confused beyond belief abt st count

[OceanChick99]

Hi.

New to the forum & 1st question. Plz forgive typos as pc dying & doing this on cell.

Working from Leisure Arts Aran Afghans to Crochet. I am making the sampler b/c i am unable to work a full size piece right now. The sampler is 30 identical 36 row squares. I am on my first square.

Wish i could just snap a small shot of directions in question from the book but unsure b/c of community rules post abt it. Will do my best to explain.

 

Here is basic rundown:

Chain 39, dc in 3rd chain from hook & each ch across: 37dc

 

I have maintained this 37 stitch count through the basketweave pattern and the sc transition into where i am now, the low ridge front. I know how to do the stitch, it is the st count i have issues with.

 

Next: Row15- LRF 1st row - turn, do NOT skip 1st sc; slip st in each sc across, do NOT slip stitch in turning ch.

 

ISSUE: This makes me drop a stitch making my st count 36. Down in Row 26 working a cable, they notate that there should be a 37 st count. Further into the square the st count goes up to 38, but i understand that b/c it goes btwn 37 & 38 in alternating rows. Dropping from 37 st down to 36 st w/o a end row stitch count and not recovering that missing stitch immediately after is concerning me.

 

Help? Please?

[RoseRed]

I would just go by the stitch count. 

[Granny Square]

If the turning chain that you encounter at the end of the slip stitch row WAS counted in the past, and you now skip it, then you would lose a stitch.

 

Do you know how to work with stitch diagrams? Since this is only 37 or 38 stitches, it might help to diagram this and the next row or 2 to see what happens.  Here's a link http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/chart_crochet.html   

 

The solution might be as simple as ignoring the instruction to skip the last chain, but I'd work out  the effect this might have on the next row(s) on paper first.

[magiccrochetfan]

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tan-sampler

Is that the pattern?

And welcome to the ville!

[Becky Morgan]

I don't quite get that instruction either, and I've actually made that afghan. It's been a while, but I vaguely recall having the same problem and just ignoring the "do not slip stitch." That particular line doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and I wondered whether it was a typo because of the "do not" earlier in the line. If it's not working for you, do what does make it work.

[magiccrochetfan]

What does row 16 say?

Is a stitch count given for row 15?

[OceanChick99]

@magiccrochetfan yes that is the pattern.

 

@grannysquare i dont know how to do that on paper but i did go ahead and crochet 4 rows to see what happens and i end up w/ even fewer stitches as i go. Dropping that 1 stitch results in dropping more once i enter the "free loops only" row 19. At one point during my following the directions (crocheting it to see what would happen) i swear somehow i got down to 34sts.

 

Row 15 does not have a stitch count anywhere in it.

 

Row 16: (low ridge front 2nd row) ch1, turn, working in free loops of sc on row BELOW, sc in each sc across.

 

Row 17: ch1, turn, skip 1st st, sc in next sc & in each st across, sl st in turning ch.

 

Row 18: ch1, DO NOT TURN, working from left to righ in front loops only, work reverse sc in each sc across, sl st in turning ch.

 

Row 19: ch1, DO NOT TURN, working in free loops of sc on row below, sc in eact sc across.

 

@BeckyMorgan i have a history of breaking inst when they dont suit me & in all ive done before it comes back to chomp my behind...but this may be the one time i really DO need to do it my way. So if you can remember, you did your best to maintain 37 sts in each row in that area?

[RoseRed]

Just remember that patterns are made by people.  Sometimes, people make mistakes.  I don't know if there's a mistake in the pattern - but it's crochet.  It's very forgiving.

[Becky Morgan]

I think that's what I did, just whatever it took to maintain 37 stitches. As I said, it's been a long while, but the afghan looks as if it did come out all right once I ignored that "do not."