Please help - don't understand pattern instructions

[cskaut]

Hi all,
I'm trying to make a rug and am really confused by the pattern instructions in this book. Can someone explain to me what exactly I need to do? The pattern says:

Row 2 (right side): Ch 3 (counts as first dc, now and throughout), turn; work Cross Sts across to last sc, dc in last sc
Row 3: Ch 1, turn; sc in first dc and in next tr, sc in next ch, (sc in next 2 tr and in next ch) across to last 2 sts, sc in next tr and in last dc
To work cross stitch: skip next 2 sc, tr in next sc, ch 1, working in front of tr just made, tr in first skipped sc.

I had finished row 2 and had 18 cross stitches as the book says it should have, but then for the third row I was confused by what they mean to sc in the tr... if i do sc in each ch across i don't end up with 56 sc, which is what i need. so somehow i'm not understanding the instructions.

Also, what do they mean when they say "Ch 3 (counts as first dc, now and throughout), turn"? Why does it count as a first dc, and how do you turn on the third chain. Please help, I'm really confused!

[Nay65]

:welcome
Let's see if I can can help a little. The instruction for "sc in the treble" means that on row 3 you sc in the trebles that made the crosses.

What I find easier for the turning chains is to turn first, then chain. Keeps the yarn from getting messy. As for the ch3 counting as 1st dc, chaining brings you up to stitch height, so everything is even (you'll also place your first stitch in the 2nd stitch on the row unless otherwise stated in the pattern). When you work the following row you're last stitch will be in the turning chain of the previous row.

Hope this makes sense for you. I'm much better with someone sitting in front of me.

[cskaut]

Thanks Renee! That helps a little, though I still don't completely understand what it means to turn on chain 3. Does that just mean that when I do the third row, I stop at the third chain of the previous row and then turn? Also, does it mean that I do a dc in the 3rd stitch and then continue from there to do cross stitches across? I really wish I had someone in front of me too to show me :thinking2

The only thing I can figure out with the sc in the tr is that I have to do a sc between the cross formed by the two trebles, but it's not in a certain stitch... it's actually between stitches. Does that sound right?

It would be great if there were a little booklet that interpreted these instructions! Thanks for all your help and advice.

Christina

[antara]

Assuming I've been doing my crocheting right, to turn on ch 3 means you chain 3, then turn and start your new row. It's the same as only chaining one to start a row, but you just ch 3 instead. That counts as the first dc, so the first actual dc you make will be number 2. Basically, you just pretend that those 3 chains are a double crochet. Make sense?

[rebeccav]

hmmm, i bet i can help - i'm pretty good with giving "picture this" details - i'll turn on my chat and leave the comp up.

[Nay65]

Antarachik explained it a lot better than I did, but here goes. When you get to the end of the 3rd row, you make your last stitch in the top chain of the ch3 on the previous row, just as if it was a dc.

If I'm reading your pattern correctly, when you work the sc on row 3, you should be working an sc in the first tr of the cross stitch, then the ch space between them, then the 2nd tr of the cross stitch. You do this across to the end.

Hope this is clearer. Be soooo much easier for me to explain if we were sitting face to face or at least at the computer at the same time with the pieces in front of us. :bigsmile :bigsmile