Understanding patterns

[zebracakefreak]

I'm very new to crochet, and so far the only things I've made are hats, scarves, and blankets, and I've just made them up as I go along. I've tried different patterns, but I feel like I'm dyslexic trying to read them. I know what most of the abbreviations are for but for some reason I keep getting really overwhelmed trying to follow along. Does anyone have any pointers when following a pattern or is there something that has helped you to break the patterns down to better understand them?

 

Thanks in advance,

~Jessica

[zebracakefreak]

Download my article on how to read crochet patterns here:

 

http://www.nexstitch.com/a_read_crochet_patterns.html

 

I hope some of what's there will help you. We certainly don't want to lose someone from the craft because of how difficult patterns can be on newbies. Once you get the hang of it, your confidence and undestanding will pick up...and by that time, you WILL be addicted!

 

WOW... Thank you so much!

That article should be required reading for anyone starting to crochet. I was really on the verge of giving up on patterns, even the "beginner" books I bought never broke it down like that. I've got it saved on the computer now for easy reference, thanks again!

 

~Jessica

[barbstitches]

I've been crocheting for 40 years now, and taught myself to read patterns. My mom and gramma just looked at something and crocheted it, but I wasnt that talented. It was hard at first, but it just takes practice and alot of frogging. LOL But never give up. I still have problems with some patterns, but now its just a challenge . I feel like I'm breaking a code!!!!LOL Dont give up , just be determined, and you will do fine.

[Pepsi]

Amie, what an excellent tutorial! I wish I had had these instructions when I first began crocheting years ago. Would have saved a lot of frogging.

[eli1118]

Nexstich

As a newbie this tutorial is awesome. Thanks a million.

[violette]

Download my article on how to read crochet patterns here:

 

http://www.nexstitch.com/a_read_crochet_patterns.html

 

I hope some of what's there will help you. We certainly don't want to lose someone from the craft because of how difficult patterns can be on newbies. Once you get the hang of it, your confidence and undestanding will pick up...and by that time, you WILL be addicted!

 

NexStitch, this looks like it will be very helpful to me. I am also pattern-reading challenged. I stitch well, but I cannot read a pattern to save my life. Being able to see what it is supposed to look like up close should really help me. Right now I am severely limited to what I can come up with on my own, which generally is double crochet and chain stitching in various patterns. I'd like to be able to try different stitches, but I have yet to find any patterns that actually make sense to me. I look forward to sitting down with your tutorial to figure it out. Now if I could just find the time to do that... :/

[Anya]

just think of a pattern like you would think of a math problem. Example, (dc3+ch3)x2= a pattern whithin a pattern, like Grammie Essa mentioned earlier.

You would repeat those stiches within the parentheses twice, as a whole. Sorry if I confused you any, if I did, please ignore this post . However, that's what I do and I don't even have to rewrite the pattern. Although it does sound like a great idea!

[TheresaMarie]

I always print or photocopy a fresh pattern every time I make an item and keep highlighters in my bag. I just highlight the section as I go and that way I am not constantly trying to figure out where I am. Different colors can be used if you are repeating sections of the pattern.

 

Good luck!

[KF-in-Georgia]

I crocheted a life-sized greyhound from a pattern that was beautifully written. For instance, here's the instruction for one round:

 

Rnd 73: (sc next 2 sc together) 3 times,

sc in next 8 sc,

sc next 2 sc together,

sc in next 17 sc,

sc next 2 sc together,

sc in next 8 sc,

sc last 2 sc together. (39 sc).

 

The pattern had all those line breaks in it, too. It was wonderfully clear. (Mind you, assembling the beast was a nightmare, but crocheting it was easy...) I've kept this example in mind as a way of making a complicated set of instructions very easy to follow. This was just a case of moving a Post-It note down a column of type.

 

[Grammie Essa]

I like to hand write the pattern out long hand. The best part is writing out just a few steps at a time, then realizing the "pattern" within the pattern!!

 

It also helps to write it out, because sometimes you can figure out the mistake in the pattern. For instance, sometimes one small step is left out, and you can sometimes find this by writing it out and attempting to put it together. I like to look at it like solving a puzzle. Although, I agree, that it needs to be easier to begin with and maybe more people would crochet.

[darski]

I've typed difficult patterns into MS Word. (If it's a PDF pattern, you can copy the text and paste it into Word.)

 

Then I work with my laptop right in front of me and the file on the screen. I can highlight as I go, enlarge the view as needed, change the type color on a section as I finish it,

 

I can rebreak the lines so things make better sense,

I can add numbers on blank lines to show how many repeats I've done (if a section is repeated six times, I leave a blank below the line of instructions, then type "123456"--one number added each time I do the repeat).

 

When I finish a section that I've altered on the screen, I clean it back up, then move on to the next set of instructions.

 

And I put "START HERE" in the right place in the file and save it when it's time to knock off for a while.

 

These are excellent suggestions for getting through those tough parts of patterns. Brava!

[KF-in-Georgia]

I've typed difficult patterns into MS Word. (If it's a PDF pattern, you can copy the text and paste it into Word.) Then I work with my laptop right in front of me and the file on the screen. I can highlight as I go, enlarge the view as needed, change the type color on a section as I finish it, I can rebreak the lines so things make better sense, I can add numbers on blank lines to show how many repeats I've done (if a section is repeated six times, I leave a blank below the line of instructions, then type "123456"--one number added each time I do the repeat). When I finish a section that I've altered on the screen, I clean it back up, then move on to the next set of instructions. And I put "START HERE" in the right place in the file and save it when it's time to knock off for a while.

[Anya]

I would definetley have to agree - sometimes it gets so difficult to read certain patterns. I used to have a hard time reading even the simple ones. With practice and presistence you will get better and when you get better you will be able to read the more difficult ones. I don't think I would have stuck with crocheting for very long but when I was just about to give up I found this forum and I've gotten so much better since then. One of the hardest things I have understanding is patterns for aran afghans but I'm sure in due time I will conquer even that. Right now I'm making an afghan from the Terry Kimbrough afghan book. When I first started I was intimidated by it but as I completed the first strip I was astonished how easy it was to me.

Don't give up, you'll love yourself when you start succeeding over and over again

[hooked2]

Download my article on how to read crochet patterns here:

 

http://www.nexstitch.com/a_read_crochet_patterns.html

 

I hope some of what's there will help you. We certainly don't want to lose someone from the craft because of how difficult patterns can be on newbies. Once you get the hang of it, your confidence and undestanding will pick up...and by that time, you WILL be addicted!

 

Amie,

 

That tutorial is excellent!! And you're so right that we don't want to lose someone from crocheting because of the difficulty of some patterns. Crocheting can definitely be challenging, but that's OK because you learn form the challenges! But it should also be fun and satisfying!!

[NexStitch]

Download my article on how to read crochet patterns here:

 

http://www.nexstitch.com/a_read_crochet_patterns.html

 

I hope some of what's there will help you. We certainly don't want to lose someone from the craft because of how difficult patterns can be on newbies. Once you get the hang of it, your confidence and undestanding will pick up...and by that time, you WILL be addicted!

[shebear]

Yep sometimes it's difficult to crochet and read a pattern at the same time so I've been know to re-write them too.

 

Last week I was doing a Mile-a-Minute that has so many *s and () in it that I had to re-write it the long way so I could figure out if I was starting in the correct place....it was a pain but I also made notes to myself on the pattern so if I came back 6 years from now I wouldn't have to do it all again.

 

Don't feel bad.....just do what works. You get better as you go.

[Addey]

If you're having problems with the * and () parts, I suggest re-writing them and getting rid of the 'short-hand' of repeats...

I have a friend, and I've done this too, who writes complicated patterns out and makes each step a line so one row might look like:

ch 5, dc

sk 2

dc, ch, dc

sk 2

....

all the way across for a row of V-stitches.

[LittleJadeFrog]

I used to mark my rows. I used to use a postit note with an arrow printed on it and move up/down, left/right as needed. Or I make a copy of the pattern and cross off as I go. To me they were too time consuming. Try different things. Something will just work for you.

[darski]

I have been crocheting for 50 years and I still do all of these things for a tricky pattern.

 

With some, I use the paste into WORD and separate as needed and I sometimes change the font or the size to help me to read it easily while I mess with my fingers in the yarn.

 

I guess I am just saying that you will always be challenged at some level if you keep growing in crochet. The patterns over which you struggle may be tougher as you grow but the methods of learning to work with them stand you in good stead all the way through.

 

I really love how computers let us have all these options... they weren't around for most of my crocheting life.

[jess315]

hi! well...maybe, if you have time, try a Leisure Arts pattern that specifies that it is "easy". I think their instructions are clear, and the print (in the regular size leaflets) is larger than usual. This way, you can see if it feels different to you. If it does, I suspect maybe you just happen to be consistantly picking patterns that are less clearly written out. I have been crocheting for about 10 years, but still take a new pattern one stich at a time (aka between the commas like the others said). good luck, relax, and enjoy.

[zebracakefreak]

Thanks for the advice, I think re-writing them would be very helpful... all those Parenthesis and astericks and all just get me too confused I guess.

PS. What is this, the Texas post? lol

 

~Jessica

[Melissa]

I'd really say just take it one row - or if it's something more complex, even just one stitch - at a time. If you're using a well-written pattern, then just trusting it will get you to the end! (If it's not well-written, of course, you'll have problems!)

 

I used to print out patterns and then mark off rows I'd finished, or if I had to repeat a section, keep a tally of how many repeats I'd done. I used to have real trouble seeing the rows and stitches to count them, so if I lost track of where I was and couldn't figure it out, I'd have to start over! With practice it's become much clearer.

[shelly_bean]

read only from comma to comma. that way it breaks down a section at a time. also rewrite the patterns so that you can read them how you feel comfortable. I simple put them into Microsoft word and then seperate what i think needs to be seperated so when I read it, it makes sense to me.