Lace Blouse and Handbag

Size: US 8 / UK 12 / EU 38

300 g of yarn for the blouse and 100 g for the handbag (50% cotton, 50% polyamide, 120 m / 50 g); knitting needles size US 6 / UK 8 (4 mm); crochet hook size D-3 (US) / 10 (UK) (3 mm); handles and lining for the bag; darning needle.

Stockinette stitch: knit on right side rows, purl on wrong side rows.

Leaf pattern (over 29 stitches): work according to chart, which shows only right side rows. On wrong side rows, purl all stitches and yarn overs.

Row 1: 1 double crochet, *skip 2 stitches, 1 chain, into the next stitch work 2 double crochets, 2 chains, 2 double crochets into the following stitch*, repeat from * to *; 1 chain, 1 double crochet.

Row 2 and all following rows: 1 double crochet, *into the 2-chain space work: 2 double crochets, 2 chains, 2 double crochets (this forms 1 fan); 2 chains*, repeat from * to *; 1 chain, 1 double crochet.

in Leaf pattern: 19 stitches and 28 rows = 10 × 10 cm (4 × 4 in).

Cast on 72 stitches and work 2 rows in stockinette stitch. Continue in the leaf pattern.

At 18 cm (7 in) height, bind off 3 stitches at both edges for the armholes.

At 36 cm (14 in) height, bind off 16 stitches on each side for the shoulders and place the center 34 stitches on hold.

Cast on 38 stitches and work 2 rows in stockinette stitch. Continue in the leaf pattern.

At 18 cm (7 in) height, bind off 3 stitches at the right edge for the armhole.

At the same time, shape the neckline by binding off at the left edge every other row: 3 times 4 stitches, 3 times 2 stitches, and 1 time 1 stitch.

At 36 cm (14 in) height, place the remaining 16 stitches on hold for the shoulder.

Work as mirror image of the left front.

Make a chain of 21 stitches and work 1 row of single crochets. 

Then work 13 rows in fan stitch as follows:

– In Rows 2, 4, 6, and 8: increase 1 fan at the beginning and end by working 2 double crochets and 2 chains in the first and last fan.

– From Row 4: work 2 chains between fans instead of 1.

– From Row 10: work 3 chains between fans.

In Row 11, join the work into a circle and in the first and last double crochet of the round, work: 2 double crochets, 2 chains, 2 double crochets (increase 1 fan at each end).

Row 14: work 8 double crochets into each 2-chain space and 1 single crochet into each 3-chain space. Cut and fasten off the yarn.

Sew the shoulder seams. 

Insert the sleeves. 

Sew the side seams.

For the peplum: along the bottom edge of the blouse, crochet 1 row of single crochets and 11 rows in fan stitch as follows:

– From Row 3: work 2 chains between fans instead of 1.

– From Row 9: work 3 chains between fans.

Work Row 14 as in the sleeve instructions.

Crochet along the center edges of the front pieces and around the neckline:

Row 1: single crochets.

Row 2: *8 double crochets in 1 stitch, skip 2 stitches, 1 single crochet in the next stitch, skip 2 stitches*, repeat from * to *; finish with 8 double crochets in the last stitch. 

Cut and fasten off the yarn.

Cast on 47 stitches using a provisional cast-on as for tubular ribbing, but work 2 rows in stockinette stitch.

Continue in the leaf pattern, increasing 5 stitches on both sides in Row 7.

In Row 60, bind off 5 stitches on both sides. Then work 2 rows in stockinette stitch and 4 rows in tubular ribbing.

Bind off all stitches using the grafting (Kitchener) stitch.

Remove the contrasting provisional yarn, pick up the 47 held stitches and work the back of the bag as for the front.

Fold the bag in half and sew the newly added 5 stitches to the first 6 rows using small stitches to form the bottom.

Sew the side seams.

Attach the lining and handles.