can't understand a stitch in crochet

[vickijo73]

In Patricia Kristoffersen's book, "the best of Patricia Kristofferson pattern #23.  Round # 12.   Don't understand SPLIT TR first let and second let.  What does it mean top to bottom and bottom to top.  I am completely lost.  I know where the free stitch is from crocheting in the back loop onlyl  Help help 

Vickijo73   thanks

[redrosesdz]

It's okay to post the part of a pattern where you're having trouble, as long as it's not the entire pattern.  Also, you can post the row/round before and after the trouble part.  It's hard to tell what the designer means without seeing a bit more.

[magiccrochetfan]

I replied in your other post.

[Granny Square]

I have another of her books, and made a doily with that stitch in it. It looks like a ^ if I recall correctly, and is sort of a mutant cluster.

 

The special stitches were described at the beginning of the pattern.  Assuming it is the same in 'Pineapple Song' from my book, as it is in the pattern in your book:

 

First Leg: YO twice, insert hook from top to bottom in free loop of st indicated, YO and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), (YO and draw thru 2 loops on hook) twice (2 loops remaining hon hook)

Second Leg: YO twice, insert hook from bottom to top in free loop of st indicated, YO and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), (YO and draw thru 2 loops on hook) twice, YO and draw thru all 3 loops on hook.

 

So, somewhere a couple of rounds below where you are now, you made some stitches in the back loop which would have left some free front loops.  My pattern told me to mark these free loops.  These free loops are where you will be inserting your hook.  

 

You know how you insert the hook to make a 'normal' stitch, you stick the hook in from the front to the back of the fabric, and you grab the thread from the back of the fabric and pull thru toward the front, etc.  For this stitch, for the first leg, you will be inserting your hook across the front face of your fabric, with the hook pointing down, and grabbing the working thread (thru the marked free loop) from the front of your fabric.  For the back leg, it's also worked across the front of the fabric, with the thread in front, but you insert the hook thru that second marked free loop with the hook pointing up, not down.

 

That is the 'odd' part of this stitch--using free loops across the front of the fabric to make a sort of 2 legged cluster.  The other part, pulling thru loops, is not unlike what you would do for a normal cluster - just do what it says.

 

edited to insert link to Pineapple Song - 2 rounds of this stitch, separated by rounds of plain sc, makes the diamond shapes over the solid stitches in the middle of the doily.  I see this is also in your book, but says's it's #18; I'm not finding a #23 listed in Ravelry for that book, but Amazing has that stitch and is unnumbered, is that the one you're working?  Pretty!