What does it mean to "work 18?"

[brooke513]

Hey, I'm pretty new to this and I'm trying to make a potholder with the instructions on the Peaches and Creme website. I made it through row 13, but I don't understand the rest of the directions. 

 

http://www.peachesandcreme.com/pattern/picture-frame-potholder 

This is the link I'm using.. If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it! Thanks!

[redrosesdz]

"work 18 hdc evenly spaced down the rows" means that you're going to be doing 18 hdc stitches along the side to make a border.  Since sides don't have the 2 top loops, the pattern gives you the number of stitches.  There are 13 rows, so you won't be doing 1 per row.  You'll need to fit in 5 more stitches than the row count. 

 

I suggest to just start making hdc stitches down the side, counting them as you go.  When you get to 18 you should be at the end of the row.  If you're not at the end, then rip out just the side and space them out a bit more.  If you reach the end before the count, rip out the side and put them a bit closer together. 

 

There is another way, but it doesn't give you the practice of getting the feel for edging.  Place a ruler against the edge and place 9 evenly spaced stitch markers.  Now make a stitch in each marker and between each marker.  They'll be evenly spaced.

[Granny Square]

Something is amiss with your link, but I was able to find it by googling 'picture frame potholder'.

 

What you are doing is making the edging across the top, turning the corner, then working 18 hdc evenly spaced down the side of the potholder.  You will be working into the sides of the sitches at the end of the rows. HDC stitches aren't exactly square, you will work 1 stitch into each row-end, but occasionally have make 2 stitches into 1.  

 

The side is 13 rows, and you need to put 18-13=5 extra stitches.  If you put the extra stitches into the following row-ends, it's fairly evenly spaced:

3

5

7

9

11

 

edit, oops I was typing a little slower than you were...

 

edit 2...I usually plan out where I'm going to put the increases or increases, especially if a specific number is needed (like, for a base row for a complex lace pattern edging).  It's not a big thing to trial and error/rip over 18 stitches, but if this were a blanket with 180 stitches, not so much.  In this case I divided 13 by 5 and got 2.6, so I knew there'd be some increases every 2nd stitch, some every 3rd.  Of course if you're not into math, the ruler thing works great, too

[brooke513]

Thanks!! I just finished doing the 18 hdc stitches. What does "sl st to top of 1st hdc" mean?

[redrosesdz]

You're joining your last stitch to the first one to finish the round.  Insert your hook in the top 2 loops of the first hdc that you made going around the potholder.  Yarn over and draw through both the top 2 loops and the loop on your hook.  You're ready for round 2!