Pattern reading/understanding help

[Dillweed]

I've not made anything yet.  I'm having such a hard time understanding the patterns, that I can't start my first project.  I did start it, but I'm already stuck.

It is a super simple baby blanket, but I learn well from watching and I just can't seem to visualize what they mean. 

 

Here is the free pattern, I am using.

 

Here are the instructions...

 

Ch 105 (121, 145).

Row 1: Place a safety pin or other marker in the first ch from your hook. sc in 3rd ch from hook. [ch 1, skip next ch, sc in next ch.] Rep across entire row. Ch 1, turn.

 

Row 2: [sc in the next ch-1 sp, ch 1.] Rep the sequence in brackets across the rest of the row. At the end of the row, work a sc st into the st where you placed the marker; you can remove the marker before working the stitch. Ch 1, turn.

 

Rows 3 and Up: The rest of the rows are all exactly the same as row 2, with one minor difference: at the end of the row you'll work your last sc st into the turning chain of the previous row. Rep this row until the baby blanket is the length you want it to be.

 

So, Row 1:  I get the chain 145, placing the marker, single crochet in 3rd chain from the hook...Then I get stuck.  What am I doing next?

What does the first ch 1 mean, in the bracket?  Am I supposed to chain 1 after I do the first single crochet in the 3rd chain from the hook?

 

In Row 2:  single crochet in the next chain-1 space?, then chain one?   I can't find the chain-1 space. Where/what is the space formed in the previous row.  LOL  HELP?

(ch-1 sp = chain-1 space, the space formed when you crocheted a chain stitch in the previous row)

 

Then, work a sc st into the stitch where you placed the marker...how do you do that? 

 

Ugh, I hope some of this is understandable.  I only have 10 weeks before baby is due, and at this rate, there will be no blanket.  I think I must be over thinking this, but really getting discouraged with my lack of understanding it on my own.  Thanks for any help you can give!

[Dillweed]

Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  I can do this!  The links and instructions everyone gave were so helpful.  I totally get it now.  From the video posted with the boucle yarn, it clicked, and I learned it's called the "granite or moss" stitch.  Then, I found another youtube video where the stitcher used different yarn and a large hook, so you could completely see what was going on.  Yay!  Excited to start over and actually get somewhere. 

 

Here is the other video I found...

[Granny Square]

I'm glad it 'clicked' for you!  And your yarn really shows that stitch off nicely.  A lot of crochet stitches beyond the very basic ones have more than one name, the pattern you're doing is also called the woven stitch.

[wheat]

Something that might help you (and it usually works for me)

 

See how you the Turning Chain pulled up in the photo -

 

If you do your Turning Chain and hold it at 90 degree to row (straight up from row) you can usually easily see if you got that last stitch. 

 

Looking forward to the picture when you get some done

[Dillweed]

I think it is both. I wasn't getting which stitch was the turning chain and so it was going wonky. I started putting a marker in that stitch as I went, so I could recognize it when I got back to it. Also, my tension was definitely all over the place, so that didn't help at all. Holding and controlling the yarn is starting to feel comfortable now, but still is hard every now and then if I think too much about it. LOL

 

I started on my blanket and it's looking even, for now. I'll post a picture after I get a little further.

I'm loving this group and I'm so grateful for all the encouragement and help. (((love)))

[RoseRed]

I would say it's probably tension.

 

Do you have 13 or 14 scs across the top row?  And how many should there be?

[wheat]

Not having read the pattern, this may be deliberate, but looking at your swatch

 

It seems you may NOT be working into the top of the turning changes and so are "losing" a stitch at the end of the row -

 

or it may be just that your tension is uneven and so the width of each row looks a bit wonky.

 

This often happens among those new to the craft (and sometimes among those not so new ) so you may want to be conscious of that as you are working the actual project.

[magiccrochetfan]

Your swatch looks great!  

[Dillweed]

Okay, here is my swatch with many many mistakes, but I'm getting it now.  This is the first thing I have crocheted, pattern wise.  I have only practiced stitches and haven't really been able to tell one thing from another.  Now, I am seeing the stitches, etc. 

 

[magiccrochetfan]

Good for you! :hook

[Granny Square]

I've observed that some very new crocheters have trouble visualizing 'chain 1' in a row of stitches. 

 

If the pattern told you to sc across the row, you would know to make a sc into the stitch into the row below.  Most stitches are made into, or around, a stitch in the row below. 

 

However, chains are made into the air, not into another stitch. They take up room like a normal stitch, so you have an unused stitch in the row below.  This unused stitch needs to be skipped.  Next, make a sc into the stich to the left of the skipped stitch (I'm assuming you are right handed).  The chain and skipped stitch will make a hole.  So your pattern will end up looking like eyelet: stitch-hole-stitch-hole etc.

 

In the next row, where it says 'chain space', this is the hole.  To make a sc into it, put your hook into the hole, under the chain, pull up a loop and finish the sc.  The second row is stitch-hole-stitch-hole also, but offset from the first because you make the hole over a stitch, and stitch over the hole.

[magiccrochetfan]

Well i was hoping to find a simple blankie pattern with a photo tutorial but couldnt find one.

 

I did find a video of the stitch used in your pattern, it seems very clear and should help with your questions on where to place the stitches. http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=wNy1UsZCZZA&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DwNy1UsZCZZA

 

Hope this helps, please let me know! And do feel free to ask any questions you need to!

[Janetm]

Welcome!  Don't get discouraged, the first few things you do will be confusing.  Pretty soon it will be a breeze.. 

 

Looks to me that this pattern is basically single crochet and then chain one.  Skip a chain and single crochet and chain one again.  Repeat across the row.  The brackets give you the pattern to repeat across the row. 

 

On the second row you are doing the single crochets in the chain one space on the row below.  Continue across the same as the first row making sure to end with a single crochet in the chain you marked. 

 

The rest of the rows are the same until the afghan is the correct size.

 

Take your time, you'll figure it out.

[magiccrochetfan]

Hello and welcome to the ville !

 

Don't be discouraged!  this is a pretty simple pattern but it is lacking any visual help at all---I can't even tell what the blanket really looks like from that tiny photo!  So i am going to suggest you use a different pattern that has more visual info. I do best with visual info too so i know it canreally make a difernce.   Let me see if i can find one and I will come back and post.  

[RoseRed]

How to Read a Crochet Pattern  http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/tip_crochet.html

[mattenylou]

show the same stitches you are using, it should help you get started. It's a bit hard to really see because of the boucle yarn she's using, but it will give you an idea of what you'll be doing anyway.

 

Good luck!

[billynomates]

It is easier to watch some one show you, go to ytube and type in crochet, go to crochet page and type in the first part of your pattern. ch means chain, sk means skip next stitch, sc means single crochet, go to ytube and learn the stitches. happy viewing.