Beginner Cowl Help

[melodymarkert]

 So I'm trying to follow this pattern to make this scarf, but I'm having trouble with the 3rd row. It says to rep from * once more, them from * to ** once. But I can't get the number of stitches to work out properly. I always seem to never have enough to do both, but it doesn't seem like the directions for row 1 and 2 make the amount of extra chains to have enough for the 3rd row's extra rep. Can someone please explain/help me with that?

Also, at the end of each row, it says to do 2 dc/sc in last sc/dc. Is that the same chain that is a part of the "1 dc/sc in each of the next 4 ch?" So the last chain would have 3 dc/sc in them? Or is it that it's an empty chain that has 2 at the end.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[redrosesdz]

Welcome to Crochetville! 

There's 3 things I want to say...

First, you're only working in chains on row 1, because you're working into the foundation chain. The rest of the rows work into stitches. The exception is when you start a row with ch3. The ch3 counts as a dc. To crochet into the last stitch  (ch3) on the next row, insert your hook in the topmost chain.

Next, when you do 2 stitches in one stitch, it's an increase. You're increasing at the beginning and ending of each row. So, your stitch count will grow.

Last, when repeats are confusing, it's best to write them out. For example, here's row 3...

Ch3 (counts as dc), 1 dc in first sc, * 1 dc in each of next 4 sc, dc3tog, 1 dc in each of next 4 sc ** 3dc in next sc, rep from * once more, then from * to ** once, 2dc in last sc. Turn

Ch3, 1 dc in first sc - means increase 

Dc, dc, dc, dc

Dc3tog - means decrease 3 to 1

Dc, dc, dc, dc

3dc in next sc - means increase 1 to 3

Dc, dc, dc, dc

Dc3tog - means decrease 3 to 1

Dc, dc, dc, dc

3dc in next sc - means increase 1 to 3

Dc, dc, dc, dc

Dc3tog - means decrease 3 to 1

Dc, dc, dc, dc

2dc in last sc - means increase 

Also, you're doing a standard ripple. Ripples consists of downhill, valley, uphill, peak. The hills are 4 stitches in a row. The valley is 3stitchestog. The peak is 3stitches all in 1 stitch. Each hill, valley and peak must line up with the one below. Check your peaks. If you're doing the 3 in 1 stitch in the middle of the previous row's peak, you're correct. If not, rip it back to find the mistake. 

I hope this helps!

 

[melodymarkert]

Can you please count the stiches for me? I'm having a very hard time finishing the 3rd row because I seem to be missing stitches, but I'm pretty sure I'm doing the 1st and 2nd row properly. I'm not sure if I'm doing a step wrong, or what, but I don't understand how there are enough stitches to rep from * once more then from * to ** once in the 3rd row considering the row only increased by 4 (?) stitches

[Granny Square]

Just skimming this, I'd like to point out that the double asterisk ** has nothing to do with the first repeat, for this specific pattern.  In any pattern, ***  is a place marker; you ignore it until the pattern tells you (later) to deal with it.  In this pattern it comes into play in the second repeat.

Redrosesdz is right, you are doing a ripple and in a ripple the stitch count remains constant.  Basic ripple recipe: hillside is x stitches, valley decreases y stitches, hilltop increases y stitches.  So the increases on the hilltop cancel out the decreases in the valley.  Don't feel bad for having a little trouble with this, an awful lot of questions here are about ripples.  

I'm going to try to come up with a diagram, will be back...

[Granny Square]

Here is a crude stitch diagram of what your first row should look like.  Black dots are your foundation chain, green lines are DCs.  

The pattern does not count the first 2 unused chains at the right as a stitch - not common but OK.  Now, count the tops of the green stitches, counting the 3-pronged ^ as 1 stitch and the 3 pronged V as 3 stitches.  There are 25 stitches.

Math: you chained 27, 2 of which won't count as stitches.  After the first row, you have 25 stitches - no net increases or decreases.

Basically the rest of the piece is the same, except alternating DC and SC rows and re-writing the DC row to describe working into stitches, not chains.  You're going to have 25 stitches from now on, including a turning chain-3 in later DC rows that are counted as DC stitches (as the pattern says).

[melodymarkert]

Thank you so much for your help! I understand that it is supposed to be a ripple now, I'd just have one last question about row 3. The directions for that are different from 1 and 2 in that it says to "rep from * once, then from * to ** once."

Since there are no net increase or decrease continuing on, should I just ignore the part in row 3 that tells me to rep from * once? So I'd go from doing 3 stitches in 1 the first time straight to rep from * to **?

[Granny Square]

The directions are correct.   Except for changing rows from dc to sc, (and a little differences with the ends of the rows to account for that), you will be repeating the first row over and over.  The hillsides are always 4 stitches.  The hilltop is always 3 stitches into the center stitch of the hilltop below.  The valley is 3 stitches into one, combining the stitch before the remaining valley stitch below, the remaining valley stitch below, and the stitch after.

Do you have anything that you can use for a stitch marker?   I like bobby pins because they don't snag or fall out (and are cheap), but you could also use a paper clip or safety pin.  Marking the middle stitch of the hills and valleys will help a lot, I think.

If you have a way to print out my drawing, it might help if you sketch out the next 2 rows above what I did, by reading the directions and drawing stitches over the ones I made.  (you'll have to do the next row from left to right).  An 'x' is the symbol for sc.  (the correct symbol for dc isn't quite what I drew, it's like a double crossed T, but | is close enough).  Occasionally when I have trouble with a complex pattern, I'll sketch it out - just the act of 'taking notes' helps me memorize a complex repeat or figure out a problem.