Storytime -Terry Kimbrough Baby Afghans HELP

[jennnat]

Hello All, 

I am new here and could desperately use you help. I am a beginner and decided i want to make the Storytime blanket from the best of Terry Kimbrough.

I am expecting my first baby and wanted to make something special. I am not exactly sure where to start. If someone could please help me decode the first row which is where i believe i start it would be much appreciated. I have tried to do my research but decided i might do better with asking the question.  How many chains should i end up with? I know this alot to ask possibly or a hard undertaking but i am hoping to have it done by Dec. Any help or advice would be much appreciated😀

 

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, ch 3, skip next 3 chs, (sc in next ch, ch3) twice * (skip next 3 chs,sc i next ch, ch3) twice, sc in next ch, ch 3; repeart from * across to last 4 chs, skip next 3

 chs, sc in last ch:43 sc and 42 chs-3

[Granny Square]

Is this it?  Pretty!  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/storytime

Copying the pattern line so I can see it as I reply: 

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, ch 3, skip next 3 chs, (sc in next ch, ch3) twice * (skip next 3 chs,sc 1 next ch, ch3) twice, sc in next ch, ch 3; repeart from * across to last 4 chs, skip next 3 chs, sc in last ch: 43 sc and 42 chs-3

The part I bolded is a 'sanity check' number, not an instruction--not all patterns have this, but it's a handy thing to make sure you are on track.  So this answers 'how many chains should I end up with' in the first row, is that your question?

The pattern should have started, before row 1, with "chain x number".  This is for your foundation row.  What I like to do for something over 100 stitches across, which I'm guessing this blanket might be, is to count carefully, put a stitch marker every 50 (or whatever makes sense) stitches (I like to use bobby pins, some people use a short piece of 'waste' yarn pulled thru a stitch), and make the number it says and add a handful more just in case.  The stitch markers are for when/ifyou get distracted, you only have to start recounting from the last marker.  When you work the first row and hopefully have extra chains hanging off, you can leave them hanging and later pick them out one by one - the piece won't unravel from that end.  Be sure, with this and all yarn tails, to leave at least 6" to weave in carefully later (google weaving in ends, there are lots of tricks to do this.  Never just crochet over a yarn end, this is not secure.

Since you are ending up with 43 sc and 42 chs-3, I think the pattern should have told you to make the foundation equal to 1+43+126=170, where 1 is the turning chain, 43 is the # of SC according to the summary stitch count on row 1, and 126=42x3 for the chain spaces.

This site is a really handy reference, look at the table of contents on the right side; 'how to read a crochet pattern' in particular, especially the part about understanding how turning chains work in different ways for SC and DC, whether a turning chain counts a stitch, whether you have to skip the first stitch after the turning chain, and so on.  (SC doesn't count, don't skip the first stitch of a row;  DC does count, do skip the first stitch of a row and use the topmost chain of the turning chain in row 2 and beyond).

 

[jennnat]

Yes, it is that one.

 

Thank you for the help! I will look at the pattern to see the starting point. 

[klace]

Jennat, did you ever get this figured out? I started this afghan yesterday. I'm fairly experienced at crocheting but haven't been able to work this one out. The pattern says to chain 128, which doesn't match what Granny Square's math works out to (very helpful, thanks Granny Square!). I was very careful in my counting, used stitch markers, and it didn't work out to the 43 sc and 42 chs-3 at all! So now I either have to rewrite the pattern to make it work, or abandon and find another pattern! Any help would be appreciated!