Pattern Help - Turban Wrap

[DAISY808]

                                        ***** FIRST TIME CROCHETER.  FIRST PROJECT *****

 

I don't understand this pattern.  It's a Turban Wrap.  (Top of Hat) Ch 17.  Row 1:  Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each across - 16 sc.

 

Rows 2-18:  Ch1, turn, sc in each st across.

 

(Work 1st Side)

Ch 17.

Row 19:  Ch 1, turn, sc in 1st 8 sts, leaving remaining 8 sts unworked.

Rows 20-50:  Ch1, turn, sc in each st across.  Fasten off.

 

(Work 2nd Side.)

Row 1: Join yarn with sc in first unworked st following First Side, sc in remaining 7 sts-8sc.

Row 2-32:  Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.  Fasten off.

 

(Assembly)

Wrap one side over the other, match ends at back part of the square made for the top of the hat.  With sl st, seams sides to top of hat.  Seam center back closed.

 

My issue is with the (Work 1st Side) instructions.  Why am I chaining 17?  Am I suppose to chain 17 separately and if so then why?  When I look at the Work  2nd side instructions they say to join yarn ....  Join what yarn?   The 17 chain?  I just don't understand this because if I do that then I would have 9 chains unworked across the row. 

I am ultimately trying to work this piece without having to seam anything together.  The picture is at an angle so I can't really see how it ultimately, fully is suppose to look.  It just doesn't make sense why I would have to Chain 17 at the top of the instructions for the (Work 1st Side) instructions. 

Please help.   Thank you.

Edited July 1, 2019 by DAISY808
Adding information and address typo

[bgs]

I often have a hard time visualizing how a pattern is going to work out and find if I dont think about it too much and just do what it says it often works out ok.

It is telling you after you make the last sc in row 18 ( do not turn do not cut yarn) to chain 17 to make the side sections.  Yes it will look funny.  Do not over think it and follow the pattern. Row 19 you work 8 sc (and continue on with rows 20 thru 50 8 sc in each row.  At this point you cut yarn.

Now for working second side you will be joining your ball of yarn that you just cut free with a sc in the first stitch ( unused ch) next to the first side piece and sc in remaining (7) ch.

So first you are making either a rectangle or square.  Then the chains make a free hanging tail.  At the far half of tail you make another square or rectangle.  Then you come back and work another square or rectangle in the open space.  At least that is how I am thinking it works.  

[DAISY808]

Thank you for your response.  I still don't understand.  So at the end of Row 18 I chain 17 and then to start Row 19 I chain 1 then turn.  So I am just adding one more chain to Row 18 which will be 18 total chains and THEN I turn and do the 1st 8 stitches right?  

I can't make Row 19 unless I turn the work.  (You stated I shouldn't cut the yarn or turn once I finish the last sc in Row 18.  So I just chain 17 and then add 1 more turn and that will be Row 19 correct?)

[Granny Square]

To your last question; sometimes a pattern will word something a little differently when a turning chain counts as a turning chain, plus something else, in order to explain what is going on.  So your pattern is saying chain 17 [which will become the foundation chain for 17 stitches that are going to be sticking out of the side of what you've already made], plus 1 chain which is the turning chain.  Yes, this is the same ACTION as chaining 18, but the designer is trying to explain the construction...I hope that makes sense.

Agree with Bgs, it really does pay to carefully follow what the pattern says without assuming something and doing the thing you think it meant, instead of what it said.  I've found out so many interesting ways of doing things I never would have thought of otherwise.  

 

Edited July 1, 2019 by Granny Square

[bgs]

Sounds to me like you've got it.  Go ahead and work it.  Like I said it often makes more sense when you see how it turns out when you work it.  I am still having problems visualizing the assembly instructions but if I had the piece in front of me I am thinking it would make sense.

 

[DAISY808]

Thank you both for your posts it has been really helpful!  @GrannySquare, you hit the nail on the head when you said there would be a piece hanging off the side because there sure is!  (That's one of the reasons why I was so confused/thought the pattern was wonky.)

I'm still working the pattern.  Hopefully everything will turn out as pictured.

Thanks again to you both!

[DAISY808]

Something is still off.  This doesn't look right at all.  (Work 2nd side) says to join yarn in 1st stitch following 1st side and sc in remaining 7 stitches.  Then chain 1, turn and go down the next 30 rows.  This means I am making one long rectangle.

For my assembly this is just going to be a wrapped rectangle around itself.  This isn't right.  I could have just made a long rectangle there is not point to cut and then pick up the other side if it's just 1 long rectangle with a hanging piece in front.

[Granny Square]

This is reminding me of a 'turban' headband I made once, where you made a wide strip, then it divided into two narrow strips side by side (like what you have, but with another thin strip to the right of the first), then you put one skinny strip over the other (not really a twist, the end of the strip that started on the left side is now on the right, and vice versa), then you worked across, joining the 2 skinny strips back into a wide end like the beginning, then sew the wide ends together (back of the head seam).   Not sure if this is what is going on with your pattern?

Link to the pattern, it's knit but so you could see what I'm imagining.  I could see your piece starting like the headband, and working up from the edge of 1 side to form the top of the 'hat'. And that's not impossible from what I'm seeing in your pattern photo.

...And on the other hand I may be totally off base.  What is throwing me off is the bottom of your narrow strip appears to be curved, so that doesn't fit.   Also not sure about the (chain?) coming off the left side of the end of the wide part.

Edited July 2, 2019 by Granny Square

[DAISY808]

I'm just going to scrap this project.  The curve at the bottom is the Ch 17 that I was worried about.  The turban that you linked doesn't look like the one in the project photo at all.   I see the twisting part that you are talking about but this pattern makes absolutely no sense.  

I'm just scraping this and trying for another project.  It's marked as an "easy" skill level project but this really isn't as the directions just don't make a bit of sense.

Thanks anyway.

Novice Crocheter Project: Take 2

[bgs]

This is a really  abbreviated version of what I think it might be telling you to do.  

The white section on the left represent rows 1 thru 18 with row 18 being bottom in my picture.  I chained the 17 plus 1 then worked rows with 8 sc.  ( first side) which is white section to the right.  Then come back and joined to chain with pink.  That section is 2nd side.  

Edited July 2, 2019 by bgs

[Granny Square]

Bgs--ohhh, that's interesting. I couldn't make out the instructions in the post,  and I didn't blow it up. 

Daisy808-- the twist portion of this pattern is made exactly like the headband (the pattern photo is oddly done in profile, you would see it if she was facing the camera). I misjudged how the brim was done--I guessed the crown was picked up from the brim strips and worked like a brim-up hat, not a square all in a row with the crossed strips and sewn to the 'head band' part.  And the curved edge that I thought I saw (not the curly chain part), must have been just curled away from the camera, as all the edges are straight per the pattern. 

This pattern REALLY should have had a diagram or photo showing what the piece should look like before (with strips) and 'during assembly', since this is a bit of a pretzel and not easy to visualize.

[bgs]

I cant blow up the instructions well enough to read them so I worked off what Daisy808 posted.  My interpretation may not be right either.  This one definitely should have had photos and diagrams.

Edited July 2, 2019 by bgs

[Granny Square]

No, they are pretty fuzzy (which is why I didn't blow them up yesterday) but I think you are right from what I could see squinting at them today.  

I tried to find a free hat pattern that was similar, but couldn't; they were all gathered not overlapped to create the turban look.  I can't really think of a way to make them without a seam in the back of the crossed-over part as a variation of 'headband with lid'   A really wide cable maybe, in really tall stitches?  But the fabric wouldn't look the same in the crossover cable as the rest of the hat, maybe if you made the hat all BLO except for the cable.  Hmm.

Edited July 2, 2019 by Granny Square

[DAISY808]

@Villager -  I like the Turban Knit pattern you posted yesterday.  I'm actually trying to learn to Knit AND Crochet.  I just scrapped the other project.  It was too much of a pain.  I've moved on to a Beret.  (At least I hope.)

Wish me luck.

Thank you ladies!!!😁

[Granny Square]

For the adventurous, I found a KNIT pattern that is similar-ish, and free--but would be easy to convert to crochet IMO, as it's just a long narrow strip.  

https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-turban-twist-hat/BRK0116-006164V.html?

Since the pattern gives gauge, and measurements, you could work it out to your own stitch tension without too much math.  Length is given at 41", and it's knit in ribbing across the short end, which is 23 (knit) stitches.  Gauge=18 stitches across is 4", so 1 stitch is .222", times 23 is 5.1", and I doubt 1/10" will make a difference. 

If done lengthwise however in sc ribbing (SC BLO (back loop only), since crochet ribbing is worked sideways from knit ribbing), it would look pretty much exactly like the knit hat, but since ribbing draws in you might have to play with how many rows will work to get to 5".

Or, work in plain SC to look like Daisy808's original pattern.  And it just sunk in spite of all the bold print in her post that this was her FIRST project, oh my goodness this was a confusing one to start with!!  

[Granny Square]

Hi Daisy808, we posted at the same time just now.  Good luck!  And if you are just starting to knit too, the second pattern would be a tiny bit easier if it appeals to you.

 

Edited July 2, 2019 by Granny Square

[Granny Square]

More thoughts on winging a crochet version of the Bernat/Yarnspiration hat after reading the project notes on Ravelry--several found that the length of 41" was too long, and shortened it to about 36".  This would make crocheting it lengthwise in ribbing problematic, since you can't adjust it in the long direction, and you wouldn't know what length to make it beforehand (I suppose you could make a paper strip and tape it together for a test fit...).  The knit version is done across the short 5" span which would make the length easy to adjust, so it might make more sense to not work crochet ribbing longways but rather DC post stitch faux ribbing across 5" to get the 'look', or even just plain tall stitches (DC or TR). 

Edited July 3, 2019 by Granny Square

[DAISY808]

Thanks so much for your help Granny Square.  I moved on to my 2nd project.  An Extra Slouchy Beret and I was wondering if you could offer any feedback.  I can SEE where I messed up.  I skipped stitches.  I used an 8mm hook instead of the 5.5 mm recommended.  I also know that I messed up at the start when I was trying to create my loop or 1st round (17 stitches).  I'm going to redo it better but I wanted some feedback 1st. 

My other big issue seem to be when to slip stitch.  I either would slip stitch too early because the top seems to dip a bit and it kinda has a chipped cookie look.  Then of course there is my tail.  I found out about the "magic" loop AFTER I started the project.  I think overall I would give myself a C+ but I would like to get your thoughts or any tips.

[Granny Square]

Hey don't be so hard on yourself.  The join part is the trickiest, and my joining line doesn't look perfect, either.

First, the adjustable ring or magic ring (magic loop is a knitting term, just to avoid confusion if you go to google it).  It's just a slip knot, same as you use to get the yarn on the hook.  Make a loose slip knot (leave it open about an inch), with the tail trailing to the left.  Stick the hook in the middle, leave the loop open about 1", yarn over and pull thru to put a loop over the hook (it's still a little precarious at this point, hold on), then work your stitches over the loop and the tail.  Later pull the tail as tight or loose as you want it to be (sometimes keeping it open, or even widening it helps with doily ruffling for example; I don't weave the tail in right away in case I have to make adjustments).

Find a bobby pin, safety pin, something to use for a stitch marker to mark the top of the first actual stitch in each round (not the joining slip stitch).  I've been crocheting circles forever but zone out occasionally so I still mark the first stitch...

This may not apply but just in case - there is an 'optical illusion' I want to point out, see the pic below.  When you slip stitch into the (marked) first stitch of the round, the slip stitch (see red arrow in the pic), looks like a stitch but it isn't, and if you treat it like a stitch you will be adding an extra stitch by mistake every round.  OR, you could choose to use it on purpose because you have to make increases around the circle anyway and could just not make the last increase as 2 stitches into 1, but rather 1 stitch into the last real stitch and 1 stitch into the slst-fake-stitch.

As far as the dip, hmm.  I see the book shows that, too.  I notice it says to chain 2 at the beginning, when typically patterns will say chain 3 as a starting chain  for DC.  Everybody's stitch height 'tension' is different.  I make short stitches but loose-ish chains, so a chain 2 would probably work for me, but if your stitch height tension is loftier, you may need to chain 3 instead.

Or, there is a technique to start a DC row that doesn't call for chains that you might want to try, I've linked to one of many videos.  It takes a little practice, keep your finger on it to keep it from unraveling as you go!  In any event, it looks like your joining line is overly obvious in part because that first stitch (turning chain) is too tight/short, so 3 chains or the chainless technique, whatever brings you up to the level of your DC stitch, not shorter, should help.

On the whole wrong hook thing; getting gauge on a hat is pretty important when following a pattern, but on the other hand hats aren't that hard to 'wing' without a pattern if you have a recipe.  A beret is just a circle that is much bigger than your head and then turns around and gets smaller to a point to fit your head, plus maybe a few rounds of stitches worked even for a band that fits your head for the last rounds.  The recipe part - for a beret, knowing what point to stop increasing and start decreasing (not sure what that point should be, but your pattern should tell you the measurements, I'd think?), and where to stop decreasing and work the band to fit your head snugly-ish.  For any hat, you'd have to brush up your grade school geometry for a circle, and measure your head.  Example, my head is easy math, it's 22" (measure around from forehead to nape of neck, where the hat edge would be).  22" circumference, divided by pi, is 7" exactly, so if I were winging a beret I'd start working the band when the 'hole' after decreasing measured 7" across.  (On a top down fitted hat, I'd work a flat circle like you did with your beret, but STOP increasing at 7" diameter and start working without increasing until I hit the length I want).

So, if you didn't want to do your beret over for other reasons, and the widest part was OK, you could recover it at this point, by just measuring the hole at the center, add/subtract a round/rounds to get the diameter to fit your head and finish with the edge it calls for, if any. 

By the way, the only thing I really noticed was the joining line, skipped stitches (if they were in other areas than that line) didn't jump out at me.  As for the center,  that's what pom-poms are for!  

Edited July 5, 2019 by Granny Square
to add missing words

[bgs]

I actually think yours looks nicer than the one shown on the pattern.  Thats a big step when you can see and figure out where you can do better next time.

Granny Square I am so thankful you are here to help.  I learn a lot reading your responses.

[Granny Square]

Aw shucks thanks Bgs.  I'm just 'old' and made the same mistakes or tackled the same puzzles and figured out how to solve them a long time ago, is all!     I'm still learning, too.

[DAISY808]

Thank you very much Granny Square for the information!  I will attempt my Loose Beret once more and make the changes.  Thank you as well Bgs for your help and compliment on my work.  I like my Beret too!  It actually fits really well and it's the proper size per the pattern 12".  I just need to make some changes and Granny's advice was spot on.  I was adding stitches because I didn't really see where the 1st stitch was.  I'm still trying to figure it out with the circle design but I'm going to try again.  I'll also be trying the Knitted Turban that Granny referenced since I am learning Knitting as well.

Thanks so much ladies and happy Crocheting!