Charizard pattern

[Nicole Masters]

Good morning,

Happy New Year!

I am back again with another crochet question.

I am making Charizard.

The pattern calls for me to crochet 39 rows the on the 40 row crochet 16 sc then turn.

My question is am I now longer crocheting in the round at this point?

I did look at the picture but I can't make sense of this.

https://www.miahandcrafter.com/atelier/charizard-pattern/#google_vignette

Thank you. 

Nicole

[Tampa Doll]

Way cool.  Wish I had boys to make this for.  Sadly, all grown up and only 1 small girl.

[Granny Square]

Often in the help section I tell people to read the whole pattern before you pick up your hook.  The pattern gave that same advice is in the second line of the notes of the pattern.  This pattern doesn't explain how the body goes together until the very end of the pattern, which is ONE reason to read ahead, because instructions things like toys and garments will make more sense when you understand what piece you are working on, and why it's telling you to do some thing that sounds weird to you.  

Things like toys, and some clothing items, can be really tough to 'orient yourself' to what piece you are  working on (is this an armpit? or an ear?). That applies to beginners as well as experienced crafters.  Knowing where you are in a pattern really helps for the directions to make sense.

The pattern starts out with the body, not the head, just to orient you, which is sort of unusual.  And to keep our terms precise (not giving you a hard time, this is not a simple pattern and I want to be clear), each line of the pattern specifically says rounds (not rows) thru round 39, and then after that specifically says 'now we are going to work in rows'.  The pattern is also very clear on what part of the body you are working on.

Look at the photo.  The Charizard is mostly a dark color except the belly.  The first line of the pattern says to work in lead or orange yarn (I assume lead means dark grey), and that you are working neck down.  The white belly part is made separately and sewn on later.  Edited to add - this is why you stop working in the round, you are going to sew the white belly in the hole created by the partial rounds in that area.  It was hard to tell by the photo whether the belly was sewn on top of a completed body (which would end up sticking out at a higher level than the back) or sewn in with a mattress stitch so the belly was at the same level as the back, which is more anatomically correct.

There is also a row 40 on the white belly area, but that is all done in rows and added later, so I assume that was not what you were questioning.  The pattern specifically says 'row x' or 'round x' on every line.

I looked at project notes on Ravelry, no one reported errors although a few said it was challenging, and I agree; this is not a pattern for a beginner.  But because no one reported errors, I'd trust the pattern and not assume if it says x, and you don't understand why, that it must be wrong - trust me, do x.  I learned as a new crocheter decades ago, to always follow the pattern even if it looked questionable, and most of the time it taught me a new technique that I hadn't imagined; but once in a great while it really was an error, but by looking at the pattern photo I could figure out what it meant. to say.

Edited December 30, 2023 by Granny Square

[Horsy]

@Nicole.   Good luck with Charizard.  I keep searching for an easy Pokemon creature to crochet, but not sure if even the simplest-looking ones would be "easy".   Maybe Oddish, Snorlax or Eeevee.  Those are from the original bunch.   I don't want to do amigurumi, but something larger.  It should be fun trying to hunt down a good pattern. 

[Nicole Masters]

I'm back again with trying to crochet Charizard.

Thank you Granny Square. I appreciate your advice.

I am working on the underbelly and am confused. I've crotched the first 8 rows and it appears that I am making an oval shape which I believe is not correct. Row 1: I crotched 9 chain and then sc back into the 9 stitches even thought the pattern did not say to turn. I didn't know where to do the eight sc into.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Nicole

https://www.miahandcrafter.com/atelier/charizard-pattern/

Below is the pattern:

– Underbelly (cream yarn):

Row 1: ch 9, sc 8 (8)
Row 2: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first sc, sc 6, 2 sc in last sc (10)
Row 3: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first sc, sc 8, 2 sc in last sc (12)
Row 4: ch1, turn, Sc in each Sc (12)
Row 5: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first sc, sc 10, 2 sc in last sc (14)
Row 6: ch1, turn, Sc in each Sc (14)
Row 7: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first sc, sc 12, 2 sc in last sc (16)
Row 8: ch1, turn, sc in each sc (16)
Row 9: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first sc, sc 14, 2 sc in last sc (18)
Row 10: ch 1, turn, sc in each sc (18)
Row 11: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first sc, sc 16, 2 sc in last sc (20)
Row 12-18: ch 1, turn, sc in each sc (20)
Row 19: ch 1, turn, dec, sc 16, dec (18)
Row 20: ch 1, turn, dec, sc 14, dec (16)
Row 21: ch 1, turn, dec, sc 12, dec (14)
Row 22-30: ch 1, turn, sc in each sc (14)
Row 31: ch 1, turn, dec, sc 10, dec (12)
Row 32-34: ch1, turn, sc in each sc (12)
Row 35: ch 1, turn, dec, sc 8, dec (10)
Row 36: sc 4, dec next 2 sc, sc 4 (9)
Row 37: sc in each sc (9)
Row 38: sc 4, dec next 2 sc, sc 3 (8)
Row 39: sc in each sc (8)
Row 40: sc 3, dec next 2 sc, sc 3 (7)
Row 41-43: sc in each sc (7)
Row 44: sc 3, dec in next 2 sc, sc 2 (6)
Row 45-47: sc in each sc (6)
Row 48: sc 2, dec in next 2 sc, sc 2 (5)
Row 49-52: sc in each sc (5)
Row 53: sc 2, dec in next 2 sc, sc (4)
Row 54-58: sc in each sc (4)
Row 59: sc, dec over 2 sc, sc (3)
Row 60-62: sc in each sc (3)
Row 63: sc, dec next 2 sc (2)
Row 64: sc in each sc (2)
Row 65: dec (1)
Border: ch 1, sc around the edge to make the border. Finish off.

 

[bgs]

 

Row 1 you would make the 9 chains.  You would sc into second  ch  from your hook and in each of the 7 remaining chains for a total of 8 sc.  Numbers within ( ) are the stitch counts for your rows and NOT instructions to make more stitches. (8) means you should have 8 stitches in that row

Row 2 tells you to chain 1 and turn, make 2 sc into the first sc, make 1 sc into each of the next 6 sc, make 2 sc in last sc for a total of 10 stitches in that row.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17 by bgs

[Granny Square]

Sorry I was late to seeing this, but what Bgs said ^ . 

Remember what I said above on your first question, about looking a all the pattern photos, and reading the pattern to the end?   It would have answered your question. Yes, you are making an oval-ish shape for a while until it becomes the pointy under-tail if you read thru the instructions and look at the pattern photo, and look at the row-end stitch counts. The belly starts with 8 stitches at the topmost row, the rows get gradually longer to 20 stitches from rows 11-18, then eventually gradually shorter to 1 stitch by row 65 is going to make that shape, right?

I'm not criticizing,  just telling you how I confirmed this at a glance, really, to give you tools to solve issues on your own, and recognize what might be a pattern error or not. 

edited for clarity

 

 

 

Edited January 17 by Granny Square

[Granny Square]

I totally missed that you said 'the pattern didn't say turn'.  Yes, it did, sort of--Notice rows 1 thru 35 start with "chain 1, turn".  I'm not sure why rows 35 and beyond of the belly didn't say to chain 1 as well, I think it should have--it would be easier to work into the first stitch (that is part of the purpose of the turning chain, it brings the yarn up to the level of the next row, otherwise it would be a tight spot there).

Edited January 17 by Granny Square

[Nicole Masters]

I appreciate all the help and comments. Thank you.

Nicole

[Amiguru44]

Hi Nicole,

From the pattern description in your first question I could already tell which model you are working on since a long time ago I also made this one. You probably already figured it out but you start at the bottom of the body and you end up at the neck. This last part where you change to rows creates a nice angled gap that allows you to sew in the head seamlessly. As Granny Square already suggested, the belly is sewn on to the full body once you have attached the tail. Good luck, and share some pictures!

Edited January 24 by Amiguru44