Help with an old Pingouin pattern for a newbie

[CatherineW]

Hi. I am making a cardigan for my granddaughter and using an old pattern from a Pingouin book. The body and sleeves are knit but there is a beautiful crochet trim along the bottom of both. As a newbie to crochet I’m having such a difficult time reading the instructions which are in chart form. With the help of YouTube videos I’ve been able to figure out how to generally read a pattern and what all of the stitches mean. My problem is in the number of stitches I’m told to chain (eg: 61 plus one chain to turn for a sleeve as I am making the 1st size). I don’t understand how that lines up with the chart.  After I chain the 61 plus one, and then start my pattern where the chart indicates for the 1st size, there are less than 61 stitches going across on the picture. In fact I count only 55 stitches in row one from the place where it tells me to start for the 1st size. If someone could explain to me what it is I’m not understanding I would really appreciate it, as I’m sure it’s me and not that the pattern is wrong. Thanks!

[bgs]

I am not understanding it either.  It could be an error.  Seems like the chart would be more accurate.  I have little experience with garments.  

[NCcountrygal]

I’m on a mobile phone so image isn’t a great size.  I would work a practice row or two and see what the chain really is to make it work with the graph

eta. The graph isn’t meant to show all. That’s why the repeat section is highlighted. 

Edited February 7, 2021 by NCcountrygal
Noticed the question was about graph and total chains

[bgs]

I think you add the sleeve stitches shown on one side to both sides of the main.  Then I wonder if they accidentally counted the stitches over to first sleeve as main part.  I think you look at main part of diagram and add the number for the sleeve stitches to both sides of the main diagram because If main diagram was 55 stitches add 6 for sleeve it would be 61 chains plus the one turning chain.  It shows adding 6 stitches to 61 for next size and then 6 more for next size.  My count on main diagram is 52 (might be off as I am on a phone).  

[CatherineW]

Thanks bgs! Yes, main part is 52 stitches. It’s 55 when counted from the 1st size arrow. But I think you’re on to something when you noticed that each size goes up by 6 stitches. I’ll have to give that some thought to see if I can figure something out. 
If anyone else has any thoughts on this I’d really appreciate it. Many thanks!

[CatherineW]

Sorry, just saw your signature now. Thanks Brenda 🙂

[bgs]

Either bgs or Brenda is fine.  Hoping Granny Square checks in here as she is very knowledgeable in knitting, crocheting, making garments and math that goes along with it.  I am not experienced in garments or knitting.  I just cringed when I saw the border is worked separate and then sewn on rather than worked by directly attaching to the sleeve.  I dont like dealing with attaching pieces and mine would probably not match in length.  I can see me having to pull it out and redoing it a time or two.    Thats going to be the really important thing here--- having the lengths of the border pieces match up to the cardigan. 

Would really love to this when you get it completed.  Looks like it will be beautiful.

Edited February 7, 2021 by bgs

[Granny Square]

Oh dear, I looked at this yesterday and 'thought I had it' math-wise and then 'thought I didn't', so I didn't reply.  

I do agree with Brenda about turning my nose up at sewing it on - not sewing in general, but I would really prefer to crochet something like this on if possible, especially on a hem so it's more flexible (sewing side seams is one thing, but a horizontal seam sounds tricky to keep it from binding in some way; except for shoulders, I can't recall doing it).  If you crocheted it on, it's a continuation of the fabric--like, 'pick up and knit' would be. 

Meanwhile... a bound off (or cast on) edge of knitting looks like a crochet chain*--and you can crochet into it just like a crochet chain.  I'm going to throw a complication at you - how many bound-off stitches do you (or will you) have ALL around the hem of the cardigan? A pattern repeat is 19 stitches, plus 1 to 'bookend' the beginning stitch of the pattern--I would bet you could 'fudge' at least a third, maybe even half, of 1 repeat easily. 

If your total hem stitch count is not a multiple of 19 plus 1, let us know what it is (with and without front edge treatment (button band, or seed stitch/garter/whatever to keep the front edge from rolling), we can try to come up with the best ways to fit the pattern in without being obvious.  

*it just occurred to me, not ALL knit edges look like chains; if not it might be tricky, you'd have to be careful to determine what the underside or top of one your knit stitches looked like depending on which way it was knitted, to recognize where to put your hook...

 

[CatherineW]

Thanks for everyone’s help. I think I’ve figured out something that works with the sleeves, and hopefully it will also work for the main part too. I do like the idea of being able to start the crochet edge directly into the knit edge but unfortunately I don’t think that would work. Row 1 of the crochet pattern is the bottom and it’s row 9 that is attached to the knit edge. I don’t think I could ever figure out how to crochet the pattern from row 9 down to row 1. Thank you. I’ll keep my fingers crossed and will post a picture once the cardigan is completed. 

[Granny Square]

Ahhhh, it never occurred to me that the edging was oriented that way, since crochet edging is rarely sewn on (so a crocheted edging diagram would be oriented with row 1 attached to the garment fabric).  I was imagining the scallops facing the floor, not the ceiling.  (No reason you couldn't sew it on that way if you wanted) You could even stop at the scallops if you wanted, for a scalloped edge, maybe add a row of UK DC for sturdiness. 

Good luck with your project!