help in reading instructions

[andrej]

Hi,

 

Since I am still novice in reading written instructions I would appreciate it if someone could write following instructions in full, so I can be sure I am interpreting them right:

 

Instructions begin like this (here is the full version http://www.lionbrand.com/printablePatterns/80985AD.pdf):

 

FIRST HALF 

Ch 136. 

Row 1 (WS): Sc in 5th ch from hook, *ch 5, sk 2 ch, sc in next ch, ch 2, sk 1 ch, sc in next 3 ch, ch 2, sk 1 

ch, sc in next ch; rep from * 13 more times, ch 5, sk 2 ch, sc in next ch, ch 2, sk 1 ch, sc in last ch. 

Row 2 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc in first sc, sc in next ch-2 sp, *scallop in next ch-5 sp, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, 

sc in next ch-2 sp; rep from * 13 times more, scallop in last ch-5 sp, sc in turning ch – 15 scallops.

 

 

Thanks,

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi, welcome to the ville!

 

It looks like all of the abbreviations are listed at the end of the pattern, and the instructions for the scallop are under stitch explanation. At the end of row 2 where it says 15 scallops, that is just summarizing what you have made in that row.  So, all that's needed is to translate the abbreviations into complete words.  I'd suggest you write the pattern out yourself, using the complete words.  That will help with your learning process and feeling comfortable with patterns.

 

here is a quick lesson on using patterns http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/tip_crochet.html

 

I don't know how long you've been crocheting, or how comfortable you are with complex stitch patterns, but this pattern looks to me like it may be a bit complex and could be a little challenging.  (Personally I like to have a lot of visual information and be able to clearly see what the stitches are doing, but the photo really doesn't do that for me.)  

[andrej]

Thanks for reply, i did help.

 

Up until now I have crocheted few items, but would still count myself as beginner. I also am more visual type and this was my second time working with instructions, but the bigger problem was working on the wrong side, since this was the first time and clearly see stitches and numbers didnt add up. That is why I thought I am misinterpreting something.

Later I thought of caluculating instructions and saw that I understood it correctly and in row 1 you use 136 chains, so the problem was me

I destroyed all work and begun anew and was really careful on back stitches. This time it worked 

 

Now I am off to other rows

[Granny Square]

Glad it worked out!

 

What I sometimes do when a pattern for a single row is somewhat complex, is to break it up in manageable bites (I've made doilies where 1 round is longer than what the 3 of us combined have written so far in this thread).  If you have it in soft copy, you could break it up into lines like this

 

Row 1 (WS): Sc in 5th ch from hook,

*ch 5, sk 2 ch,

sc in next ch, ch 2,

sk 1 ch, sc in next 3 ch,

ch 2, sk 1 ch, sc in next ch;

rep from * 13 more times,

ch 5, sk 2 ch, sc in next ch, ch 2, sk 1 ch, sc in last ch.

 

Or if it's a hard copy (your own, not a library book) just make pencil slashes between the 'bites'.  I'm a visual person too, and this helps.

[andrej]

Great idea, that would definitely make it easier.

 

I have another problem, I am not shure what the center should be from below:

Row 3: Ch 7 (counts as tr, ch 3), turn, sk 3 tr, sc in center 3 tr of next scallop, ch 3, *tr in next ch-2 sp, ch 

3, sk 3 tr, sc in center 3 tr of next scallop, ch 3; rep from * across to last sc, tr in last sc

 

I dont know if it is the chain on the top of tr, or somewhere in the middle or anywhere else. What do you think?

[Granny Square]

A scallop is 9 TR.

 

For a TR, the turning chain is typically 4 chains; so when you chain 7, 4 counts as a triple and 3 form a what's usually called a chain loop or chain space; chains aren't made into other stitches, they sort of float above the row below. These 3 chains allow you to 'reach over' the first 3 TR of the scallops, then you make a SC into each of the middle 3 TR of the scallop in the row below...then follow the part you didn't highlight, which more or less repeats what you just did (ch 3, TR, ch 3, sc into middle 3 sts of next scallop...