Needing help with a stitch

[lauried26]

Hello everyone it has been awhile since I have been on here but I am in need of help because everyone has always been so helpful on this page. I have a pattern that I am trying to work and I have never been able to do the foundation double crochet I don't know why but I always mess it up. The pattern starts out with:

 

Row 1: Foundation Double Crochet 6

My thing is there another way to start this without doing the foundation double crochet I really want to make this from the pattern that I purchased

 

Thanks for any and all help

[redrosesdz]

I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but learning the fdc has saved me hours and hours of work!  It's worth learning.

 

Here are some youtube videos https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube+foudation+double+crochet&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=youtube+foundation+double+crochet.

 

The first fdc is a little tricky, because it never looks right to me, until I do 3 or 4.  Here are the steps...

1. Start with a ch 4 (1 ch for the foundation and 3 for the dc)

2. Yo and insert your hook in the previous ch (4th from the hook for the first one), pull a loop through (3 loops on your hook)

3. Yo and pull through 1 to make a ch (3 loops on your hook)

4. Yo and pull through 2, yo and pull through 2 to make a dc (1 loop on your hook)

 

Repeat steps 2-4 4 more times for a total of 6 fdc

 

The alternative is to ch 8 (5 dc + ch 3 for the first dc).  Dc in the 4th ch from the hook. Dc in each of the next  4 chains.

 

ETA the benefits of an fdc:

1. You only have to work into a chain once.

2. You'll have a nice V on the bottom, instead of a single strand, "back bump" / "free loop."

3. Your work will be more even, because working into a chain makes the first row tighter than the rest.

4. The best reason to me is NO MORE LONG CHAINS!  That means no more counting hundreds of chains only to find out you're short or long.  Also, no more long chain that twists.

 

If you're struggling with it, I learned from Marty Miller (aka Dr. Crochet.)  She has a class at craftsy.com called "Mastering Foundation Crochet."  She's a wonderful teacher!!  You'll not only master fdc, fsc, fhdc and ftc, she teaches how to do any first row with foundation.  I'm working on ripple strips using foundation stitching and it's cut my time in half.

[magiccrochetfan]

It is worth learning and i also agree M Miller is a great teacher. You can find a lesson by her in the book Best of Interweave Crochet, republished from an article in the magazine.

 

But you can just do the regular start by chaining and stitching into the chain. Make sure the chain is very loose, probably use a hook 1-2 sizes larger for the ch.

[redrosesdz]

I just want to add a couple of tips for learning the fdc ...

 

First, the fdc and xdc (extended double crochet) are exactly the same stitch.  Practice by doing a bunch of xdc.

 

Make a swatch of 15-20 stitches and a few rows by making a long chain and a few rows of sc or dc.  At the end of a row...

 

1. Ch 4, turn

2. YO, insert your hook in the next stitch and pull through

3. YO, pull through 1 loop (chain)

4. YO, pull through 2, yo, pull through 2 (dc)

 

Repeat 2-4 for each stitch across.  Notice that the xdc is higher than a normal dc.

 

It helps when you're doing a foundation stitch to pinch the chain and hold on to it for the next stitch.  This makes it easy to see and easy to insert your hook.  I also pinch chains when I'm making a bunch of them to keep them from twisting.  I use my thumb and middle finger on my yarn guide hand to pinch.

[Avon Lady]

I also recommend learning the foundation double crochet.  I had trouble learning it at first, kept working until I understood it, and now that I know how to do it--I would NEVER go back to the chain foundation, if I didn't HAVE to!!