What does "tr in top of ch-2" mean?

[beans_etc]

Crochet noob here!  I just took my first crochet class last week, and I'm practicing a simple scarf pattern my instructor gave me to work on.  However, I'm on the second row now of the pattern and I'm stuck because I don't understand what the pattern is asking me to do!

 

The directions for row 2 are as follows:

 

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as first tr), skip first hdc, tr in next 15 hdc, tr in top of ch-2; turn.

 

(Row 3 then proceeds to go into a row of dc stitches, which ends again with the same phrasing: "dc in top of ch-4; turn".)

 

I've actually finished row 2 -- I have all of the tr stitches done, but I don't understand what it means at the end when it says "tr in top of ch-2". Does it want me to do one more random tr stitch. . .? Where do I do it? Does it want me to go to my next row and do the tr in the 2nd chain? (But that doesn't make sense because it doesn't say to turn the project around until AFTER I've done this mysterious last stitch.)

 

*Confused*

 

Attached is a photo of what I have done so far.  (As you can see I've done all 16 tr stitches, so I don't know what or where this last tr it's talking about is supposed to go.)

 

Any help anyone could offer would be appreciated!  >_<

[mattenylou]

In row 1, your very first stitch was made up of these two chain stitches, which are now at the end of your 2nd row. You always will be working your last stitch into that turning chain from the previous row.

 

Here's a little video that shows where to pick up the chain stitch, it should clear things up for you.

[RoseRed]

The ch-2 is your turning chain.  It also pretends to be the first hdc of the row.  When you work row 3 and get to the end it pretends to be the last hdc.  You put your last stitch into this.

[beans_etc]

Okay, I think I understand.  So just to be clear, in total when I'm done I should be able to count 16 tr's in this row, correct?

 

When it says "tr in top of ch-2", is it basically just a side note telling me where I should be anchoring that 16th tr? Like in long hand could it be written like:

 

". . .tr in next 15 hdc (your last tr should be attached to the 2nd chain from the first row); turn."

 

Yes?  (If so, I think that's just too much unnecessary information.  It's making it more confusing than it has to be, rather than if it had just simply said "tr in next 15 hdc; turn."  Just my opinion.)

[RoseRed]

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as first tr), skip first hdc, tr in next 15 hdc, tr in top of ch-2; turn.

 

That would be 17 tr total or 16 tr and a turning chain pretending to be a tr.  You have the ch4 which counts as one, the next 15 tr and the last one in the turning chain.  That adds up to a total stitch count of 17 tr (because the turning ch is pretending to be one)/

 

The ch4 sits on top of the very first hdc which is why you're skipping it.  It already has a stitch above it.  (The ch4 pretending to be a tr).

 

An easier way of writing it would be [ch4, tr in next st and each st across.]

 

In standard pattern writing - nobody differentiates the turning chain at the end when you're just working a single stitch across into a solid line of stitches beneath.

 

Do you have a link to this pattern?

[beans_etc]

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as first tr), skip first hdc, tr in next 15 hdc, tr in top of ch-2; turn.

 

That would be 17 tr total or 16 tr and a turning chain pretending to be a tr.  You have the ch4 which counts as one, the next 15 tr and the last one in the turning chain.  That adds up to a total stitch count of 17 tr (because the turning ch is pretending to be one)/

 

The ch4 sits on top of the very first hdc which is why you're skipping it.  It already has a stitch above it.  (The ch4 pretending to be a tr).

 

An easier way of writing it would be [ch4, tr in next st and each st across.]

 

In standard pattern writing - nobody differentiates the turning chain at the end when you're just working a single stitch across into a solid line of stitches beneath.

 

Do you have a link to this pattern?

 

Unfortunately no, I don't.  It's a paper handout I was given in the class, but it's pretty short so I've just written it out the first three rows:

 

Ch 18.

 

Row 1 (Right Side): Hdc in 3rd ch from hook (counts as 1st and 2nd hdc), hdc in each ch across; turn - 17 sts.

 

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as first tr), skip first hdc, tr in next 15 hdc, tr in top of ch-2; turn.

 

Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), skip first tr, dc in next 15 tr, dc in top of ch-4; turn.

[RoseRed]

That's not written as a standard pattern.  I think that's a big part of the problem.

 

Due to copyright laws we're not supposed to post entire patterns.  You might want to edit your last post to maybe Rows 1-3.

 

Do you understand what the pattern is telling you to do now?

[beans_etc]

That's not written as a standard pattern.  I think that's a big part of the problem.

 

Due to copyright laws we're not supposed to post entire patterns.  You might want to edit your last post to maybe Rows 1-3.

 

Do you understand what the pattern is telling you to do now?

 

Last post edited, as suggested.

 

And yes, I think I've got it now!  I actually went over to an aunt's house this afternoon and she showed me what I was doing wrong.  Turns out the reason I was so confused was because I had actually missed a stitch in my first row, and therefore didn't have any room to put that last "mystery tr stitch".  I started over again and it all lines up now with the correct amount of stitches, and I understand the whole anchoring to the last turning chain concept now.

 

Thanks for the help!  

[RoseRed]

Awesome!