basic crochet questions

[FosterSays]

Hi Everyone!

 

I have two rather rudimentary crochet questions that numerous google searches have yet to thoroughly answer. 

 

1. Often times a pattern will state "Note: Ch 3 at beginning of dc rows DOES count as a stitch" but I'm not really sure what this is telling me. Is that so I can count the number of stitches in a row to keep accurate? does that mean that I should consider the turning 3 chain a stitch that needs to be worked into? Contrarily what does it mean if it says that the chain 3 does not count as a stitch. 

 

Also, the pattern I'm currently reading through had a q&a and someone asked the author if they worked a double crochet into the chain 3 at the end of the row to which she replied that she did not work a DC into the chain three (the pattern is for a square blanket). I was surprised, how do we know when or when not to crochet into the turning chain. without seeing that question I certainly would have as I thought one always considered the chain 3 turning chain to be the last stitch worked into, though perhaps this is why my borders always look sloppy. I would have thought that not working into the chain 3 would make the work more and more narrow, but I guess i'm wrong?

 

Any clarity would be great! I really want to make this blanket but I'm nervous of putting alot of slow work in only to find I'm making errors because I dont understand some basics. 

 

thanks!

 

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi, welcome to the ville!

 

In my opinion a pattern really should tell you whether the turning chain counts as a stitch.  For double crochet, the chain 3 almost always counts as a stitch which means you work into it on the next row.  If it doesn't count as a stitch, then you do not work into it on the next row.  

 

what pattern are you looking at?  if it is free online, post a link to it.  if it is in a book etc or a pattern you purchased, give us the complete name and source.  Someone here may have it to refer to.

 

Even if a pattern is simple to do, if it is poorly written it will be hard to follow.  

[Granny Square]

I agree with Magiccrochetfan unique stitches and deviation from conventional techniques should be explained in the notes. 

 

A while back I did some experimenting with alternate treatments of the ch-3, because it leaves a gap, and one treatment was to ignore the chain 3 as a stitch and stitch only into the DCs.  This created a slightly wavy/bumpy edge, which could either be decorative or undesirable depending on your project (it would be hidden in a seam). 

[FosterSays]

Hi Magiccrochetfan and Granny square, 

 

cute monikers, thanks for your responses!

 

here is a link to the project I'm looking to make and the one that got me thinking I may be misunderstanding some instructions: http://onelittlerayndrop.blogspot.com/2011/04/classic-baby-blanket.html

 

it's a very basic pattern that has a shell border added at the end. 

 

The q&a I referred to happens on 11/20,12/13/12 between a reader and the author of the blog where the author says she does NOT work a DC into the chain 3 at the end of the row. Yet in the initial pattern post she also makes a point of saying: "Note: Ch 3 at beginning of dc rows DOES count as a stitch." So is this contrary information? I struggle with having straight borders and also think that maybe not understanding whether the turning chain does or doesnt count as a stitch might be the reason I often make errors in my work and accidentally add or drop stitches (this becomes apparent in a project that, for instance, requires alternating triple and single crochet and is supposed to always end on one or the other, and suddenly i'm at the end and finishing on the wrong kind of stitch, meaning i've either accidentally skipped a stitch in the row, or worse that my rows aren't being made with the same amount of stitches in the first place, which I think could be attributed to my sloppy attention to counting or *not counting the turning chain "as a stitch."

 

Hope this isnt too long winded, and thank you so much for giving my questions some attention. It's hard not having another crocheter in my life to talk with so forums like this are so wonderful. 

 

thanks again and all best, hope this helps shed light on the questions I have. 

 

*Also, granny square, I also have looked into alternatives to the chain 3 ( http://mrsmicawber.blogspot.com/2012/04/crochet-turning-chain-alternatives.html ), and I'd say that I almost always prefer a sleeker, straighter edge over bumpy. Especially in a pattern like the blanket I linked to as I feel it would be easier and cleaner to work a shell border into a straight edge over a bumpy one. Some alternatives I noticed specifically seek to make straighter edges but I've yet to experiment with them. 

 

I guess this project i'm being a little fussy about because it's my first crochet gift to my brother/sister in law for their new little seed pod they have on the way! I'm also new to crochet and rather slow so a mistake caught late can send me back hooooours of work. 

 

thanks again!

[magiccrochetfan]

It does seem to me that if the turning chain is a stitch, then you work into it on the next row.  Otherwise, in what way is it a stitch? Just that she includes it in the stitch count I guess.   With this pattern, I don't see that you need an exact number of stitches, so I would say you can choose whether to stitch into the chain; just do it consistently throughout and it should be fine.

 

Do be aware that when you put on the scalloped edging all around it, you will be working over the edges of the rows on the sides.  This can take a little finess to get it even.  If you put your slip stitch into the top of a dc (working from the side) it should work out.  (I note she has also said the chain 3 in the edging counts as a stitch, but it is completely irrelevant in that context.)  

[FosterSays]

Thank you again for looking into this problem with me, you've been a great help!

[wheat]

Setting aside all other issures, sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and follow the instructions as written, which is often not as expected <G>

 

If you take a closer look at the third picture, it seems that the ch3 is forming the rounded edging at the end of each row and is not "worked into"

 

If it were me, I would make in pattern swatch  with a base chain of maybe 15-20 stitches, and follow the instructions, as written and see if your edges look like the picture. 

[RoseRed]

Yeah, she puts a dc in the turning chain for the body of the afghan.  No, she doesn't in the border.

 

Just work the pattern putting a dc in the back loop of each st across and then when you get to the border - that's written a little weird.  (You don't ch3, dc, ch3, dc)  you (ch3, 2dc in same st), sk2 and slst in next.

 

Wheat - I don't think it's the turning chain that makes the edges.  She has you work the cute but different little shell border all around the 4 sides.

[wheat]

Wheat - I don't think it's the turning chain that makes the edges.  She has you work the cute but different little shell border all around the 4 sides.

 

you may be correct - It looked to me like the ch3 was being used as the "base" for the ruffle and so an easy way to keep the count consistent but I may have been projecting something I have done in the past - so much for my advice about following the directions as written <g>