reading a pattern

chiaminglee wrote

on Apr 29, 2009 12:08 AM

Hi, I'm a beginner crochet-er and I can do lots of fun stitches...but I can't seem to read a pattern for the life of me!

Here is the pattern I am working on. It's an alpaca scarf, I think. I get to the part where it says dtr made...picot made. But then I'm not sure where to repeat 14 times? Where do I insert the next dtr?

Then it says not to turn....so am I basically working "around"? (like going around a lap vs turning around...?)

And what does miss next ch-3 sp. 3 sc in next ch-3 .....mean? Can someone please explain this pattern in plain english for me? Thank you so much. I can do all the different stitches, but I can't read a pattern and it's been so frustrating! Thanks in advance!

* 1st rnd: (RS). 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. *Ch 3. Miss next 3 ch. 1 sc in next ch. Rep from * to end of ch. Ch 8. Sl st in 3rd ch from hook. [Ch 1. (Yoh) 4 times. Draw up a loop in same ch as last sc. (Yoh and draw through 2 loops) 5 times – Dtr made. Ch 3. Sl st in top of dtr – Picot made] 14 times. Do not turn. Work in opposite side of foundation ch: **Miss next ch-3 sp. 3 sc in next ch-3 sp. Miss next ch-3 sp. (Dtr. Picot. Ch 1) 9 times in next ch-3 sp. ** Rep from ** to ** to last two ch-3 sps. Miss next ch-3 sp. 1 sc in next sc. Miss next ch-3 sp. (Dtr. Picot. Ch 1) 15 times in side of first sc.

* Work into rem side of 1st rnd: Miss next ch-3 sp. 3 sc in next ch-3 sp. Ch 1. 3 sc in next ch-3 sp. Rep from ** to ** to last two ch-3 sps. Miss next ch-3 sp. 1 sc in next sc. Miss next ch-3 sp. Join with sl st to 5th ch of ch 8. Fasten off.

aekh wrote

on Apr 29, 2009 2:54 PM

Okay, I will try to help you, but first, before it says 1st rnd, does it tell you to chain a certain amount? That is your foundation chain.

The repeat 14 times, is just the picot, you do that 14 more times in your foundation chain.

This one that you asked about , **Miss next ch-3 sp. 3 sc in next ch-3 sp. Skip the chain three from the previous row and put three single crochets in the next chain three space, you should just put them in the hole from the previous row.

Where it says do not turn, it says to work in opposite side of foundation chain, so that is where you will do the next row.

Okay, I don't know if that helped you at all, it's a lot easier to show someone in person, than give instructions on the internet! You know, when I was first learning, I would talk to myself through each stitch I made and that helped me learn to read the patterns better. Good luck!

chiaminglee wrote

on Apr 29, 2009 3:11 PM

Oh thank you. It does say to chain 186, which is the easy part. Then I did the next part which I think makes the "holes", kind of like a chain.

Is it that I just do the picot 14 times or do I do the dtr and picot (these are in brackets, followed by the 14 times)?? And if so...where do I put the second dtr? Can you tell from reading this if the 15 (total) times of repeat for the dtr/picot are the "ends" of the scarf?

Thanks so much!

aekh wrote

on Apr 29, 2009 3:39 PM

Sorry, yes, you do what it says in the brackets 14 times. So after the picot, you start from the beginning of the bracket, ch 1, and do the whole thing over again. I'm not sure if that is the 'ends' of the scarf, do you have a picture I could see? That might help.

chiaminglee wrote

on Apr 29, 2009 5:36 PM

Am I doing the repeated dtr picot in the same sc as the first dtr picot? Or am I supposed to move down the line?

go to the one that says alpaca scarf. It is the purple one.

I know to repeat that dtr/picot 14 times, but where do I put them?

Thanks so much for your help!