Beginner reading pattern

[Rebeccamckernan]

Hi , I have just started crocheting and I’m confused by the instructions. 
it says INC, Dc into the next 3 stitches * repeat from *to* the last 2 stitches , dc into the last 2 stitches (22 stitches)

[bgs]

First of all reading these will help in reading patterns.

https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/crochet-abbreviations

https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/how-to-read-crochet-pattern

Just copying so dont have to scroll back and forth

 INC, Dc into the next 3 stitches * repeat from *to* the last 2 stitches , dc into the last 2 stitches (22 stitches)

Did you give us the complete instructions for this row?  

INC means make 2 stitches into one stitch

Also was there should be another * somewhere because you go back to the first one and work everything between them.  In this case you might be repeating this sequence until your final 2 stitches of row and then you dc in them

(22 stitches) is your stitch count for this row meaning at end of row you should count and have 22 stitches.

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by bgs

[Rebeccamckernan]

5 hours ago, bgs said:

First of all reading these will help in reading patterns.

https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/crochet-abbreviations

https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/how-to-read-crochet-pattern

Just copying so dont have to scroll back and forth

 INC, Dc into the next 3 stitches * repeat from *to* the last 2 stitches , dc into the last 2 stitches (22 stitches)

Did you give us the complete instructions for this row?  

INC means make 2 stitches into one stitch

Also was there should be another * somewhere because you go back to the first one and work everything between them.  In this case you might be repeating this sequence until your final 2 stitches of row and then you dc in them

(22 stitches) is your stitch count for this row meaning at end of row you should count and have 22 stitches.

 

Hi so it starts with 18 stitches so do I inc into the first 3 and then do what? The initial star is before the inc sorry. 

[bgs]

Stitch count on previous row is 18

* INC, Dc into the next 3 stitches * repeat from *to* the last 2 stitches , dc into the last 2 stitches (22 stitches)

This is what it would look like writing out each step

make 2 dc in first stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, 

make 2 dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, 

make 2 dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, 

make 2 dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, 

dc in next stitch, dc in next stitch

[Granny Square]

You misread the pattern--you asked "Hi so it starts with 18 stitches so do I inc into the first 3 and then do what? 

The pattern did not say to increase in the first 3.  It said "INC, Dc into the next 3 stitches".  This means you increase in the first stitch of the row (inc=put 2 stitches into 1), then 1 DC into each of the next 3 stitches.

The original wording is not unusual wording or punctuation for a pattern.  

Another way to figure this out involves some simple math.  Your last row ended with 18, and this row ends with 22, so you know you are adding 4 stitches.  You also know there are no increases in the last 2 stitches, so you know you have to add those 4 somewhere in the first 16 - if evenly spaced, (which they are) that means you add 1 stitch to every 4 stitches of the prior row. The pattern is telling you increase 1 in the first of 4 stitches, and then put 1 stitch into each of the remaining 3 stitches of a 4 stitch group, until there are only 2 stitches remaining and you put 1 Dc into each of those 2 stitches..

[Rebeccamckernan]

12 hours ago, bgs said:

Stitch count on previous row is 18

* INC, Dc into the next 3 stitches * repeat from *to* the last 2 stitches , dc into the last 2 stitches (22 stitches)

This is what it would look like writing out each step

make 2 dc in first stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, 

make 2 dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, 

make 2 dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, 

make 2 dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, dc in next stitch of previous row, 

dc in next stitch, dc in next stitch

Brilliant thanks so much for the help !!