Chevron blanket

[katkinson816]

Hello all,

 

I am a beginner crocheter and I downloaded a chevron pattern blanket that said beginners were welcome to try it. So I bought it and when I got the pattern I did not understand it. I even contacted the owner but she never responded. Perhaps someone could translate the beginning instructions to me. This is a Christmas present to my mom. I would've started earlier but I barely got the money for the yarn. Any help is greatly appreciated.  

 

Dc in 4th ch from hook (skipped chs count as a dc), dc 6, sk 1 ch, dc, sk

1ch, dc 6, *3dc in next st, dc 6, sk 1 ch, dc, sk 1 ch, dc 6; repeat from * across,

2dc in last st. 97 (129, 145, 161)

 

 

[katkinson816]

I understand most of it except the beginning. There should be 129 chains right? When I start the "Dc in 4th ch from hook (skipped chs count as a dc), dc 6" -- should those 2 beginning chains (Dc in 4th ch from hook (skipped chs count as a dc)), be apart of the dc 6? 

 

Also, when counting for the 129 chains, do I count all of the 3dc as 3 or as 1 whole dc?

 

Thank you so much!!

[redrosesdz]

Welcome to Crochetville!

 

First, don't count on it being a Christmas Present.  Shoot for Mother's Day.  My first big afghan took me just over 4 months to complete.  It looks like you're working on a big one!

 

Second, I assume you're making the second size ... 129 stitches across.  You'll need 129 chains + 2 (for the first dc height) = 131 chains.  The instruction above the first row should have told you how many chains you'd need.

 

Third, it helps to understand chevrons/ripples.  You'll be making "hills" with "peaks" and "valleys."  129 chains = 8.5 hills with 2 dc extra on each side.  Counting stitches is EXTREMELY important when doing ripples.  You should count after each hill and again at the end of each row.  Each hill will consist of a dc3tog (valley), 6 dc going up the hill, 3dc (peak) and 6 dc going down the hill.  I actually say to myself "1 up, 2 up, 3 up, 4 up, 5 up, 6 up" and "1 down ... 6 down" as I'm making the the hills.  This helps you to line up the peaks and valleys.  It's very easy to lose count and if they don't line up, rip it out until you're back to where they do line up.

 

Counting the first row:  The first 3 skipped chains = 1 dc.  Chains are used to gain stitch height at the beginning of a row.  It is your extra dc at the beginning.  (You'll do 2dc in one stitch at the end to get the extra dc at the end.)  When counting increases (3dc), count them as 1 stitch into the previous row (or foundation chain) and 3 stitches for the next row.  When counting decreases (dc3tog) you count them as 3 stitches into previous row and 1 stitch for the next row.

 

To sum it up ...

1. Chain 131 stitches.

2. Complete row 1 into 129 of the chains.  Count the tops of row 1 to make sure there are 129 tops.

3. Complete row 2 into row 1's 129 stitches.  Count the tops of row 2 to make sure there are 129 tops.

etc.

 

ETA: I forgot to answer 1 question.  Do 6 DC after making the dc in the 4th chain.

 

Edited to correct the math.

[katkinson816]

redrosesdz

Wow I completely understand what you mean by "valley" and "peak"...the 6dc before and after the 3dc in next st completely makes sense now!!!! I cannot thank you enough for your explanation! I am so excited to start this project and I also love your idea about mothers day! I had intended it to be a late Christmas gift but I love the idea of giving her something homemade to show my appreciation as a daughter to my mother. 

 

I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

[redrosesdz]

You're welcome!  Merry Christmas to you, too!  (And don't forget to count those stitches!)

[Granny Square]

I'm amazed the pattern didn't tell you how many to chain in the first place, that is disappointing, especially for a paid pattern.

 

The hardest thing about chevron blankets is the first is the first row, which sets up the pattern; it gets easier once you get past that. Hang in there!

 

And I second the counting, even experienced crocheters have to do this (ahem).  It's easy to 'zone out' while watching TV and end up with a snaggletoothed blanket after a few rows (been there, ripped many rows more than once....)

 

One wee comment:  for DC, if you want to end up with 129 stitches, you need to chain 129 + 2 (not +3).  In DC, you make a chain, and make the first DC into the 4th chain from the hook.  The 3 unused chains take the place of 1 DC, and the second stitch is a real DC.  So, if you chain 4, turn, DC in the 4th chain from the hook, you have 2 DC - 3 chains, and a 'real' one - so you chained 2 more (not 3) than the final number of DC.  I just wanted to point this out in case you were concerned that you had an extra chain at the end of the row - easy to fix, pick out the extra chain, (crochet will not unravel from the tail end).

[katkinson816]

Granny Square

Thank you for your help!! :) just one more question... the ending of the second row says 2sc in ch3 of the previous row...but that leaves 2 chains unused, is that supposed to be correct? 

 

Row 2 – Ch 1 (does not count as st),turn, 2sc in same st, sc 6, sk 1 st, sc, sk 1

st, sc 6, *3 sc in next st, sc 6, sk 1 sts, sc, sk 1 st, sc 6; repeat from * across,

2sc in the ch 3 from previous row. (97, 129, 145, 161)

 

and then the next row starts off as:

 

--–Ch 3 (counts as a st), turn, dc in same st, dc 6, sk 1 ch, dc, sk 1ch, dc 6,

*3dc in next st, dc 6, sk 1 ch, dc, sk 1 ch, dc 6; repeat from * across, 2dc in last

st. (97, 129, 145, 161)

 

I don't know how to start the next row 

[Granny Square]

The turning chain, which is 3 chains for DC, has 2 purposes:  it brings your yarn up to the height of the next row, and it 'stands in' for a DC stitch--a functional DC.  So, you have to treat it as a DC stitch, and when you come to it at the end of the row, you need to stitch into the top of the stitch -- like you had been stitching into the tops of all the other DCs in the row.  The other 2 chains really aren't stitches, they are there to make up the height of the functional DC.  I hope that makes sense.

[redrosesdz]

Thank you GS!  I miscounted! 

 

When you start a row, you chain to get up to the stitch height.  It's called the "turning chain."  They are counted together as a single stitch for DC and TC turns.

 

SC - 1 chain, which never  counts as a stitch

HDC - 2 chains, which sometimes counts as a stitch and sometimes doesn't.  The pattern will tell you which.

DC - 3 chains (although tight crocheters only do 2 chains), which always counts as the first DC

TC - 4 chains, which always counts as the first TC

 

Even rows you're doing SCs, so you chain 1 and then do 2 SC.  When you come back , you finish the row in those 2 SC.

Odd rows you're doing DCs, so you chain 3 and then do 1 DC.  When you come back, you finish the row in the DC and top chain.

 

Hint: when you chain 3 for a DC to start a row and see that you'll need to crochet into it to finish the next row, then make the 3rd chain looser by pulling the loop up a bit farther.  If you get in the habit of pinching the yarn on the hook when you make your 3rd chain, it'll give you the extra room on that chain.

[katkinson816]

Thank you Granny Square and Sharon for your help! What you are teaching me is crystal clear - I had an epiphany as I carefully reread y'alls replies. The pattern refers to "ch 3 from previous row" when I was increasing the height. I thought the "ch3 from previous row" meant the third from the last chain in the row before the row even ends, so the ends weren't aligning for me, if that makes sense.