I hate patterns written in sentences!!!!!

[nevadamama]

I just started a new crochet pattern for a chicken potholder and it's been the pits. The instructions are written in sentence form. I kept losing my place and frogged so many times that I almost gave up. Does this happen to you too? I'd rather have each stitch listed under the row.

 

example:

 

Row One:

dc in first st

sk next st

2 dc in next st

(1 dc, 1 hdc, 1sc) in next 5 st

etc.

etc.

[Nila]

What I do when I keep getting lost or confused in a pattern, is to rewrite it in a way that makes sense to me... Though I don't usually have many issues with patterns written in sentences unless there's a ton of steps crammed into each one.

[ScoobyDoo0811]

I find that I lose my place too when everything is written out in sentences, esp when there are multiple instructions as you have given an example of. :thinkWould be much easier to follow if it were listed like you have done :yes but have found most pattern are written straight across in sentence form and usually 2 or 3 lines long per row/round. So, I guess you and I are apt to be :2froging like little :frogs.

:(If I had the patience and time, I guess I could sit down and rewrite/retype the rows in list form and just staple it to my original pattern. which is worse, writing the pattern over so I won't lose my place or :2froging.

[MaryPat]

I don't like it in recipes either! My husband and I took a cooking class on Tuesday and the chef passed out recipes written out in sentence format. I kept having to find my place over and over after each new ingredient was added. Very tiresome. Like crochet, it isn't natural to how my eyes looks at a list and processes what's on it.

[shebear]

Sorry no problem with sentences. It would take way too much paper to do it the other way.

[oliveoil]

And wearing glasses doesn't help much either!! When there are loooong rows, I really lose my place!! So what I have done for the past upteen years is: I write each row on index cards, punch holes on the upper left hand corner of the index card and use a "book" ring(?). Yes, it does take up extra time, but to me it is worth the time and effort instead of skipping a sentence on that row and having to frog. On some patters that aren't as long, I will type the pattern on a sheet of paper, each row double spaced and the font size 14 or 16 and double space each row. And when I number the row, I put a line before the # to mark off when I am done with that row(for example: ___ 1.) Also when I retype the pattern, I make double and triple sure that I typed the pattern correctly, no type-o's!!

[RusticOkie]

I like a combination of the two actually. But I have come across some patterns that have too many words that don't pertain to what you're doing at that moment and that irritates me.

[Darsa]

Yeah, certain things DO have to be explained in sentences, but if the whole thing is like reading from a book, you betcha I'd be pasting it into Word and separating each row!

[Taffyrn]

I photocopy the pattern, highlight/ mark anything that I need to watch for.... or to keep me on size and I use a chart keeper....

http://www.knitpicks.com/Knitting+Chart+Keeper_AD80314.html

 

I have also been known to create my own graph/diagram if the pattern didn't come with one.... its helps me to see it.... since I am a visual person.

 

hope some of these ideas might help you too

[EMedley]

yes yes ! def agree...its much harder to figure out and keep a place. Explaining is okay, but sheesh!

[caroline192]

I take a copy and highlight every row (sentence) in a different color, or alternate colors:artist. That way at least it reduces the number of rows I have to look at to figure out which one I'm on:think

[JoAnn]

What I do when I keep getting lost or confused in a pattern, is to rewrite it in a way that makes sense to me...

 

 

I do the same:hook Sometimes I put each row on a separate card if the rows are complex:yarn:yarn

[ldyer1]

I hate it when it isn't in a sentence.

 

lol

[Elle]

I guess it's because I learned how to crochet "old school", but I have no trouble at all reading patterns in sentences. All I do is make a photocopy of the pattern and get out my trusty yellow highlighter and as soon as I finish a row, I highlight it. That way if I get lost, the most I have to frog to be able to be sure where I am again is one row. When I'm done, I throw out my worksheet.

 

I have several patterns that are written in graph form. One is a collection of beautiful doilies that I have vowed that someday I WILL master the method of reading pattern graphs, but that hasn't happened yet.

[samijofitz]

I also prefer sentence format, as it's what I "know" - I cannot do symbol patterns (unless written instructions are there also) - but if you are having trouble, maybe just rewrite it out so that you can do it without interruptions?

[texasredhead]

I just started a new crochet pattern for a chicken potholder and it's been the pits. The instructions are written in sentence form. I kept losing my place and frogged so many times that I almost gave up. Does this happen to you too? I'd rather have each stitch listed under the row.

 

example:

 

Row One:

dc in first st

sk next st

2 dc in next st

(1 dc, 1 hdc, 1sc) in next 5 st

etc.

etc.

 

 

I have tried to do that Chicken potholder myself several times and I just gave up!!! Maybe rewriting it your way might help. I also don't like it when they don't give how many stitches I will have at the end of the row (so I don't keep going with a mistake several rows back!)

[Flia]

I also rewrite it to fit my way of thinking. 1 row for every task, and in words that are easy to understand for me.

Example:

dc all the way

dc + ch in every st

sc+dc+sc - jump 2

[hmltwin]

I don't have any trouble following the patterns that are written in sentences. I just read each sentence and make sure I know what I'm supposed to be doing in each row before I start it.

 

I can't do the graphs at all. I blame it on the fact that I'm left handed. They're backwards from how I crochet, so it confuses me.

[jleinhauser]

So now is the time to learn to work from symbol crochet. Meets all your needs. The yarn industry is going to be doing a big push on this in the next couple of years. Take a look at Crochet Today. They are using this method with many of their patterns.

 

Jean Leinhauser

[texasredhead]

So now is the time to learn to work from symbol crochet. Meets all your needs. The yarn industry is going to be doing a big push on this in the next couple of years. Take a look at Crochet Today. They are using this method with many of their patterns.

 

Jean Leinhauser

 

 

I love symbol crochet!! Years ago I made doilies by using the magazine Magic Crochet. I made some very intricate ones, and then years later I realized that I actually couldn't read a written pattern! I love the visual you get from the symbols, so now my weakness is reading patterns. Not that I can't do it, but it is just so tedious sitting there figuring it out sentence by sentence, when I could just look at a symbol graph and "see" what to do!!! I would like to see more of this type of directions along with the written as well. That would please everybody!!

[forestergirl]

I haven't seen one that wasn't written out horizontally unless it was just a chart, but I definitely don't like them too wordy either. Just give me the steps and if you want to explain something, make it a separate note.

 

If I'm working a complicated pattern or one with a lot of changes in class, I will often write down a shortened version of the row repeat so I can just glance at what the changes are and keep on taking notes about the lecture.

[Krakovianka]

So now is the time to learn to work from symbol crochet. Meets all your needs. The yarn industry is going to be doing a big push on this in the next couple of years.

Jean Leinhauser

 

Really? Awesome.

[Granny Square]

I've only made a few symbol-patterns, but I agree they're great for doilies. Actually I have some old filet patterns that have no graph but are actually written out! I can't imagine following that. Someday I will graph them from the picture.

 

What I do with written patterns that have my brain in a knot is use one of those post-it bookmark things; half is clear and sticky on one side, the other half isn't and you can easily use it to pull up and move your marker. I usually cut them into thirds or fourths lengthwise (they are an inch wide, I just use a strip at a time), draw an arrow on the unsticky clear side, and put the arrow right where I am in the pattern. When I was doing the Bruges lace doily from a written I was moving that thing a LOT, but it really helped me keep my place.

[LondonLaura]

I am okay with patterns in sentences, but it's irritating when they string too much together in a chunk. Sometimes the actual crochet is very straightforward but the amount of words crammed into the instructions makes it seem difficult!

[gumby28]

I find I loose my place when the pattern is written in sentences.