Square Elegance Afghan Pattern Help, Please

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

Hi, I fell in love with the Square Elegance Afghan by Mary McKnight--I found it on CPC. I started it last night, and I have had to rip it out last night three times because it wasn't working out right. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

 

Here is the link to the pattern if anyone is interested: http://www.therockingchair.us/squareeleganceafghan.html

 

These are the directions:

 

Chain for any multiple of 5 PLUS 3 (remember this is the LENGTH)

Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 2--turn.

Row 2: Skipping turning ch, fpdc around next 4 dc posts of row 1, (dc in top of next stitch, fpdc in next 4 stitches) across to beginning turn chain**dc in space of turn chain, ch 2 (short turn chain keeps your finishing fringe tight and close to the afghan, but do them loosely) turn.

Row 3: dc in next 4 stitches, (fpdc in next stitch, dc in next 4 stitches) across, dc in loop of turning ch 2, ch 2, turn.

 

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until your afghan is the WIDTH you want. You do not have to do a finishing row.

This is what I did--I chained 178 (175 + 3) and dc into the 3rd ch from hook and into each ch across. No problem.

Then, I fpdc into the first dc after the turning ch and followed the 4 fpdc and 1 dc to the last dc then dc into the turning space. No problem.

THEN, it says to turn and dc in next four stitches and fpdc in next stitch, My problem is that when I do this, the fpdc doesn't line up with the ridge formed from the 1 dc from the previous row. The fpdc ends up in the stitch before the ridge, so it doesn't form a rectangle.

In order to make the rectangle, I have to fpdc into the first dc after the turn, then 4 dc, then 1 fpdc.

So, what am I doing wrong?

Also, is it right that the rectangle pattern is on one side and the other side is more or less plain? I just love this pattern--it is so elegant and simple, but I want it to work out okay.

Thank you!

Nicole

[mercy7]

:ok i have been doing this recently and the fpdc is always in line with the previous row. the 4 dc on top of sts. i actually managed to do it with fpdc and bpdc. i i did not go in the top of stitches and only recently realised i had been doing it different but it does look good anyway. you will see the fpdc will be in line with each row and that makes it easier to see if you go wrong with it. when you do the single fpdc it should line up ok. also remember the turning chain 2 counts as stitch hope this helps

[Chrome Kitty]

In row 2, instead of saying "skipping turning chain", it should say "skip first dc". The ch 2 you make after each row counts as the first dc of the new row.

 

 

So you'll do row 1 all dcs, then ch2 and turn.

 

For row 2, you skip the first dc and do fpdcs in the next 4dcs, then a dc, then 4 fpdcs, etc. Row 2 ends with a dc in the turning chain, then ch2 and turn.

 

In row 3, skip the first dc and dc in the next 4 stitches, then one fpdc, 4 dcs, etc., ending with a dc in the turning ch, then ch 2 and turn.

 

All you were doing wrong was not skipping the first dc of the row.

 

Yes, the back is basically plain. There's a slight dent from where the short sides of the rectangle are made on the front.

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

:ok i have been doing this recently and the fpdc is always in line with the previous row. the 4 dc on top of sts. i actually managed to do it with fpdc and bpdc. i i did not go in the top of stitches and only recently realised i had been doing it different but it does look good anyway. you will see the fpdc will be in line with each row and that makes it easier to see if you go wrong with it. when you do the single fpdc it should line up ok. also remember the turning chain 2 counts as stitch hope this helps

 

Thanks, I figured they should line up, so I fudged it because I couldn't figure out what was going wrong. I too thought maybe I could alter it to include bpdc. I'll try that next time, thanks!

 

Nicole

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

In row 2, instead of saying "skipping turning chain", it should say "skip first dc". The ch 2 you make after each row counts as the first dc of the new row.

 

 

So you'll do row 1 all dcs, then ch2 and turn.

 

For row 2, you skip the first dc and do fpdcs in the next 4dcs, then a dc, then 4 fpdcs, etc. Row 2 ends with a dc in the turning chain, then ch2 and turn.

 

In row 3, skip the first dc and dc in the next 4 stitches, then one fpdc, 4 dcs, etc., ending with a dc in the turning ch, then ch 2 and turn.

 

All you were doing wrong was not skipping the first dc of the row.

 

Yes, the back is basically plain. There's a slight dent from where the short sides of the rectangle are made on the front.

 

I can't thank you enough! It was driving me crazy trying to figure out what I did wrong. I understand what you are saying. Thank you so much for explaining it to me. I am going to rip it again and get it right this time.

 

Thanks so much!!

Nicole