Help help help!

[Heathher]

Hi everyone. I am new to this site, and fairly new to crochet. I found this bag pattern that I am absolutely in love with, but I have no clue where to even start. Patterns I have followed in the past look nothing like this one. Please help!!

 

http://gosyo.co.jp/english/pattern/eHTML/ePDF/1006/3w/Ribbon_Accent_Bag.pdf

[Tampa Doll]

This is Symbol crochet.  I am not very good at it, but here are a couple of sites that may help.

 

CGA and International Crochet Sympols

 

My advice is write each line down, it should make it easier and you will not get confused with the symbols.

[beccalovely]

That is a lovely bag, can see why you want to make it. 

 

I agree with the above, I'd take a bit of time to follow the symbols and create the more common written style of pattern. This will give you something you're more familiar with reading to work from. 

The nice thing with this pattern is that if your gauge is slightly different to the one stated in the pattern, the diagrams on page 3 show you the measurement of each section, so you can work according to that and still get the right size - hope that makes sense. 

 

Good luck and keep us posted - would love to see how it progresses.

[Granny Square]

A hint, literally 'where to start' - on the page 2 chart, see where it says foundation row, and notice that the stitch symbols are are rightside up above the foundation, and upside down below it.  You are going to be working on both sides of the foundation chain - the foundation chain is the bottom, and you will be working bottom up, first one side of the bag, then the other.

 

Page 3 - notice where the foundation chain is, above it says 'CO 51 sts', below it says "PU 51 sts'.  These are knitting abbreviations - I understand that in Japanese 'knit' and 'crochet' are the same word.  CO means to cast on, in other words chain 51.  PU means pick up, which means to make 51 stitches into the unused loops of the foundation chain to commence working the second side.

 

This is a really nice pattern, pretty purse and lots of visuals to help guide you. 

[magiccrochetfan]

Welcome to the ville

 

http://gosyo.shop.multilingualcart.com/free1.php on this page is a link to descriptions of all the symbols used in the Pierrot patterns, also an index to all their patterns with english text.

 

On the Crochet Today site are some free patterns that are both written and diagrammed, would be good for practice.

[Heathher]

Wow! Thank you everyone for all your help. I think I get it lol. Having the abbreviations that I am use to seeing was the key.  Time will tell though.  I plan on buying the material this weekend. Ill keep everyone posted.