Newbie confusion over treble crochet pattern

[Kiwigirl]

Hi, I am quite new to crochet. I should probably only be picking crochet projects that have a full video on YouTube as I can really struggle figuring out instructions. However I found a pattern the other day that has no video, but I think it is beautiful and I would love to make it. Unfortunately I am stuck on round 2. The pattern is below ... I'm not sure what it means to do 1 treble crochet "into the base of 3ch". If I can do that then the rest makes sense ... at least until I have to change to colour B 😰 But I figure I need to focus on solving one problem at a time 😌 

Can anyone please help me? 

 

http://www.sharalambethdesigns.com/2012/06/voyages-beanie.html?m=1

[magiccrochetfan]

hi, welcome to the ville!  ok, you made the 3 chains, and they are based in the last stitch in the previous round.  make your treble into that stitch, the one the chain arises out of.

(and don't be like me, and switch from UK to US terms in the middle of the pattern! )   

[Kiwigirl]

Thank you 😊😊

[magiccrochetfan]

you're welcome :-)

[Kiwigirl]

I have another question already 😰 Why does my hat look so "holey" when the one in the picture looks very tightknit! Even at the top where on dark blue is used. Picture hopefully attached.

 

Think I'm still managing to keep the TCs and DCs straight! 😀 

[magiccrochetfan]

What yarn are you using?  What size hook?  

[redrosesdz]

Those stitches look awfully long to me. Are you yarning over once or twice at the beginning of the stitches? It should be once. You're doing a UK pattern. A UK tr is the same stitch as a US dc stitch. How I can tell is that your chain up to get the stitch height is a ch 3.

Here's more information on the difference between UK crochet terms and US crochet terms...

https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/10/british-vs-american-crochet-terms/

[Granny Square]

I can't quite tell if you are making a too-tall stitch as Redrosesdz was wondering, or if you make relatively tallish stitches.  Everybody has a different stitch tension, in width AND height.  Your tension might be different than the designers'.  

The pattern has a gauge of 16 stitches and 8 rows = 10cm.  Any time you are making something that has to fit precisely, it's important to make a gauge swatch first - I suggest making it a bit wider than 16 stitches, because edge stitches can measure a bit differently than interior stitches if that makes sense.  You can pause and make a gauge swatch right where you are, just turn and work (example) 20 stitches back and forth for maybe 6 rows, since you already have a couple of rows completed beyond the center that you could measure.  If your swatch's 16 stitches and 8 rows is bigger than 10 cm, you may need to start over with a smaller hook.

Along with the above, if the width matches but your stitch height is too tall, you might have to use a shorter stitch, perhaps in UK terms an extended DC or HTR (US extended SC or HDC).  When you are working in the round, the stitch height (ratio of diameter to circumference) is really important to keep the piece lying flat.  Or, you might have to end up deleting some rounds; this might spoil the look though.

Edit - my personal tension is a tiny bit on the tight side, and I make shortish stitches.  4.5mm is not a standard size in the US (H is 5mm and G is 4mm).  For what it's worth, with the smaller G hook, my swatch width was spot on but my stitch height was only 9 cm on 8 rows.  Just including a pic to show that there is a slight gap between stitches when hitting width gauge, and try to imagine the stitches are 10% taller than they are (1.125mm per row).  Yes, I cheated on the swatch when I saw my gauge on the center 16 stitches was OK -  you can see how the edges wobble a little so it's a good idea to make it wider  

[Granny Square]

oy, sorry the pic is so huge

[Kiwigirl]

Thanks everyone!! Great advice above!! Ah ... I was completely wrong when I said I was keeping my DCs and TCs straight ... that is indeed the wrong stitch 😳 But on the upside I didn't know how to do a TC and now I do! I am using 8 ply and a 4.5 hook so if the stitches are too large then that is my lack of tension! I will give it another go with DC 😀😀 Thank you again? It's so awesome to ask for help and get really good advice and so quickly! 

[magiccrochetfan]

i'm glad we could help!  we do love talk about crochet lol