Filet Crochet Bunny Throw/afghan

[2manythreads]

Has anyone done the RedHeart Filet Crochet Bunny Throw? aka "afghan" (it's not made using an afghan hook)

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/filet-bunny-afghan/people

 

and RH's link: http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/filet-crochet-bunny-blanket

 

I'm attempting my very first filet crochet, by the way RedHeart's video "tutorial" is terrible, but that's not the issue. Problem is the pattern says "Ch 149 (Right Side):Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across; turn – 147 sts."  Wouldn't that be 145 sts?? DC fourth ch from hook- where do those 4 sts come from? Am I not reading this right? I went ahead and ignored their "mistake" (if it was one) but things aren't looking like they are supposed to.

 

With filet crochet, I am to read the rows right to left and left to right as they go up, is that right? This method of reading the chart is unnatural to me and I think I've messed up that too, but not sure where, as my "space" that is supposed to be a row right above a "block" is not right above it, even though Ive counted the sts.

 

Their blocks are 2 dc's. Their spaces are 1 dc, ch 1 (upside down "L" shape) FYI.

 

Another problem I have is, their "beginning block is to ch 3, sk one dc, dc in next dc" so, I assume EVERY row that begins with a block uses this stitch, and NOT just a regular dc? When I sk the 1st dc, I end up with less sts than the pattern requires.

 

If you've made this, or can give a helping hand I would really love to hear what I am doing wrong. I am even starting another blankie using smaller hook and yarn for the fun of it, as I am determined to accomplish this project at all costs even if tearing my hair out

 

EDIT: I think I know what I'm doing wrong. In Filet Crochet, if two blocks are side by side- I take it they share a dc?? or, if there is one "space" next to a block, does IT share the dc from the previous stitch? I have been doing it thusly: block=2 dc's . "Space" 1 dc, 1 ch.  Does this mean that one block and one space would add up to 3 dc's?? Or only TWO dcs, and one ch?  Think I've been screwing it all up. Say Ive got two blocks and a space- would that add up to FIVE dcs and one ch? Uh oh... Im all mixed up. The tutorials say to share a dc, but I'm still confused.

[redrosesdz]

"Ch 149 (Right Side):Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across; turn – 147 sts." That is 146 DC + the ch-3 is a DC = 147 stitches.  It is correct.

 

I'll leave the rest for someone else to answer, because I've never done fillet crochet.

[Granny Square]

In your first question, if you want a row with x DC, you chain x + 2, turn, and make the first real DC into the 4th chain from the hook.

 

Imagine the shortest possible DC row, (without doing a foundation DC row of 1).  That would be 2 DC.  Chain 4, DC in the first chain made (4th chain from hook).  The 3 chains skipped =1 DC, the 'real' DC is the second DC.  Don't feel bad, a lot of people think 3, not 2 extra chains are needed for DC.

 

Second, some filet instructions tell you that filet 'shares' stitches.  Not true--this is a sore spot with me, because it's really confusing to teach it this way (and a lot of people run away screaming from filet because of this). I'm not grumping at you for wondering about stitch sharing, but I just want to explain it in a way that's much easier.  

 

In reality (for this pattern) you just count to 2, period; no stitches are shared, each filet block selfishly 'owns' their own same number of stitches.  In your pattern, all filet blocks are 2 stitches.  A block is either 2 DC, or a DC and a chain.  Every row (in a 2 block filet pattern) will have an odd number of stitches (not blocks, not chains) -- because -- you can't end a row with a chain hanging in the air, you need to close the row with a DC.  So instead of thinking that any stitches are shared, just think each row has discrete blocks of 2 stitches, plus 1 'closing' DC.  Even rows ending in a solid block needs the closing DC too, to keep the stitch count the same.

 

Slightly off topic and not pertaining to your pattern, filet is more commonly done in blocks of 3 stitches - either 3 DC or 2 chains and a DC.  So the number of stitches(not chains) is a multiple of 3, plus 1 for that 'closing' DC.  Still no shared stitches.  The number of beginning chains will vary depending on whether the first block is open or closed.

[2manythreads]

Whew- THANKS Granny Square! (i wish i had thought up to use "square granny" as my user name, but I'm not that witty, plus it would confuse ppl & think I'm you) OK- so no shared DC's. I thought I had really messed this up. I do thank you for the explanation of the plus 2's, too. I actually have two of these blankets working simultaneously - a personal crochet along! haha.

 

I have a big problem reading patterns. I do have the Crochet 911 how to read patterns tutorial, which is great by the way- and I have no issue understanding asterisks and parenthesis, it is the whole pattern I have problems with. The instructors tell you what the symbols mean, and what the abbreviations are etc, but reading an entire pattern? Chinese. I can make my own designs, but when it comes to comprehending a pattern, I have a real hard time. Must be getting old.