Stuck on pattern... Please Help

[julie72]

Hi all,

 

I am new to crochet and have been practising doing plenty of granny squares, circles and scarves. I felt brave enough to try a pattern and am stuck - so I'm hoping someone will be able to help.

 

By the looks of it - many patterns are similar, so it is most likely something totally obvious, of which I am missing.

 

Basically, I was following this pattern:

 

http://freevintagecrochet.com/vest-patterns/jackfrost75/easy-crochet-vest

 

I chained on 108 stitches and then did Row 1 and Row 2, of which I repeated 27 rows of like the pattern says. HOWEVER, I couldn't work out what this piece was supposed to be, as it then goes on to say the right front, left front and back. 

I thought I'd sussed it, but wasn't sure if where it said for the right front, row 1 - whether I was supposed to just carry on where I was (as the pattern didn't say to fasten off). This I did and it seemed to look ok (with formation for arm  hole and shoulder bit). However, then when it came to the left front it says to attach yarn in the 5th SC of front edge. This I did EXCEPT wasn't sure how I could tell what was the front edge? Front edge of what? From where?

 

Anyway - I did this, and then I continued with the back. Thought I'd got it sorted until I tried to put the shoulder seams together and basically unless you have a back that measures about 2 metres wide and one arm that is 54 times bigger than the other one, then I have done something fundamentally wrong....

 

I have obviously started the left front in the wrong place, but I can't work out how you are supposed to know where to attach it. I am now left with a rather strange looking object of which I want to unpick the back and left/right fronts, but even it I do that, then I'm still not sure how to go about it correctly.

 

Apologies for my waffling, and I'm sure I must be being really dense here, but I'm so frustrated and want to finish the piece. Also, looking at a lot of patterns available - many are like this, and so therefore am going to encounter the same problems each time, which is putting me off attempting them.

 

I hope what I've written makes sense, and would really appreciate any guidance here.

 

Many thanks

 

Julie

[FlossiePotts]

I can't see that pattern from your link. Is it a vest with an opening for buttons at the front? And does it have a band down both side fronts to accommodate the buttons and buttonholes?

[julie72]

Hi,

 

It hasn't got any buttons or  a band - just a tie which you can add on after. Not sure why the link didn't work - I will post the link again and hopefully this one will work:

 

http://freevintagecrochet.com/vest-patterns/jackfrost75/easy-crochet-vest

 

Thanks

 

Julie

[FlossiePotts]

OK, I have it this time. So, the 27 rows seem to be the right front, back and left front up to the armholes. Does that seem correct?

If it is, then the left front starts on the other end of the work. You have done the right front armholes and front edge, but not the back (it is still at the armhole stage), so you should have something that looks like a wide straight piece with a pointy bit which is the right armhole and front edge on one side. If you fold that toward the front, you will have one front of the armhole and the neck edge. Now, you have to start on the other edge of that straight bit, to make the left front. I think that you will make the left armhole and front edge and then join in again at the back and finish the back off to the same height as the right and front parts and join at the shoulders.

I hope that I have understood and haven't confused you (more).

[julie72]

Thanks for the reply. I just don't know - as on the pattern it then refers to the BACK as a separate piece?

 

Not even sure how to fold it over as the 27 rows just seems so wide. I thought at first that the large piece was both fronts as a halter type thing, but it's not, and even if it was - the back is only 15 rows!

 

I have attached a photo so you can see just how dreadful this is looking! 

 

[FlossiePotts]

Yes, well something is wrong there. The way that I read the pattern was that after the 27 rows, you would have a rectangle, then you would work on just some stitches back and forth to make the right armhole and front edge up to the shoulder, then finish off and go to the other side and do the same to make the left armhole and front edge and finish off and then join in the at the back to do the back of the armholes up to the back neck. I don't know why you seem to have bits going in every direction.

It doesn't look like 27 rows to me, but there is no size reference.

 

When you finished the 27 rows, did you just have a rectangle? 

[FlossiePotts]

You have done the right front, back and left front up until the armholes and the rest of the right and left fronts are only 15 rows, so that makes it right that there are 15 rows for the rest of the back. It is not the whole back, it is just from the armholes up. The back up to that point is already worked.

 

I think that you were right the first time. The large piece is the fronts and backs. You have gone wrong somewhere when doing the right front from the armholes up.

[julie72]

Hiya

 

Yes, when I finished the 27 rows I had a long rectangle. I think I did the right front right, I just messed up totally as to where to position the left front I think. 

Also wasn't sure where to start the "Back"...... Aargh..... Maybe I should stick to scarves....................

[FlossiePotts]

Oh no Julie, stick at it. Undo it back to where you had the rectangle,You keep going on the one side with short rows (I think that you have made a bit of a mistake somewhere there and have worked right across, instead of only working short rows back and forth) on one side of it and do the the armhole and the front edge on the other side of the armhole, then finish off and join in to the other edge (where it tells you) of the rectangle and do the other armhole and front edge and then you should have something that does look like a halter, but that is because you have to join in again to finish off the back and sew it together at the shoulders.

 

You start the back three spaces from the back of the armhole to leave room for the underarm. So, you should have a rectangle with two pointy bits on each end, then you go three spaces past where the pointy bit start, join in and go back and forth from there (leaving the same spaces on the other end) and work 15 rows so that it gets up to where the pointy bits end. Sew it together at the top.

I must say though, it would probably be better for you to try a few modern patterns. Vintage patterns are harder for everyone. The old patterns always assume a lot of prior knowledge and experience.

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi Julie72, welcome to the ville!

 

You are getting great help from FlossiePotts, so hopefully you will get this worked out.  :-)  

 

I just want to say , please don't give up on garment patterns because of the difficulties of this one.  This is an older pattern, and patterns have come a long way since then.  What it is lacking in my opinion, are a good photo of the garment, a schematic, and a written description of the construction.  There are many newer patterns to choose from; not all are free online but many are, and there are good designers who sell patterns online, and you can find good patterns in books---which you should be able to access from your local public library.  in my signature is a link to a thread on choosing patterns that you may find helpful when choosing your next pattern.  

[Granny Square]

I'm going to link to another pattern, because it has a schematic which should 'sort of' look like your project, to give you an approximate idea of what this thing should look like.  It's 1 rectangle from the bottom hem to the armpits, and then 2 fronts and back 'grow' separately from that bottom rectangle.  Does this help?

 

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L40268.html?noImages=

[FlossiePotts]

I'm going to link to another pattern, because it has a schematic which should 'sort of' look like your project, to give you an approximate idea of what this thing should look like.  It's 1 rectangle from the bottom hem to the armpits, and then 2 fronts and back 'grow' separately from that bottom rectangle.  Does this help?

 

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L40268.html?noImages=

 

Granny, that is what I meant to say, but I am known for being a little wordy. You said in two lines which took me several paragraphs.

[julie72]

Thanks all so much for your help. I'm not going to give up - I will unpick the armholes and back again and start with the large rectangle and have another go.

 

Trust me to pick a pattern that wasn't the best to understand.... and to think I picked it as it said "Easy crochet vest...." Aaargh.

 

Thanks again

 

Julie

[sarisue]

FlossiePotts    your doing a great job helping her.

 

Here's one done the same way but  yours will  have chains instead of shells. I had a rectangle and started the right front in the next row doing so many stitches  leaving the rest unworked turning and finishing the right front.

For the left front I attached  the yarn for the pattern # of stitches in from the left edge and worked toward the edge and then in rows to finish it. I started the back the pattern #  in from the armhole  and finished it in rows

[Granny Square]

 

 

 

Granny, that is what I meant to say, but I am known for being a little wordy. You said in two lines which took me several paragraphs.

I'm a visual person, I know that's what you were explaining but a picture is worth 1000 words!

 

I hope the other pattern diagram and Sarisue's very pretty piece help.  Wearables can be confusing in fabric, let alone crochet instructions.