Decrease thus every other row for 31 rows; you must have 39 stitches on your needle. Cast off; this part is for the shoulder.
Cast off 16 stitches under the arm.
For the back take 66 stitches, and do 16 rows of plain knitting; then 38 rows, decreasing for the shoulder at the end of each row. Now cast off 28 stitches for the neck. Cast off 16 under the other arm. Now take the remaining 60 stitches for the second front, and do 32 rows as on the other side. Reduce for the neck in the same manner, by casting off 5 at the 32nd row, and then decreasing at the end of every alternate row for 32 rows. Cast off; there ought to be 39 stitches.
Sew the shoulders together, crochet round the neck and sleeves (1 treble, 2 chain), and run ribbon or crocheted chain round the former.
If sleeves are desired, cast on about 48 stitches, and do ribs of 3 and 3 the desired length.
The following diagram will render the explanations easier:—
A good plan to prevent the front part from stretching too much is, at every 10th row to leave the last 10 stitches before the end unknitted.
This pattern is for an ordinary figure, but after one trial the knitter will find it can be altered to any size.