 36 tr over the 12 crosses.

Row 2: Work 14 cross stitches.

Row 3: Work plain tr, adding 3 extra tr under the arm (45 tr total).

Row 4: Work 15 cross stitches.

Row 5: Repeat Row 3, making 48 tr.

Row 6: Work 16 cross stitches.

Row 7: Repeat Row 3, making 51 tr.

Row 8: Work 17 cross stitches.

Row 9: Repeat Row 3, making 54 tr.

Finishing:

Finish the sleeves with shells and chain loops, as described for the body of the jacket.

Ribbon:

Thread 1.25 yards of ribbon through the neckline openings. Divide the remaining ribbon and thread it through the 7th row of each sleeve, tying it in a bow at the top.

Original Text:

Materials required are three skeins of Saxony yarn, one spool silk-finished crochet-cotton or crochet-silk, and two and one-half yards of No. 1 ribbon. Use a hook which will carry the yarn easily.

Make a chain of 100 stitches, turn.

1. Miss 1st 4 stitches, make a treble in each of 96 stitches, drawing up to about five-eighths of an inch. Break and fasten wool (this so the work will be done on the right side; one may turn, if preferred, but the effect is not so good).

2. Fasten in where you began, pull up, make 2 trebles in top of 3d treble and 1 treble back to where you fastened in, which makes a cross; repeat, making 32 crosses in all; break thread and again join in at the end where you began.

3. Make 21 trebles over 7 crosses, (12 trebles over next 2, 18 trebles over 6 crosses) twice, 12 over 2, and again 21 over 7, which brings you to end of row. The 12 trebles over 2 are to widen; the others are made 2 on each cross and 1 between.

4. Same as 2d row, 38 crosses.

5. Make 21 trebles plain (that is, 3 over each cross). 24 over 4 crosses, 21 plain, 12 over 2 crosses, 21 plain, 24 over next 4, 21 plain.

6. Forty-eight crosses.

7. Make 21 plain, 12 over next 2 crosses, 12 plain, (12 over next 2, 24 plain) twice, 12 over next 2, 12 plain, 12 over next 2, 21 plain.

8. Fifty-eight crosses.

9. Make 24 plain, miss 12 crosses, 24 plain, 12 over next 2, 24 plain, miss 12 crosses, 24 plain.

10. Thirty-six crosses.

11. Plain, with 3 extra trebles under each arm, and 6 extra over the 6 crosses at center of back.

12. Forty crosses.

13. Plain, with 6 extra in back.

14. Forty-two crosses.

15. Like 13th row.

16. Forty-four crosses.

17. Like 13th row.

18. Forty-six crosses.

19. Plain, without widening in the back.

Around the neck make spaces for the ribbon by fastening in at end of foundation-chain, chain 5, miss 2, a treble in next, * chain 2, miss 2, 1 treble, and repeat. Now make a row of crosses entirely around the jacket, putting extra crosses at corners to keep the work flat, follow this with a row of trebles, widening by making extra trebles at corners to turn them nicely, finish with a row of shells of 8 trebles in a stitch, miss 3, fasten, miss 3; repeat, and edge with the crochet-silk, making a double between 1st 2 trebles of shell, (chain 2, a double between next 2) 6 times, chain 2, double in double between shells, chain 2, and repeat.

For the sleeves:

1. Make 6 trebles on trebles under the arm, and 36 over the 12 crosses.

2. Fourteen crosses.

3. Plain, with 3 extra trebles under arm, 45 in all.

4. Fifteen crosses.

5. Same as 3d row, making 48 trebles.

6. Sixteen crosses.

7. Same as 3d row, making 51 trebles.

8. Seventeen crosses.

9. Same as 3d row, making 54 trebles.

Finish with shells and chain-loops, as described for the body of jacket. Run one and one-fourth yards of ribbon in the neck, and divide the remainder, running it in the 7th row of sleeve and making a pretty bow on top.

Happy Hooking!
 
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This free vintage crochet pattern is from Handbook of Wool Knitting and Crochet by Anonymous. It is available for download on Project Gutenberg at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26113 . The wording has been updated for modern readers with the assistance of Google Gemini 2.0 Flash.