Understanding patterns...

[Ga_Rebel]

Is there a site or article out there that teaches you how to understand patterns. Everytime I look at one they look so intermidating. I was thinking of ,at some point, doing a granny square type afghan but the patterns looking intimadating. Is this just because I am so new to all this. Or does it always stay confusing?

[christinascrochethaven]

Crochet Cabana is an excellent web site for info about many crochet things.

This link will give you hints about reading patterns.

http://www.crochetcabana.com/reading-patterns.htm

 

As time goes by, you will get better at reading patterns. Just take a deep breath, pick one pattern and work on it until you can figure it out. Just one pattern at a time....

[Lady_of_Roses]

Patterns get easier to read with practice for the most part. It's a good idea to start with patterns rated beginner, then intermediate, than advanced. I only say that because if a pattern is too complicated, you'll give it up and chuck your project and who knows when you'll pick your hook back up.

 

Sometimes patterns are written badly in spots and it's a struggle for even advanced crocheters.

 

I can usually do ok myself unless there's something like this:

 

blah blah * blah blah blah blah blah, (bla bla bla) twice, $yadda yadda yadda$ three times, blah blah* repeat from * to * X number of times.

 

Just too many of those bracket type things get me all confuzzled!!

[christinascrochethaven]

Here's a large granny square afghan. There are no squares to sew and it's very simple to do. You can use different hooks and different yarn.

 

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/granny-lg.html

[badrhinogillett]

Patterns look overwhelming when you take the whole page in at once. Don't even read the directions for a whole row at once (at first), just start with the beginning instruction. Once you've done that, move onto the next thing to do in that row. One instruction at a time, and it's far less intimidating. You don't need to understand all of it at once, just the part that you are doing.

[Ga_Rebel]

With so many experienced and knowledgable people here...What would be a good block for a beginner. Does anyone have a link to one that would be semi easy. The two main stitches I know how to is the Single and Double but the half Double doesn't look to hard.

[eyenowhour]

Many patterns LOOK intimidating, but once you start doing them they aren't as bad. It does take practice to read and understand them though.

[viggie]

I think the trick is not to be afraid of patterns. I didn't know how to crochet when I did my first project. I just sat down one day with a hook and yarn and a pattern and got to work. I started out by looking up the abbreviations as I came to them...and then looking up how to do the stitches! Going through the pattern before you start and highlighting the repeats (which are usually in parenthesies or surrounded by *'s) helped me a lot.

[KateCrochets]

Here's a trick for a new pattern reader: take a fairly simple pattern and write it out.

 

For example, if Row 2 says: Ch3 (counts as 1st DC, here and througout), DC in next st, *ch 1, skip next st, dc in next 2 st, ch 1* across [18DC and 8 ch-1 spaces], write it out as:

Chain 3 (counts as first Double crochet).

Double crochet in next stitch. Chain one and skip next stitch. Double crochet in next two stitches. Chain one and skip next stitch. Double crochet in next two stitches. Chain one and skip next stitch. Double crochet in next two stitches. Chain one and skip next stitch. Double crochet in next two stitches. Chain one and skip next stitch. Double crochet in next two stitches. Chain one and skip next stitch. Double crochet in next two stitches. Chain one and skip next stitch. Double crochet in next two stitches. Chain one and skip next stitch. Double crochet in next two stitches.

 

This is especially easy to do on a computer, where you can cut and paste (don't cramp your hands... save them for crocheting!). You can cross out each part as you crochet. After you've done this once or twice, you may just write out parts of the pattern. And then not need to at all!

 

Sometimes it's like studying for a test... just the act of writing it out makes it make sense; you don't have to continuously refer to it as you crochet.

 

Hope this helps!

[Empress Busy Bee]

Don't even read the directions for a whole row at once (at first), just start with the beginning instruction. Once you've done that, move onto the next thing to do in that row. One instruction at a time, and it's far less intimidating. You don't need to understand all of it at once, just the part that you are doing

Exactly. I still do it only one part at a time and I rarely read through a whole pattern because it confuses me.

 

take a fairly simple pattern and write it out.

I do this for my sister. Although she only does one or two patterns.

Some people never get the hang of the short hand.

 

I think the trick is not to be afraid of patterns.

Again I agree.

Most patterns are really only variants of the main three stitches, singles/doubles/triples with some chains thrown in there.

[KateCrochets]

If I were you, I would just use the Basic Granny. It only uses a few stitches (chain and DC), and you can do almost anything with it based on color combinations in the square and how you put them together! You could even keep going and going and make a blanket that is one big granny square.

 

There are lots of sites out there that shows how to do a basic granny (check out http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com for lots of granny options), but here is a direct link to one (ThUD): http://home.wideopenwest.com/~sag55/gransq.html

[Lavelle26]

I would just take it one stitch at a time. When the pattern says to sl st, look that up, do that stitch, then go to the next st. Once you do it a few times, you won't need to look it up anymore.

 

Start with something easy. There is a pattern somewhere for a square that is just sc's around with ch's at the corner. I'll look and see if I can find it.

[Lavelle26]

http://westwood.fortunecity.com/millen/681/crochetarchive.html#Country%20Button%20Square

 

Here is the link to the square I was talking about. You need to scroll down a few patterns to get to it. It is called the country button square. And its dc's not sc's like I thought, but those are pretty easy to cause it is repetitive.

[nightowl]

Hi GA-Rebel

 

Crochet Cabana, the site Christina mentioned earlier, has a wonderful tutorial that will show you how to make a granny square stitch by stitch. The pics may look a bit small (there's a lot of them!) but they are clickable so you can see exactly what's going on. Here's the direct link.

 

And here are two general how-to's to help you with reading instructions:

http://members.aol.com/sbaycgoa/techcrdr.htm

http://members.aol.com/Sbaycgoa/tech.htm#directions

 

Don't be intimidated! And if you do get stuck, remember you have 6,000 (or thereabouts) friends at the 'Ville just waiting to help