58 dc and 5 ch 1 spaces

[Shawlmaker]

Hi, I'm a newbie. My purpose for starting crochet is because my quadriplegic mother is always needing new shawls, and I found a wheelchair shawl pattern, which is a gift from above! I hope to make a lot for many people if I can figure it all out! :-)

I'm still working out how to read patterns, and I've come to the above step. I am to double crochet 58, make 5 chains, and what--leave one empty chain? I don't understand the 1 space(s) thing.

[Shawlmaker]

Oh boy. If you put 2 DC in the middle of a v stitch, wouldn't that make a giant curve in the bend and no longer resemble a v stitch? Especially if you add 2 DC on each row and there are around 38 rows, which comes out to over 50 new DC at the end of the project. Seems like the work would come out a giant circle or something. Seems like I should add 2 DC to each side of the 4 sides at the start of each side and leave the v stitches alone. :-o

[Granny Square]

You're welcome!  Your dolls are a hoot, but that's OK, I'm glad to help.  It only took a couple of minutes to work up 3 rows, rip out 2, and re-do 2...my swatch was pretty small (on my monitor the pics are much bigger than the swatches were).  I was also curious to see what would happen with your suggestion to omit the increases.

[Shawlmaker]

Wow, Grannysquare. I can't believe you've done this for me. It's going to take a bit to digest. As a thank-you...If you're interested, I'll make one of my dolls for you for half price. https://www.etsy.com/listing/554966061/personalized-look-a-like-mini-me-felt?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=lookalike dolls&ref=sr_gallery_2

Thanks--I'll get back to you!

[Granny Square]

Ok, I made a mini shawl, followed your pattern for 3 rows except instead of starting with 11 stitches between V stitches, I had only 2.  I knew your suggestion was going to curl/cup, but I'm surprised it was so exaggerated on my small scale.  First pic is following your pattern, little igloo pic is same first row, but putting 1 DC where a V stitch should be in the next 2 rows; so the only increases were per pattern, at the open edges.  (First pic - I don't know what's up with my scanner, trust me it laid nice and flat and looked the same on the cut-off side).  Also, second pic --weird the difference between colors between camera and scanner, it really is the same (dark grey) yarn.

[Granny Square]

Whoa, now you've lost me.  You are never making anything more than one V stitch, into a V stitch.  The place were DC counts proliferate is between the V stitches and end increases.

 

[Shawlmaker]

Yes, I understand, but making 50 DC in the middle of a v makes it more like a w with 50 peaks. Haa

[Granny Square]

If you only increase 1 at each end, and 'leave the V stitches alone' and not increasing there,  your piece will be an odd looking scarf.  Look at the pattern photo where it is spread out flat -you are making a big circle. or really a big hexagon that's missing 2 segments.

If you were making a true circle (like a round rug) in DC, the 'recipe' for doing so is to increase 12 stitches in each round to keep it flat as it grows outward.  You are just missing 2 segments of that circle, therefore you should be making 2 (segments) x 2 (increases per segment) = 4 fewer increases.  12 (for a full circle) - 8 (your pattern's 2/3rds of a circle's compliment of increases) = 4.  So, the pattern is correct as written to create the shape you are seeing.

[magiccrochetfan]

there's a ton of info like that on Ravelry, for all kinds of patterns.  you can search there for patterns too; you might want to look for patterns that have tutorials as that can be really helpful.  you're very welcome, and i hope the rest of it goes smoothly but do let us know how you progress and if other questions arise.  

[Shawlmaker]

Wow! I had no idea others had posted about it! How exciting! You are wonderful! Thanks SOOO much! God bless!

[magiccrochetfan]

Sorry for the multiple posts....

have you joined Ravelry?  There you can see projects people have made from the pattern (over 200)  read their notes, and I suggest looking at their photos, especially where they show it in progress as you should be able to see the stitches clearly enough to discern where the increases are, that should help you understand the pattern.  

This pattern does not really explain the structure, if it did I think that would help you with it.  

[magiccrochetfan]

13 minutes ago, Shawlmaker said:

 Seems like the work would come out a giant circle or something. Seems like I should add 2 DC to each side of the 4 sides at the start of each side and leave the v stitches alone. :-o

of course you can try this if you want to, you don't have to slavishly follow a pattern.  

[magiccrochetfan]

how does it look so far?  the pattern is really just telling you to continue what you've been doing so far.  the increases between the v sts (and at beginning and end of rows) are what you did in row 2.  don't overthink it, just  give it a try.  

[magiccrochetfan]

you have 3 v sts, which divide the piece into 4 sections.  in each of those sections , you inc by 2.  so 8 inc per row.

the incs occur where you dc into the dc of the v st.  

hope that makes sense ... let me know if not :-)  

edit---i just realized there is also an inc at the beginning and end of the rows, which is not in a v st.  row starts with "dc in next dc, ch 1, 2 dc in next dc" and ends with "2 dc in next dc, ch 1, dc in last dc and in top of turning ch".  those 2 dc in one stitch are increases too.  I *think* this and the sts into the dc of the v sts accounts for all the increases.  

[Shawlmaker]

Hi, ladies. I'm stuck again. I thought I had it figured out. :-(

Row 3 calls for an increase of 2 DC between V stitches. Since there are 3 V stitches in the row, my calculations would be a total of 4, but the pattern says each row increases 8 stitches. What am I not understanding? I am short 4 stitches. :-(

http://needleworkersroom.blogspot.com/2008/12/wheelchair-wrap.html?m=1

[Shawlmaker]

Thanks, magiccrochetfan!!! I get it! 

[magiccrochetfan]

They don't quite mean the same thing.  In row one you are working into your "foundation" chain, and you put your stitches into the chains.  When row two says into a chain space, you put the hook into the open space under the chain http://www.stitchdiva.com/tutorials/crochet/crochet-in-the-chain-space

you could work into those chains if you wanted but it is more fiddly to do that and it looks different.  

[Shawlmaker]

Hey, ladies! Thanks for your help. I was able to understand and complete my first row! Major accomplishment for me. Now I'm going to impose on your good nature again with a question on the 2nd row. 

In row 1, there was a "V stitch in next chain." In row 2 it says "V stitch in chain 1 space." What does this mean? Do they mean the same thing? 

[Granny Square]

You're welcome!  That's a nice pattern, it looks like the shape will help it 'stay put' nicely. 

[Shawlmaker]

@grannysquare Thank you so much. This will take a lot to digest! You're so kind! 

[Shawlmaker]

Yes! 

[magiccrochetfan]

Is this your pattern?  http://needleworkersroom.blogspot.com/2008/12/wheelchair-wrap.html

that is what Granny Square said, a stitch count at the completion of the row.

and welcome to the Ville!   

[Granny Square]

I agree with the general instruction in your second post about how to stitch into (thru, really) a chain space. 

But the title of your thread sounds like something else, so I'll throw this out:  patterns will give a string of instructions, and at the very end, will give a recap of the number of stitches you should have made in that row; it's sort of a sanity check in case you forgot a step.  "58 DCs and 5 chain spaces" sounds like that sort of recap.  Example: row 2: *DC in next X DCs, chain 1; repeat 4 times; DC in the last Z stitches.  (58 DCs and 5 chain spaces).

Also, because you mentioned an empty chain...I'm assuming you are in the US and using US terms.  When you work in US DC, you typically chain a number (let's say 10), turn and crochet into the 4th chain from the hook, and into the remaining 6 chains.  This gives you the equivalent of 8 DC:  the 3 skipped chains stand in for 1 DC, plus the 7 "real" DCs.

At the end of the row, you chain 3 (to bring you up to the height of the next row), skip the first stitch, DC across into every DC stitch and into the top chain of the initial 3 chains that were skipped to act as the first DC.  I'm bringing this up because a lot of beginners don't see, or don't know what to do with, that last chain at the end of the row.

I hope I haven't confused you...

[Shawlmaker]

Sorry, I think I may have found the answer, but don't know how to delete this post. Is this the answer?

"Normally when you crochet into a stitch you insert your hook into the font and back loops of the stitch. But when you are instructed to crochet into a chain space, just insert your hook into the space/hole/gap (underneath the chain)..."