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

This free vintage crochet child's 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 Child's Jacket Free Pattern

Modern Pattern:

This vintage crochet pattern creates a delicate garment (likely a baby or child's jacket) using two colors of yarn. You'll need approximately three skeins of a cream-white yarn and one skein of a blue or pink contrasting color. Choose a hook size that works well with your chosen yarn.

Body of Jacket:

Chain 78.

Row 1: Work 8 star stitches (see note below for star stitch instructions), widen (see note below for widening instructions), 1 star stitch, widen, 9 star stitches, widen twice, 1 star stitch, widen, 8 star stitches. Break and fasten off the yarn. Re-attach the yarn at the beginning of the row to ensure all star stitches are worked on the right side. Alternatively, you can work a row of double crochets back to the beginning of the row instead of breaking the yarn.

Rows 2-8: Repeat Row 1, widening only every other row, always in the exact center. Maintain 8 star stitches on each front edge. This shaping increases the upper portion of the sleeve (or gore) between the 1st and 2nd, and 4th and 5th widenings.

Row 9: Work 8 star stitches, chain 22 for the armhole, attach to the first star stitch on the back, continue star stitches across the back, chain 22, and work 8 star stitches across the other front.

Row 10: Repeat Row 9, working 11 star stitches on the chain under each arm.

Rows 11-20: Repeat Row 10, widening only in the center of the back every other row, as before. This completes the body of the jacket.

Border:

Row 21: Using the contrasting color, attach the yarn at the left front corner of the neck. Work 21 star stitches down the front. At the corner, make 2 star stitches in one stitch (to widen and turn the corner neatly). Continue all the way around to the top of the right front, without widening across the back of the border. Make 2 star stitches in one stitch at the corner to turn.

Row 22: Work star stitches all around using the contrasting color.

Row 23: Using the cream-white yarn, attach at the top of the left front. Chain 3, then work 2 treble crochets (tr) in the eye of each star stitch around. Work 4 tr in the eye of the star stitches at the corners to help the work lay flat.

Row 24: Using the contrasting color, attach at the top of the left front. Chain 3, and work 2 tr between each 2 tr of the previous row, with 4 tr at the corners.

Row 25: Repeat Row 24 using the cream-white yarn.

Collar:

Row 26: Across the top of the neck, work spaces of tr, separated by 2 chains, to create openings for a cord or ribbon.

Row 27: Using the cream-white yarn, work 2 tr in every chain space.

Row 28: Using the contrasting color, work 2 tr between each group of the previous row.

Row 29: Repeat Row 28 using the cream-white yarn. This completes the collar.

Row 30: Attach the contrasting color at the top of the left front. Chain 4, attach with a slip stitch in the space between the tr groups. Repeat from * around the entire jacket (collar included). Fasten off neatly.

Sleeves:

Row 1: Attach the yarn where you began the underarm chain. Work the required number of star stitches (without widening) across the shoulder and 9 star stitches on the chain under the arm.

Rows 2-11: Repeat Row 1, working star stitches over star stitches and joining under the arm.

Row 12: Using the contrasting color, work the cuff in star stitch. Instead of working under the back loop of the star from the previous row, take a loop through each of the two "eyes" of the stars. This draws in the sleeve, reducing the stitch count to 12 star stitches around.

Row 13: Using the contrasting color, work one star stitch in each star stitch.

Row 14: Using the cream-white yarn, work 2 tr in the eye of each star stitch.

Rows 15-17: Repeat Rows 28-30 of the border.

This creates a dainty, soft garment. You can alternate rows of tr with rows of star stitches for a different texture. After a row of star stitches, turn, chain 3, and work tr across. For a fancier look, you can work crossed tr (tr in the 2nd stitch, then tr back in the 1st stitch).

Run a ribbon matching the contrasting color, or create a cord and tassels using both the cream-white and contrasting colors, through the chain spaces around the neck.

Notes:

• Star Stitch: Chain 3. Draw a loop through the 2nd and 3rd chains from the hook. Draw a loop through each of the next two stitches. Yarn over and draw through all 5 loops on the hook. Chain 1 (this closes the star). Draw a loop through the eye of the star (under the chain-1 space). Draw another loop through the back part of the last vertical loop of the same star. Draw a loop through each of the next two stitches. Yarn over and draw through all loops on the hook. Chain 1. Repeat from * across.
• Widening: To widen, work two star stitches in the same stitch.

Original Text:

Materials required are three skeins of cream-white Saxony and one skein of blue or pink, with a bone hook of suitable size to carry the yarn smoothly.

Make a chain of 78 stitches.

1. On the chain make 8 stars, widen, (1 star, widen, 9 stars, widen) twice, 1 star, widen, 8 stars. Break and fasten wool, and fasten in again at beginning of row so as to have all stars made on the right side. Or, one can work back with a row of doubles to beginning of 1st row.

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Same as 1st row, except that you widen only every other row, and always exactly in the center. Keep 8 stars on each front, thus constantly increasing the upper portion of the sleeve, or gore between 1st and 2d and 4th and 5th widenings.

9. Make 8 stars, chain 22 for armhole, fasten in 1st star on the back, continue the stars across the back, chain 22, and make 8 stars across front again.

10. Same as preceding row, making 11 stars on chain under each arm.

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Same as 10th row, widening only in center of back every other row, as at first. This completes the body of the jacket.

21. Commencing the border, fasten in the colored wool at left front corner of neck, and make 21 stars down the front. At the corner make 2 stars as if to widen, in order to turn the corner neatly, and continue all the way around to top of right front, not widening at all in the back of border, but making 2 stars to turn the corner as at first.

22. Stars all around, of color.

23. Fasten in the white wool at top of left front, chain 3, then make 2 trebles in the eye of each star all around, with 4 trebles in eye of star at corners, so as to make the work lie smoothly.

24. With color, fasten in at top of left front, chain 3, and make 2 trebles between each 2 trebles of last row, with 4 at corners.

25. Same as 24th row, with white wool.

26. Across top of neck make spaces of trebles, separated by 2 chain, in which to run cord or ribbon.

27. Also with white, make 2 trebles in every space.

28. With color, make 2 trebles between each group of last row.

29. Like 28th row, with white. This completes the collar.

30. Fasten color at top of left front, * chain 4, fasten in space between trebles, repeat from * around the jacket, collar and all; fasten off neatly.

For the sleeve:

1. Fasten wool where you started the underarm chain, make the required number of stars (not widening) across shoulder, and 9 stars on the chain under the arm.

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Same as 1st row, making star over star of previous row, and joining underneath the arm.

12. With color, work the cuff in star-stitch, only omit taking the stitch under the back loop of star in last row, and take a loop through each of 2 eyes of stars instead, thus drawing in the sleeve, and making only 12 stars in the round.

13. With the color, make star in star.

14. Using white wool, make 2 trebles in eye of each star.

15, 16, 17. Same as 28th, 29th and 30th rows of border.

This makes a dainty, soft little garment. If one likes, treble stitch may be alternated with star-stitch, on the return rows; that is, after making a row of stars, instead of breaking the wool, turn, chain 3, and make trebles across, or the trebles may be crossed to give a more fancy effect, making a treble in 2d stitch, then a treble back in preceding stitch.

Run ribbon matching the colored wool, or cord and tassels made of both white and color, in the spaces around the neck.

Happy Hooking!
 
Find Jen Tennille on
Etsy: https://jentennille.etsy.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jentennillecrochet
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jentennille.artist/

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.