HELP! Crocheting in the round

[SusieQ]

Hello:

 

I need help with a pattern for a crocheted tote bag. Here is the link so you can see what it looks like: http://wildyarn.blogspot.com/2005/10/well-traveled-bag.html

 

The base is made by chaining 35. Then:

 

row1: sc in 2nd chain and in each chain across. Ch1, turn.

row2: sc in each stitch across. Ch 1, turn (34 sc).

Now you will work in continuous rounds (mark first hdc with stitch marker and continue to replace marker each round).

Work 20 hdc along each short side.

Work 34 hdc along each long side (total 108 hdc).

 

Follow stripe pattern for each row:

6 rnds of blueberry (half double crochet)

8 rnds of fern (sc)

2 rnds of maple syrup (sc)

3 rnds of snicker doodle (sc)

1 rnd of blueberry (sc)

3 rnds of snicker doodle (sc)

2 rnds of maple syrup (sc)

8 rnds of fern (sc)

4 rnds of blueberry (hdc)

 

I'm running into trouble where each consequetive round keeps moving my stitch markers and the bag shape doesn't look right. I know I'm not doing something right. I've never worked crochet in the round before. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong or not doing right?

 

The sides should be square and not flare out, which is what they look like they're doing. Help! I still have the same number of stitches, but it's just not looking right. I'm thinking of giving up - I've already frogged it twice and it still doesn't look right.

 

I would appreciate any help you could give me. Thanks!

[RoseRed]

Someone here posted a link to a tutorial about joining into the correct place. I don't remember it offhand but I'm sure that one of the ladies here will know it.

[nanacarr]

The bag is very pretty. I wish I could help you. I'm anxious to see what the problem might be. I've never worked the continuous rounds, I'm a chicken. But I'm thinking of trying a pattern next week. I'll watch for pointers that you receive. I'm cheering you on!

[SusieQ]

I'm hoping somebody can help me out. I know I'm not doing something right, but I sure don't know what it is!

[nela42575]

If you're going to frog, just go back to where you are supposed to start working in continuous rounds. When you work this way you're not going to be joining at all, just work the 108 sc around (I would put your marker in the last stitch made at this point), then make the first sc for the next round right into the first sc from the previous round. Do not join with a slip stitch or ch 1 to bring you up to the next round.

Once you get back around to finish the 2nd round you should be putting stitch number 108 in the marked stitch.

Really, whether you mark the first or last stitch of the round is irrelevant, but you've got to mark it otherwise its really easy to lose your place.

Once you've gotten past the point where you finish the 2nd round and start the 3rd it will start to look more even at the point where your rounds start (which should be a corner).

And as far as your marker moving, it will seem to move a little bit, but that's because when you're working in the round without turning your stitches do not stack up on top of one another. The stitch on your current round will always be just to the right of the stitch you are working into.

 

One last thing to remember is that you will be felting this. Your project is probably going to look a little funky, but it should still have a basic bag shape, just not really square corners. You'll fix that when you felt it and block it afterwards.

 

Good luck! I really hope that helps. Working in the round is one of my favorite things to do, but I've never had to describe it to someone else, especially without visuals .

[darski]

I have this on speed dial

 

http://www.hook-and-hype.de/?lp_lang_pref=en&page_id=100

 

Please note that this is for joining each row. the pattern says not to join but to work in continuous rounds. I don't think that would be great for stripes but I don't know how felting would work out if you had that jog thingy happening. i would have like it better if she had shown where her join is. you could make your choices based on what happened to hers if you could see it.

 

If I were doing this pattern, I would join after every round. Because it is done in hdc, it means you can do a ch1 after you join but you can still put a real stitch into the first stitch.

 

I would also put stitch markers on the 4 corners and I would be counting them out on each round. .. I think Freud had a word for this

 

I would also turn after every round so that you don't get the wandering stitch syndrome that is a natural element of working in the round.

 

i didn't check too far into her directions so she may have said these things

[SusieQ]

Thank you Nela and Darski. That helps a lot. I will give it a try today. Yes, that wandering stitch syndrome was a little frustrating, since I've never crocheted in the round before. I will maybe try turning after every round and see if that works out better for me.

 

I'll let you know of my progress.

 

Thanks so much to both of you. You've really helped me!