1 dc in each of the next 3-3-5-5-5-5 ch

[Janemd]

Hi all.... I'm teaching myself to read patterns.  the top i'm wanting to make starts out with chains and then says this  1 dc in each of the next 3-3-5-5-5-5 ch    any suggestions here?  thanks for your time!!

[bgs]

Since you said you were making a top I am guessing that the pattern is written for multiple sizes, in this case 6 sizes.  This is telling you for the first two sizes dc in next 3 ch and for the other 4 sizes dc in next 5 ch.  Most likely this will not be the only place in the pattern that you find instructions like this so to make it easier on yourself go thru and highlight the numbers that are relevant to the size you are making.

Since this is a garment it probably gave you gauge information and its very important to check yours and compare.  If yours does not match rhe designer's the garment will not fit if you follow it as written.  

Edited December 4, 2020 by bgs

[Granny Square]

^ What she said.  Usually multisized patterns would list numbers like 3(3-5-5-5-5), and say at the beginning of your pattern somewhere something like "instructions are given for size 32, instructions for size 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 given in parentheses"  (for example).  I've never seen a pattern that didn't use parentheses for this, I guess it's not necessary just conventional.

What I do when working with a printout of a pattern--if my size is in the middle of a long string like that I find it handy to go thru the entire pattern before starting it and circle the # that corresponds to my size.  Since you are new to reading patterns, a good idea would be to read through your pattern first and see if it makes sense to you. 

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Granny Square