Decreasing in mixed stitches

[Adualataiel]

Hello! I am working on a project with alternating v-stitches and fpdc. I need to decrease my next row, but nothing I have thought of really makes sense for how to do this. If it were just one or the other, no problem, but they are such different stitches. Any ideas? Thanks!

[Becky Morgan]

It's easiest to leave the center ch st out of the v-stitches. If there are two, leave out one. It's way easier to dc on anything BUT the fpdc, because they usually make a sort of framework for whatever you're making.

 

For instance, there's a hat pattern I made last year that had v-stitch panels with fpdc between them. Allo the decreases for the top took place in the v-stitch panels, something like:

VVVVV

VVIIVV

IIVIIVII (if I remember right, there was an even row after this to keep the decreases from coming in too quickly)

IIIIIIIIII...and then I think the two end dc on each panel were together, whick I'll picture as an X:

XIIIIIIX

XIIIIX

XXXX

XX

X

...and finally, the plain dc were skipped, on the next round two fpdc were done together, and on the last there were...I think six to fasten off. The fpdc made ribs all the way from the hat band to the top.

[Adualataiel]

Thanks Becky! So let me make sure I understand - basically skipping the ch between the dc in the v stitch makes it so that the next row only has a dc in place of the v stitch? If that is the case, I am wondering about further decreases. I am making a sleeve and thinking that 2-4 decreases every other row would be appropriate, depending on how much is skipped in the decrease.

[Granny Square]

If you think about it, decreasing by 1 stitch that involve non-chains are just 'stitch 2 together', which means (1)making the first stitch up to but not including the last yo and pull thru, (2) making the next stitch up to but not including the last yo and pull thru, then (3)yo and pull thru all 3 loops on the hook.  It doesn't matter if the 2 partial stitches are different (unless 1 is vastly taller than the other maybe).  So you could do a decrease melding a post stitch and a DC of a v-stitch for example.

[Adualataiel]

Yeah, that's kind of the problem: the post stitch goes under and around the previous stitch, making it shorter than the v stitch. I may just try switching to a smaller hook size instead of doing a decrease.

[Adualataiel]

*by previous stitch, I meant previous row.

[magiccrochetfan]

do you intend the post st to be shorter?  If you want it the same height, try making it a triple instead of a double.  or an extended double.  

[Adualataiel]

That's an idea, thanks! I was following a pattern that didn't say anything about height differences, but the whole thing has been crocheted like this and seems ok. It is a circle vest where part of it folds over on itself, so I assumed the height difference was to encourage curling. However the pattern also didn't say anything about tapering the sleeve, but I had to pull out half of it because it was so baggy it just looked sloppy.

[magiccrochetfan]

What is the name and location of the pattern?

 

Many of us need to tweak patterns to account for gauge differences---it is likely that the designer's post sts are slightly taller than yours.  if a st is a bit shorter (or taller) each individual row may be fine, but as the rows build, the difference in height is compounded.  So on a few rows I may need to adjust a stitch height to get it all back into proportion.  the act of decreasing as you noted, will also affect things, so just for the decrease it may need to be taller.