Circle confusion! Help...Again!

[Charis]

I'm trying to make a placemat in the round because I thought it would be fun a quirky, just like the friend I'm making it for.

I'm at round 9-11 and it is clearly ruffling, I don't think its my gauge...something about her round increases seem off to me. Can anyone eyeball these directions to help?

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/circle-placemats

 

Depending on your opinion, I might just frog it and do a different pattern. Judging from the comments and other projects on the Ravelry page, I wouldn't be the first! I suppose I should have taken that as a clue but I thought "mine will be different!" oh how we dupe ourselves!

Thanks in advance!

Diana

[magiccrochetfan]

i can't find a working link to the pattern.  D Burger is a very careful writer though, so i'd be surprised if there is a major flaw in the pattern, but of course typos can happen anywhere.  

 

What kind of yarn are you using?  It may need to be blocked to pull out the edges, to make it all lay flat, so you'd need block-able natural fibers.  

[Charis]

I'm using Sugar and cream cotton.

Oh yeah, I hit the download pattern button and it worked.

I'm going to redo it and adjust my tension a bit too and see if that works. I figured I'd have to block it.

[magiccrochetfan]

Main thing i notice is the big jump in number of sts between rnd 7 and 9. Probably need to really pull those last few rounds out to deal with that.

[Granny Square]

Magic, the PDF link in the Rav pattern page works.

 

Normally, a plain DC circle starts with 12 DC (as this does) and increases by 12 each row , but this throws a curve (well, literally) by inserting rounds of chain loops, then plain DC rows with more and fewer than 12 increases.

 

This placemat's end # of stitches, (and what it would be adding 12 each round ).  "x" is an arch round

1) 12 (12)

2) x (24)

3) 30 (36)  

4) 36 (48)

5) x (60)

6) 60 (72)

7) 66 (84)

8) x (96)

9) 91 (108)

10) 95 (120)

11) 101 (132)

...the last DC round is 15, which has 152 stitches, a plain circle would have 180

 

This pattern has fewer stitches around than a plain circle would -- too few would make a plain circle cup, not ruffle.  But, this isn't a plain circle.  Maybe it really does just need blocking?  Maybe it will straighten itself out by the end of the piece (I've had doilies do that).

 

Without making it, to see if I can find something else going on, it could have something to do with how you make your stitches.  For example, I make short stitches, which can cause ruffling, and I also make chains somewhat looser than other stitches, which also leads to ruffling.

[Granny Square]

Oops, I was tending to laundry when typing my last post and didn't see a post happened while I was typing.  I noticed that too--there's also a big jump between 4 and 6, 11 and 13 (the jumps happen after an arch rows )

[Charis]

Thank you ladies!

The increases weren't as even as I am used to with other round projects I have done. I couldn't remember exactly what the numbers usually were so thank you for that! I think the other thing that is throwing off the count is the rows of SC in there.

I'll definitely block it when finished and let you know if it turns out! It is a pretty pattern so I hope it does!

Thank you! Very helpful as always!

[Charis]

Ok I'm back! The jump in stitches is ok because she varies the type of stitch used. I adjusted my tension and now I solved the ruffle problem.

 

Now I have a new problem!!

Rnd 13: Ch 1. (sc in next sc, 3 sc in next arch)33 times. In last arch, work 2 sc.

Join w/sl st in beg. ch1. [134 sc]

Rnd 14:Ch3.(dc in 21sts, 2dc in next st)6times. Join w/ slst in top of beg.

ch3. [138 dc]

Rnd 15:Ch3.*dc in next 10sts, 2dc in next st.(dc in next 14sts,2dc in next)4

times. Repeat from *. Dc in next st, 2 dc in last st. Join w/sl st in top of

beg. ch3. [152 dc]

 

Row 14 shows an increase of 6 stitches but she must have a typo of the stitch count at the end?

Also, she issued an errata in the ravelry page but she doesn't include a stitch count there. Also her edit doesn't work with row 13.

Here is her edit

Errata:

on row 14 it should be chain 3 (dc in 21sts, 2 dc in next st) next dc in 22sts,2 dc in next st repeat from to the end of row, slip st. in top of beg.

 

So I tried things a few different ways and the only way the stitches actually balance out is to do it the original way but obviously you end up with 140 stitches and not 138 because you are adding 6 stitches to the round.

 

I read her edit 2 ways, dc21 then 2dc in the next st. Followed by dc22 the 2dc in next stitch for the rest of the round. That did not add up. The other way I tried it was to alternate 21 and 22 stitches. That also did not add up.

 

I am starting to get irritated so I will put it down for now and check back with you ladies in a few.

[magiccrochetfan]

I doubt if exact stitch count is really essential for this, as long as it will lay flat and look pretty much symmetric.  But then I am very good at losing count, so i often fudge things a bit

 

[Charis]

I think you are right. That's what I'm going to do.

[Granny Square]

I agree with Magic.  I pay more attention to stitch count where something will be 'really off' later if you get it wrong (like matching stitches/rows for a seam, or needing a number of stitch repeats as a base for a lace edge).  Maybe take some notes for yourself in case you want to make a set of these.