I'm lost 🤔 but hopefully can be found easily!

[sarahgirl!]

I am a seasoned knitter, but not such a good crocheter. But I found this pattern that I REALLY want to make, so I'm trying to get better! But I'm already totally lost and I'm only on row 3 of the pattern! 🙄🤦‍♀️

I must not be understanding something here! Can someone help me see my blind spots?

So, by the end of row 2, you have 63 stitches for my size (small). Row 3 says:

Row 3: ch 1, turn; hdc in next 15-19-23 sts, {hdc 2) in next st, (hdc in next 9 sts, {hdc 2} in next st) 3 times, hdc in next 14-18-22 sts, hdc next 2 sts together (65-73-81)

When I look at these instructions, I only see 43 stitches of my 63 stitches used up and I'm left with 20 stitches at the end of my row that I don't know what to do with! What is going on here??

Pattern screenshot here

Thank you for your help! <3
- Sarah

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the 'ville!  I'm a seasoned crocheter, but a so-so knitter   Let's break it down & count stitches:  

The instructions say "Row 3: ch 1, turn; hdc in next 15-19-23 sts, {hdc 2) in next st, (hdc in next 9 sts, {hdc 2} in next st) 3 times, hdc in next 14-18-22 sts, hdc next 2 sts together (65-73-81)"

ch 1, turn;   0

hdc in next 15-19-23 sts, 15 sts made and used

(hdc 2) in next st, 2 made, 1 used--I think the bracket was meant to be a left parenthesis, since there's no end bracket

(hdc in next 9 sts, {hdc 2} in next st) 3 times, 1 repeat is 11 sts and uses 10, times 3 repeats is 33 stitches made and 30 used

hdc in next 14-18-22 sts, 14 sts made and used

hdc next 2 sts together (65-73-81) 1 stitch made, 2 used

So...15 + 2 + 33 + 14 +1 = 65 stitches made.  15 + 1 +30 +14 +2 = 62 stitches used.  Well darn, so close- I have the right # made but I have (edit - 3 ) stitches from the prior row left over (please check my math, I did a couple of times but sometimes it takes another set of eyeballs.)  Worst case, just don't make that last decrease and your stitch count will work out...crochet is more forgiving fudge-wise than knit.  

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Granny Square

[sarahgirl!]

Thank you for laying this out for me!! It really helps. I think I didn't realize that the (hdc in next 9 sts, {hdc 2} in next st) needed to be repeated 3 times.

Also, I think I didn't realize that you're supposed to start your first hdc of the row in the 3rd st from the chain. I saw on a youtube video that this is something you do with hdc sts?? I didn't know.

You're so helpful, thanks! I think I was able to get the right amount of sts on this row now!

 

[Granny Square]

Yay, glad it worked out!  HDC is a weird stitch, all the other common plain stitches have a pretty hard and fast rule about turning stitches except this one.

SC - turning chain is 1, does not count as a stitch (from the foundation chain, SC into the second chain from the hook, leaving 1 chain unused for turning)

DC - turning chain is 3, DOES count as a stitch--so after a row you chain 3, skip the first stitch (otherwise you will create an increase, the ch-3 sits outside the first stitch but counts like it is "in" it, for stitch counting purposes), and then at the end of the following row you stitch into the topmost chain of the turning chain. (from the foundation chain, DC into the 4th chain from the hook, leaving 3 chains unused for turning)

HDC - chain 1, or 2, the pattern SHOULD tell you if it counts as a stitch.  Usually if it's chain 1, it's treated like SC, sometimes ch2 counts as a stitch the same way as the DC turning chain but not always.  Your pattern starts in the 3rd stitch from the chain, which leaves 2 for turning.

[sarahgirl!]

What if it doesn't tell me if the chain counts as a stitch?

[Granny Square]

Hmmm, ah, OK, at the end of row 2, your pattern said you should have 63 stitches, and you said you did have that many (right?).  So (presumably), however you treated the turning chain agreed with how the designer meant it to be treated.

If you treated the turning chain the 'other way', you'd be off 1 stitch after row 2, and off 1 more each row as you progressed.  Luckily the pattern gave you row by row stitch counts, not all patterns do.