biggest pet peeve in a pattern

[shelly_bean]

what do you dislike most when you are reading a pattern?

 

for me it's when they will give you a size you need to reach instead of how many rows.

[grinning chook]

Sometimes I prefer that, then I know it will end up the correct size esp if my tension is a little out.

[tigermom]

Mine is a pattern with very limited sizes. I'm an xl and it never fails when I find a pattern I really like it for smaller sizes only. Some larges are more like mediums and trying to enlarge some patterns are very hard.

[AuntyM]

I prefer when a pattern specifies inches rather than number of rows.

 

If you made a gauge swatch, you can figure out how many rows you need.

If pattern gauge says 2 rows dc = 1-1/2 inches, and the pattern says to continue for 6 inches, then you can figure you need 8 rows.

 

Always, always work a gauge swatch to be sure that you are right on with the pattern gauge. Otherwise your article will not be the right size. Sometimes you have to work more than one swatch (change hook size up or down) in order to achieve the correct gauge.

 

Hope that helps!

[Karen C.]

My biggest pet peeve in patterns are errors hands down! I think sometimes the skill level has more to do with trying to fix the errors rather than the making the project.

[shelly_bean]

I prefer when a pattern specifies inches rather than number of rows.

 

If you made a gauge swatch, you can figure out how many rows you need.

If pattern gauge says 2 rows dc = 1-1/2 inches, and the pattern says to continue for 6 inches, then you can figure you need 8 rows.

 

Always, always work a gauge swatch to be sure that you are right on with the pattern gauge. Otherwise your article will not be the right size. Sometimes you have to work more than one swatch (change hook size up or down) in order to achieve the correct gauge.

 

Hope that helps!

I just hate the math. i must have spent ten minutes trying to guess how many rows I might need, cause there is never a ruler around when I need one. it was like devolution of man watching me figure it out.

 

my big thing is even if i do a gauge swatch, my actual project never works out to the same. *sigh... hopeless i know.

[cgd]

My pet peeve is on afghans that don't give the multiple+whatever on the stitches. Then the pattern is only written for 48" wide. I like my ghans wide! The designer needs to show the math.

[NanaM3]

I just hate the math. i must have spent ten minutes trying to guess how many rows I might need, cause there is never a ruler around when I need one. it was like devolution of man watching me figure it out.

 

my big thing is even if i do a gauge swatch, my actual project never works out to the same. *sigh... hopeless i know.

whenever you need to measure something and have your checkbook nearby, a standard US check is 6 inches long

[ldyer1]

My pet peeve is on afghans that don't give the multiple+whatever on the stitches. Then the pattern is only written for 48" wide. I like my ghans wide! The designer needs to show the math.

 

I hate that, although lately I have been crocheting a huge chain and then just un chaining it after the pattern is done repeating. It is worse for Mile a minutes because you never know if a further row will need a different type of math. I usually end up making one true to pattern and then onmy second one making it a better size.

[shelly_bean]

whenever you need to measure something and have your checkbook nearby, a standard US check is 6 inches long

cool thanks I didn't know that.

[darski]

whenever you need to measure something and have your checkbook nearby, a standard US check is 6 inches long

 

Older crochet hooks were always 6 inches long as well.

 

I just checked my newer ones though and they are either 5.5 inches or 6.5 inches.

[iamnichole]

i hate patterns that have big gaps in sizes. small bust is 32" and medium is 36" ...i'm 34". so if i want to make something it has to be too big or too small. i have one pattern that jumps from S 31" to M 45"....oh my gosh. i didnt think my size was that irregular. so, i usually use a bigger hook and the small pattern to make a "medium".

[Sylviaf]

I hate it when rows are grouped together and they only give you the final number of stitches instead of the nuber at the end of each row.

[antara]

"Crochet a chain x inches long...." really bugs me. I prefer a solid number of chain stitches.

[frogsrock]

My pet peeve is on afghans that don't give the multiple+whatever on the stitches. Then the pattern is only written for 48" wide. I like my ghans wide! The designer needs to show the math.

yup

 

i dont know why but i dont like it when patterns are like "s c" instead of "sc"

when that happens i go threw and fix it

[TX CrochetLover]

My biggest pet peeve in patterns are errors hands down! I think sometimes the skill level has more to do with trying to fix the errors rather than the making the project.

 

 

Yep, that irks me too. I was working a pattern today, and right in the middle of a round, ERROR! This was in a published book too!

[boo1]

Yep, that irks me too. I was working a pattern today, and right in the middle of a round, ERROR! This was in a published book too!

 

 

I'm not clever enough to figure out errors; I just don't have the experience. Makes me nuts!

[~Kel~]

So far my pet peeve is that the people that make the patterns for these tanks make them for small sizes, then umm don't think about the diff in how it will look on someone large, part larger in the bust area, every tank i've made I have to wear a cami under bc the neckline plunges too low for me, I've even added extra rows of edging on one and it was still to low

[Tiga]

I hate (and this seems especially true of Leisure Arts) when patterns are written all run together like "ch 43, sc in 2nd ch from hook and sc across; ch 1, turn, sc in 1st st, ch 1, sk next st (sc in next st, ch 1, sk st) across; ch 3, turn;..."

 

I much prefer row by row instructions:

 

Ch 43, sc in 2nd ch from hook; sc across; ch 1 and turn

Row 1 - sc in 1st st; sc in next st and across; ch 3 and turn

Row 2 - sk 1st st; dc in next st....

 

I often will re-write a pattern as row-by-row so that I can read the freakin' thing.

 

*I* think experience level sometimes has to do with being able to decipher the darn run-on pattern instructions!!!

 

I also hate garment patterns without schematics and measurements. I need to know how many inches the finished piece is supposed to be, just in case my gauge was a tad off. A 1/4" all the way around is going to make a BIG difference in fit.

[Tiga]

So far my pet peeve is that the people that make the patterns for these tanks make them for small sizes, then umm don't think about the diff in how it will look on someone large, part larger in the bust area, every tank i've made I have to wear a cami under bc the neckline plunges too low for me, I've even added extra rows of edging on one and it was still to low

 

Something you can do to help plunging necklines is make a few small floral or geometric motifs (Annie's Attic actually has a pattern book on clearance right now of motifs for shirts) and attach them to the plunge-y part. I'd use contrasting thread (size 3 is easy to work with - sort of a thin yarn, really) or baby yarn in a complementary color.

 

You can even make extra motifs and either pin or sew them on your jeans/skirt/whatever so you can have a little outfit thing going on without being all matchy-matchy.

[mizduck]

whenever you need to measure something and have your checkbook nearby, a standard US check is 6 inches long

Thank you, Nana!! That is some very good info there! I have to say that I'm with shelly bean....I like having someone hold my hand, I guess cuz I'm afraid I'll mess up.

 

And I always measure wrong!!! I just finished a 12 mo old cardigan for a friend...she didn't notice but one sleeve is wider than the other, due to my impressive measuring skillls. Didn't know till I was done!

[LittleJadeFrog]

I also hate garment patterns without schematics and measurements. I need to know how many inches the finished piece is supposed to be, just in case my gauge was a tad off. A 1/4" all the way around is going to make a BIG difference in fit.

 

Not just the garment patterns...I am making a backpack for my daughter right now. I used a larger neddle and heavier yarn because I wanted it to be a little bigger. The base was supposed to be 5 rows I ended up making 14 rows. If I knew the bag was going to be THAT small I would have found something bigger.

 

I hate it when rows are grouped together and they only give you the final number of stitches instead of the nuber at the end of each row.

 

I usually have to count the stiches in the row, write it down then crochet the row, count and hope I'm right and don't have to frog 10 rows because I missed a stitch a row.

[shelly_bean]

run on patterns are awful, no matter what your skill, because when you finish the stitch and try and go back to find where you left off its impossible.

 

ETA: errors too, i have one in the blanket i am making and i wound up having to unravel 5 rows of work because i just knew it was going wrong, sure enough it was, now it is going perfectly.

[Dare2BDifferent]

i hate patterns that have big gaps in sizes. small bust is 32" and medium is 36" ...i'm 34". so if i want to make something it has to be too big or too small. i have one pattern that jumps from S 31" to M 45"....oh my gosh. i didnt think my size was that irregular. so, i usually use a bigger hook and the small pattern to make a "medium".

 

 

Oh... that just irks me to no end, too! I have a 38 bust and I swear, the patterns I just "LOVE" end up having pattern repeats that just won't work no matter how I try to tweak it to make it my size. I wanted to do a shrug (not the Knot one) from SNB HH and I swear, either I was going to have a 4 inch opening between the two front sides or a 3 inch overlap... PO'ed just isn't strong enough of a term.

 

I'm strongly considering designing my own patterns just so I can get peeved at myself instead of other designers.

[Valerie826]

I really hate not having stitch counts when I am working in a pattern that increases or decreases stitches often.

 

Valerie