V stitch increase

[Natalie2]

Hi. I have been asked to crochet a you dog. While I am not a total beginner, the "nose" has me stumped. Any help will be appreciated 

We start with 18 stitches (at the point I lose the author) 

Then the pattern reads

1sc, 1inc,(3v), 3sc, 1sc,1inc,(3v), 3sc. (24)

2sc, 1inc, (3v), 3sc, 2sc, 1inc, (3v), 3sc (30)

No matter how I look, count and Google, it's simply not making sense to me

Anybody that can explain what and how I do this? 

 

 

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the 'ville!

Edited because I realized I skimmed the pattern too fast the first time.

Edited April 10, 2022 by Granny Square

[Natalie2]

Hi again- not sure what happened to your response (I see it on e-mail but not here)

just to answer the question - the original designed seems to have closed all comments.  The pattern seems quite old, but no dates available

there is no legend, or any guidance - just the actual pattern

comments on the pattern, such as they are, are not of any help (nobody seems to have experienced the same issues?)

So even what yarn to use is not provided, and parts of the pattern do not "acknowledge" colour changes, for example - but that I can figure out from pictures etc.  

There are just 2 parts of the pattern that contains the "3v" - the nose and the cap

Nose as per original question.

the cap states : (note I only quote the section where I find this particular issue)

Start with 60 stitches, 

32hdc, 7sc 1dec (3v), 1sc (57 sc) 

I haven't even started to try to figure out the cap with the decrease yet = any help on this will also be appreciated

[Granny Square]

Sorry, I realized my first guess didn't 'work' so I deleted it.  I'm still trying to figure out what it is trying to say.  It is not YOU, it's the pattern.  I'm wondering if "v" meant "times", so 3v = 'do the preceding instruction 3 times' but I don't think that is it; I was suspecting the pattern was not written by a native English speaker.

[Granny Square]

Reading the rest of what you wrote, V for 'times' might be right after all--start with 60, stitch across , then if  "1dec 3v" means "decrease 3 times", that decrease the stitch count by 3 so that corresponds taking 60 down to 57. 

And I should have taken my calculator out before, it does work for the other part if v means 'times'

Edited April 10, 2022 by Granny Square

[Granny Square]

The reason I thought v='times' was, the only other language I studied n school, plus had exposure to while living in California most of my life, was Spanish, and 'v' made me think of the Spanish word 'vuelta',  which means 'turn (as in rotate), but Google translate also gave 'reprise (which means repeat) and the Spanish word 'vez', which more or less means 'times'.

Edited April 10, 2022 by Granny Square

[Natalie2]

Hi Granny Square

thanks for your help and insight so far

here's my problem - we start with 18 stitches, even though we end with 24 if we regard the "3v" as repeat, we only use 16 stitches - what do we do with the remaining 2?

Here is the entire "muzzle" pattern - note that she does not state to start with a Magic Ring but based on the result required, as well as another dog pattern she has where the muzzle does indeed start with a MR, I assume that is what must be done (the other dog 'Muzzle" pattern is just as confusing as this one, so not helping me solve my puzzle:

 

Nose (nose).

Mustard wool.

1. 6 sc.

2. 6 inc (12 sc).

3. 3 inc, 3 sc, 3 inc, 3 sc (18 sc).

4. 1 sc, 1 inc (3 v), 3 sc, 1 sc, 1 inc (3 v) 3sc. (24 sc)

5. 2 sc, 1 inc (3 v), 3 sc, 2 sc 1 inc (3 v) 3 sc. (30 sc).

6-13. 11 sc (mustard), 6 sc (brown), 13 sc (mustard)

 

The "decrease" part is quite a long pattern preceding the "3v decrease part", so I will only post that if really necessary

I really appreciate your help

 

[bgs]

It might be helpful if you would give us the link if its on the internet.  It sometimes helps if we can see a good photo.  

It always bothers me when patterns say something like 

3 sc, 1 sc,  Why didnt they just write 4 sc?   Things like that tend to make me think it is translated as Granny Square suggested.  Honestly I would rather have the actual pattern in language it was written so I can run it thru a translator and also compare it with a chart of crochet terms for that language.

Edited April 10, 2022 by bgs

[Natalie2]

I found the link on a group on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/111648220529440/photos/gm.725028658366145/195791672115094/

I've tried asking on the FB group, but not getting a response

 

My problem is that I actually have completed quite a lot of the dog already, so changing to a new pattern now will mean I throw away a lot of work, effort (and wool)

I actually purchased a "legal" pattern from Etsy in desperation, but the muzzle part of that pattern does not fit in with the parts of the original pattern I have completed

Edited April 10, 2022 by Natalie2

[Granny Square]

Excluding the spacing of the increases, and just looking at the end stitch counts of the rounds - starting with 6, and adding 6 each round, is how you make a flat circle (so, I concur working center out in a circle makes the most sense); but after that the similarity ends because a flat circle's increases are evenly spaced .  However, for a nose, I can see a possibility for not evenly space them for 'nose shaping reasons'.  

A lot of shaped toy's 'anatomy parts' start with a flat circle, and either the increase scheme changes to turn the circle into a ball for the head, or stop altogether to make tube for a leg with the circle being the under-foot for example.

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by Granny Square

[Granny Square]

The above was typed before seeing your link.  I still think v = "times".  It makes sense, thru row 5 it's all mustard, then after that it changes to 2 colors and is worked without increasing around 30 sts, mustard for the under-muzzle and brown for the top.

[bgs]

4. 1 sc, 1 inc (3 v), 3 sc, 1 sc, 1 inc (3 v) 3sc. (24 sc)

5. 2 sc, 1 inc (3 v), 3 sc, 2 sc 1 inc (3 v) 3 sc. (30 sc).

Should be

4. (1sc, 1 inc) 3 times, 3 sc, (1sc, 1 inc) 3 times, 3 sc

5. (2sc, 1 inc) 3 times, 3 sc, (2 sc, 1 inc) 3 times, 3 sc 

Edited April 10, 2022 by bgs

[Granny Square]

That makes it much clearer with the punctuation in the right place (for a pattern written in English, or at least conforming to US standards at CGOA.)

[Natalie2]

Row 5 is even worse - we start with 24 stitches (ignoring the 2 left over from the previous row)

But the pattern only uses 18 of the 24 stitches that leaves us with 6 extra stitches

I tried turning on row 4 and crocheting back for row 5 , but then I have another batch of even more stiches left besides the original 2 left over and cannot close my loop to make the "round, oval, whatever shape" of the muzzle

There is such a thing as a "v stitch" - which is a SC or DC, chain 1 and another SC or DC in the same stitch - That works for the 18 stiches (you're supposed to skip 2 stiches after the V stitch, so I  just skipped on after the 3rd V.  The, you don't count the middle chain and end up with 24 stitches.

but then, following the above "pattern" does not work for row 5 = sigh

 

 

 

[Natalie2]

Oh BGS - thank you so very much!!!  It works 100% - how did I not see this in the 3 DAYS I have been battling with these 2 rows??

I cannot than you enough - I promise you, I actually have tears in my eyes now - I am under such a time pressure to get this special toy done for a special child, and now I will make my deadline

 

this site is the absolute best - Gosh - thank you again!!!!!

[bgs]

You're welcome.  We would love to see a picture when you finish.

 

[Natalie2]

I promise I will post a picture 🥰😍

[Granny Square]

Re: V stitch--I discounted that possibility out of hand because for a toy, you need a more solid stitch, plus V stitches are typically in DC and wouldn't 'sit up straight' surrounded by SC.  Aside from being inappropriate for a toy (you want tight stitches, not gappy ones to hold the suffing in), there are dozens of V stitch variations (my crochet stitch reference book has a whole chapter devoted to them), so if that was what the pattern wanted, it would have had to define 'which V stitch'.

Glad you are off and running with Bgs' properly worded and punctuated rewrite, V='times' was the only way I could get the pattern's row count to work.

[Natalie2]

Hi all! Thanks again for helping me. You're solutions were spot on! 

Here are photos of the completed project as promised 

[bgs]

Wow!  Great job.  Looks fantastic.  Glad we could help.

[Granny Square]

He is wonderfull!  🐶