Pattern Line Help

[jessc]

Hi. I am new to crochet and need help reading a line on a blanket pattern.  "Working in back loops only, Skip stitch at base of turning ch-2, [work cross st=(skip 2sts, dc in next stitch, ch 1, dc in 1st skipped st - over next 3 stitches], repeat between [ ] across to last st, dc in last stitch.  Ch 1, Turn"

I know how to work in the back loops and that the stitches are chain and double crochet and I just cannot figure out what I am skipping and where I am placing the stitches.  

Here is a photo of what it is supposed to look like. 

Thank you in advance for you help!

Edited January 11, 2020 by jessc
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[Granny Square]

"Working in back loops only, Skip stitch at base of turning ch-2," = the turning ch2 'came out of' the last stitch of the prior row, which is the same as saying the 'base' of the turning chain 2.  So that "base stitch' is the one  to be skipped.

You are making an "X" or this pattern calls it a "cross" stitch.  The / side of the x is made first.  Look at that shape - the top is at the right side, where you are 'coming from', but the bottom sits 2 stitches to the right of the top - this is achieved by skipping 2 stitches "[work cross st=(skip 2sts, dc in next stitch,"

Now you have to make the \ side of the X, so you "ch 1, dc in 1st skipped st" -- the first skipped stitch is in order of skipping them, so it's the rightmost skipped stitch.  Since the top of this stitch is further to the left of the / side of the X, and the bottom is further to the right, it makes a stitch with this \ slant, and it is over the top of the / stitch.

over next 3 stitches], all of the above spans 3 stitches

repeat between [ ] across to last st, dc in last stitch.  Ch 1, Turn.  Hopefully this part makes sense.  Most of the time a repeat is denoted by asterisks in a pattern, but not always.  Crochet grammar can vary but often when something is in brackets it's a 'stitch assembly' sort of thing, example a shell, V stitch, or X stitch.

[Granny Square]

Here is a tutorial on the general mechanics of the X stitch.  There are others tutorials out there, but I thought this was clear and it made me laugh (gaze in wonderment at what you've done!)  The only difference is that this example skips 1, not 2 stitches, but is otherwise the same.

https://www.dummies.com/crafts/crocheting/stitches/how-to-make-a-crossed-double-crochet-stitch/

 

[jessc]

Thank you!  This is super helpful.  It made sense once I realized it was making  a crossstitch.