Santa & Elf Hot Pads HELP

[Tampa Doll]

I just bought the Handmade Crochet Holidays magazine.

They have a pair of hot pads made with thread.  They are an elf and Santa.

I am having trouble with getting started.  Here are the first 9 rows. I understand the 40 chains, then you slip stitch down and then do 40 more chains and slip stitch down  Now it tells you to join in first chain.  How can you join to first chain, when you are in the middle of the 80 chains?  I am so confused.

Can anyone help?????????

 

[redrosesdz]

I agree with Brenda. When you sl st back on the 2nd 40 chains, you should be back to the very first chain that you made. I think the join is to that ch. It's just strange, because it's in the middle, instead of an end.

I'm curious to see what the pattern notes say, too. 

[bgs]

24 minutes ago, Granny Square said:

First of all, that is the cutest thing.  Here is another 'magic potholder' pattern, and it seems that is the way it starts, like you were making an oval - working on  both sides of the foundation chain to start (I'd never made one before...now I 'get' it, it does make sense, and it's really genius).  This has in-process pics https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/magic-potholder

I have made several like this one.  It seems like the pattern Mary Jo found is having you start each round in the middle instead of at the end.  I think it is having you join the two sections of chains by slip stitching together.  Then chain 2 and sc in 40 foundation stitches to the end rotate and on opposite side sc in the 80 foundation stitches to end rotate and sc in 40 which brings you back to where you join to the other 40.  

[Tampa Doll]

I will have to print the pattern notes.  I have done this and ripped it out several times.

I will check out the other pattern and see if it helps.

Thanks for you help.  I will be back.

[bgs]

Mary Jo at that point it says see pattern notes.  I wonder what they say.  This is what I wonder.  Is it having you now  join to the first ch of the first set of 40 that you slip stitched back to.  Then you ch2 and work around back to that point like the magic pot holder.  Its just your next round begins in the middle rather than the end.

[Granny Square]

oops, never mind... nothing to see here...apparently you can't delete a post any more...

[Granny Square]

First of all, that is the cutest thing.  Here is another 'magic potholder' pattern, and it starts like you were making an oval - working on  both sides of the foundation chain to start (I'd never made one before...now I 'get' it, it does make sense, and it's really genius).  This has in-process pics https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/magic-potholder  Your pattern should have said 80 slip stitches (not chains) at the end of 'foundation'.