Not enough stitches to complete a row!

[Love2Teach9]

Hi there,

 

I have just started an afghan pattern.  I am only on row 2 and already I am stumped!  I have ripped it our and started from the very beginning 3 times.  On the 3rd time I am certain that I counted correctly each time.  My problem is that when I am coming up to the end of the row after following a repeated pattern for the entire row, I do no have enough stitches to finish off what the pattern calls for.

 

I am not sure what type of information I need to give in order to get help.  I will attach a picture of the pattern.  My problem begins in the row 2 instructions after I have followed the pattern in the *...* all the way across the last shell.  I do not have 5 stitches left to do the dc dec.

 

Thank you for any help that you can give me!

 

Jennifer

[magiccrochetfan]

welcome to the ville!

 

according to the site guidelines we really are not supposed to post photos or scans of patterns.  you can review the guidelines in the Town Hall section of the forum.

 

but I do notice there is a stitch symbol diagram as part of the pattern; did you check the written pattern against the diagram?  if the 2 don't agree, you could try following the diagram instead in case there is a typo in the written version.  

 

how many stitches do you have left?  

 

what is the name of the pattern and the book it is in?  

[Love2Teach9]

Thank you for your response and also sorry about the pattern.  I will look into the diagram advise that you gave me.  Thank you.

[magiccrochetfan]

You're welcome.  If you still have a problem, let us know the name and location of the pattern, as probably someone will have the book and can refer to it.

[Love2Teach9]

The name of the book is Hooked on Crochet! Afghans by Annie's crochet. I am working on the Afghan called Peacock Pretty.

[magiccrochetfan]

Is it going OK?  

[redrosesdz]

You can contact Annie's.  They're pretty quick at replying.

[Granny Square]

I don't have the pattern, but here is a pic - what an eye catching pattern!

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/peacock-pretty

 

It looks like it is a Catherine wheel stitch pattern background (unless the one, incompleted project's maker used a different stitch for the background), and oval motifs are attached over the background.  Unfortunately there are no comments.

 

The only thing I can think of, is chain more than you think you need, and work back across.  At the end, you can pick out and unravel the unused chains - they will not unravel from that end.  I do this when the instructions say to chain a large number, I'd rather pick out a couple of chains than cuss at myself by miscounting 1 chain short.  Hopefully doing this will not interfere with the setup for the next row.

[Love2Teach9]

I took your advice Granny Square with the first row of chains. Worked like a charm, thank you. Once I got that problem solved I was able to do row 1 no problem! Then can row 2. It completely did not line up. I have compared both the written pattern and the diagram. They are not the same! Thank you magiccrochetfan! I looked on Annie's crochet stitch website for corrections. It says that there isn't. Maybe I am wrong. I am going to go with the diagram and see what happens.

[magiccrochetfan]

good luck!  let us know how it works.

[Love2Teach9]

Hi again!

 

So, I solved all of my previous issues.  I even contacted Annie's to tell them that I believe there is a typo in this pattern.   I have been trucking along and the pattern looks awesome.  Then I got thinking, wow, this is going to be one small afghan in width!  So I measured mine in width and compared it to what the pattern says it should turn out to me.  I am using this correct hook and my gauge is as recommended.  My afghan is approx 15 inches too small in width!  The pattern calls for 90 chains to begin.  I did think that was odd but kept going.  I have written to Annie's again but they take a few days to get back to me so I wonder if someone here has advice?

 

Thanks!

[redrosesdz]

Yarn weight and hook size are critical to determining size.  90 stitches across is OK for crib size, using a super bulky yarn and a P or Q hook.  If you're using worsted weight and a H hook, it's ~ 22.5" (averaging 4 stitches per inch.) 

 

What's the suggested yarn weight and hook size in the pattern?  What's the yarn weight and hook size that you're using?  How close was your gauge swatch to the pattern's gauge size?