Help with Infinity Wrap from Interweave Crochet Winter 2007

Has anyone found these instructions to be impossible to follow? I crocheted the 5 Motifs, but the instructions for Motif Finishing and Motif Joining are simply not clear to me.

I started this about 3 weeks ago, hoping to wear it on a vacation trip starting next week, but now it is lying in a bag out of my sight. It has totally frustrated me.

Can anyone help, please??

Thank you,

Suetravel

Pretty wrap, and BIG! There are no corrections on the Interweave Crochet site. I haven't tried making it, but on the chance that I can help, here's how I interpret the instructions...

(Wow, the motifs are something else working from the inside out and outside in all in the same row!)

Motif Finishing

- "Sk first 8 sts of Row 8" means ignore the "dc8tog" at the end of the row and sew the slit together joining 8 rows from the round end to 10 stitches on the straight section. (That seems a little strange to me because I'd expect 8 rows to be longer than 10 sts, but that's what both the text and the diagram say.)

- Mattress stitch is explained on p.90.

- Close up both slits on the motif even though instructions only direct you to close up one slit.

Motif Joining

-Mark the midpoints as shown.

- Double crochet along one edge of a motif, increasing and decreasing as shown until you reach the other midpoint of the first motif. Do not break the yarn.

- Then take the second motif, double crochet into the marked midpoint st, and continue as you did on the first motif until you reach the next marked midpoint st.

- Take the third motif and work like the second motif.

- And so on for 320 sts.

- Turn, ch 1, and work row 2. Etc.

(Just 1 ch to turn a row of dc also seems strange, but you've been doing that while you worked the motif, so you must know how that goes.)

I hope that helped, but ask if you have more questions.

Wow, Pauline, you're a lifesaver!

From the start of your explanation about 'skipping the dc8tog' meaning the circle I just closed helps considerably. I just couldn't figure out what was written.

I'm going to try and follow through using your explanations and hope to report back to you with success. Even the joining of the motifs that you explained seems easier to understand.

Hopefully I'll be able to report my success. I leave for my trip on 2/19 and at this point don't think I'll have it done by then, but when I return on 2/8 I'll get back to it. If all works, I'll take a photo and upload it here. I found this site by accident and I'm so delighted with getting a response. I'm from the old school and remember sitting in a knitting shop and discussing a pattern when it seemed complicated - so for me, you're a godsend!

Thank you.

Susan

I'm so glad I could help. Sometimes I think I just rattle on and on too much. When I saw that bit in the pattern about 320 stitches, I didn't think you'd make it in time for your trip, either! Have a great vacation! And good luck on the wrap when you return.

Hello:

Im a new crocheter and am aslo TRYING to complete this wrap. Here is my problem... when I finish the motif one end will not make it all the way around to close. I frogged it once already to make an adjustment to gage (I was way off). Now my gage is MUCH closer and it still doesnt work. any ideas on what Im doing wrong

Hi, ADF... I'm the one who posted the original request for help. There is definitely something not quite right with the pattern because I crocheted and ripped the motifs twice, coming up with the same result as you when I started sewing them up. And, I am an experienced crocheter and knitter. I decided to close them, hoping that when I finish crocheting them together, when I block it out that they will lay flatter than the way they look now. I'm still a work in progress, but am leaving the country until March 9th and I won't be taking it with me. Perhaps you should continue and we'll chat when I get back.

Good luck.

Susan

IMO the pattern needs some major corrections... It's a shame because it seems to be a lovely wrap!

CIP (Crochet in Peace)

wahmommy

Well, I'm sticking with it and promise a photo when I'm finished.

What I did notice among these posts is that other patterns by the same designer cause problems as well.

I wonder whether instructions are vetted before published in the magazines.

Susan

Thanks so much ladies for the feedbak. I was starting to think I was doing something wrong. I have a request into the artist and interweave for some help or corrections. If either supply I will post them here

Before I found this forum, I too sent an email to interweave after having emailed the designer, Kristen. Her response was slow and when I finally got it (about sewing up the motifs) it was no clearer than the picture in the magazine.

Glad we've found each other...

I'm back on March 10th and will be looking for updates.

Susan

I asked on a different board becuase someone had it finsihed here is the response I got:

Yes, the motifs will look very rippled until blocking. You can see how bad in my picture.

What yarn are you using? I had to block mine while it was still pretty wet to get the stretch and it took a while to dry. It required a lot of pins and time to get it flat but it was worth it.

Make sure that you are starting with a very loose chain to start since that is the side that has the least give. Maybe go up a size or two on the hook and make sure that you count the stitches when you sew up the ends of each infinity so the joining rows work.

I know this is an old thread but I'm at the point where my motifs are together, the first row across them went just fine.

However, the instructions say to turn and repeat that row, four times (rows 2-5). When doing this, I find that it throws off the whole pattern of decreases in the dips and increases on the swells and seriously warps the entire piece.

I'm going to play with it and modify if, I guess, so that it continues to 'square' itself up but would like to know what others have experienced.