Starting Chromium Starghan - HELP!

[jwarner]

Whew - been a while since I broke out my hook and made this one (or anything) but I'm having issues.  I think I've made 3 of these beautiful blankets before so I know I can do it but boy do I hate starting them!  I am using the magic circle technique to start and I am under the assumption the ring is the 2nd sc from the hook, is that right?  I get the round started ok and connected then I have issues building it up from there.  I try just focusing and counting the repeat "4 more times" but I always seem to have too many at the end.  Would someone mind helping me out? Tips, tricks, pics, drawing, schematics, anything?

Jennifer

[Granny Square]

Hi, and welcome to the 'ville!  Link to pattern https://thekidneybean.wordpress.com/crochet-patterns/chromium-star-blanket/

I think I see the problem, it's confusingly written.  It makes sense if you completely ignore the sentence "To make hole-less starting rounds, use the 'magic loop' technique."  After that sentence, it tells you how to work it if you are NOT using the 'magic loop' technique!  (By the way, 'adjustable ring' is a more accurate term for the crochet meaning, because 'magic loop' has been around a long time and refers to a knitting technique)

If you AREN'T using the adjustable ring technique--you'd chain 2, and then make ALL the stitches after the * into the second chain from the hook.  

If you ARE using the adjustable ring technique, you've made a loop just like you would to make a slip knot to tighten on to your hook, but leave it 'big' and not on the hook (yet), with the tail on the left side.  Now stick the (naked) hook in the big (maybe 1 inch or a little less) ring and yarn over, pull thru the ring and chain 1 - at this point it's a little precarious, nothing's connected yet, hold on - then SC around the ring, which is the first stitch after the *, and continue with Ch1, SC working the SCs of first round  around the 2 threads of the ring (the ring itself, and the tail).  At the end of the first round you can pull the tail as tight as you want.