AboutMarla Expertise I have crocheted many doilies, I enjoy working with crochet thread. I have crocheted numerous afghans. But I have little to no experience in hairpin lace, or the afghan stitch. If you have a question pertaining to a pattern in a magazine, book or leaflet, please include the name and # of it, and the page or pattern #. There is a slight possibility I may have that pattern, and can refer to it. Although I have crocheted sweaters and slippers,I don't feel I have done enough of them to really give good advice as to assembling the pieces, but can give advice on the type of stitches.
Experience I have been a crocheter for almost 30 years.
Question QUESTION: I am crocheting for a awhile and i have started to make dollies. i have trouble understanding the patterns. I got this patten from internet http://www.freepatterns.com/list.html?cat_id=308 in this link 'Coffee-Table Topper'.
The question is from the following
Rnd 7: Beg shell in shell, ch 2, 2 dc, ch 5, 2 dc in next ch-3 sp of shell, ch 2,[shell in shell,ch 2,2 dc,ch 5,2dc in next ch-3sp of shell, ch 2]around, join with sl st in 3rd ch od beg ch-3.
i made the beg shell. after ch 2 should i make the 2 dc in the same place of beg shell or in the next one.
Right now i have made beg shell,ch 2, 2 dc, in the same place and then ch 5 and 2 dc in next ch-3 sp of shell and continued. Am i right on this. or after ch 2 should i make the 2 dc in the next sp.
Can you please help me on this.
Thanks in advance,
Anitha.
ANSWER: Hi Anitha!
Thanks for asking. I have wanted to join that website, but kept putting it off, so you gave me an incentive to join!
Some instructions can be so confusing, and this is one of them. When you do stitches in a group, it should, in my opinion always be in parentheses. This is how I interpret the pattern: After that beg shell you ch 2, then you (2dc, ch 5, 2dc) in the next ch 3 sp of the next shell. Then you ch 2,[shell in shell, ch 2 (2dc, ch 5, 2dc) in next ch-3sp of shell, ch 2]around.
I hope this helps, and I didn't make you more confused! This is a pretty doily. I love doing the pineapple patterns. Good luck with this pattern. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask.
Marla
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Marla,
Nice to see you after vacation. I was waiting for you. I have got trouble in Row 19
Following is the full instruction of Row 19.
Row 19: Beg shell in shell, ch 2,sc in next ch-3 sp,[ch 3,sc in next ch-3 sp]7 times, ch 2,shell in shell,*ch 2,(dc,ch3,dc) in single dc at top of Pineapple, ch 2, shell in shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-3 sp,[ch 3,sc in next ch-3 sp]7 times, ch 2,shell in shell, shell in shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-3 sp,[ch 3,sc in next ch-3 sp]7 times, ch 2,shell in shell,*ch 2,(dc,ch3,dc) in single dc at top of Pineapple, ch 2, shell in shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-3 sp,[ch 3,sc in next ch-3 sp]7 times, ch 2,shell in shell,rep from * once turn
I have couple of questions in this row
1. Row 19: Beg shell in shell, ch 2,sc in next ch-3 sp,[ch 3,sc in next ch-3 sp]7 times, ch 2,shell in shell,*ch 2,(dc,ch3,dc) in single dc at top of Pineapple, ch 2, shell in shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-3 sp,[ch 3,sc in next ch-3 sp]7 times, ch 2,shell in shell, after this again there is shell so I skiped the pineapple point and made a shell in the next available one.
2. Beg shell in shell, ch 2,sc in next ch-3 sp,[ch 3,sc in next ch-3 sp]7 times, ch 2,shell in shell,*ch 2,(dc,ch3,dc) in single dc at top of Pineapple, ch 2, shell in shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-3 sp,[ch 3,sc in next ch-3 sp]7 times, ch 2,shell in shell, shell in shell, ch 2, sc in next ch-3 sp,[ch 3,sc in next ch-3 sp]7 times, after this I don’t have the single st which is used for the pineapples. I have the set of shells. With those shells I have ch-3 sp made in Row18. should I single st in them.
3. There is two * in the instruction from which one should I start.
Row 19 is totally confusing. Can you please help me on this? Hope I am clear and not confused. Please let me know if i not clear I wll try to rephrase it and send you again.
Thanks,
Anitha.
ANSWER: Hi Anitha!
I'm back! Thanks for being patient. I needed to crochet the doily up to where you are in order t see what you are doing. It is a little hard to make out all the stitches in the picture (I wish they wouldn’t lay something on doilies when a picture is taken). Anyway, I think I understand what you are asking. If not, let me know.
First of all, yes, you are right, where it says shell in shell, shell in shell, you skip that pineapple point.
In the part where they want you to sc in the ch 3 spaces, like the sc you were doing for the pineapple, those ch 3 spaces refer in this case to the ch 3 spaces you did for the shell stitches, and the chs between them. They should have explained this better. It set me to giving it a second thought, too (I was looking for a pineapple I thought I had missed, which wasn’t even supposed to be there).
As too which * to use to repeat the instructions, I think it is from the second * because when you finish this round using the second *, and turn, you end right before the dc in the tip of the pineapple on the previous round, and you started this round right after the dc in the tip of another pineapple. And the picture looks like you stop there, too. This begins the start of the long part of one of the ends of the doily. I'm not sure what the first * means.
I hope this helps, and I haven’t confused you. Let me know if I can be of any more help. I am up to rnd 19, so if you need help, I can follow along with you. Good Luck1
Marla
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Marla,
I completed one side from Row 19 to Row 32. Only after completing I noticed that there should have been 3 pineapples above the first level of 10 pineapples and then 2 pineapples above and in between the 3 pineapples. This is what I found from picture.
But I have got
Level1 --> as per picture the 10 pineapples
Level2 (from Row 19) --> 1 pineapple, then the 2 set of shells that we discussed in earlier
Level3 --> 2 pineapples as per picture.
Did you complete after row 19. How does yours look?
After the 10 pineapples there should have been some thing wrong with the pattern. After first round of 10 pineapples. As per the pattern the round started with 3 pineapples (I mean beginning of pineapples - 10dc’s), 2 sets of shells, 2 pineapples and then 2 shells and then 1 pineapple. Is this the result for you too?
I think after the 10 pineapple round it should have started with 2 shell spaces, 3 pineapples, 2 shell spaces and the 3 pineapples. When its done like this the outcome will be as show in the picture.
I am sure what to do now or. Please let me know what you have got so that I’ll know if I have gone wrong somewhere. I’ll attach the picture of what I have got by evening.
Thanks,
Anitha.
Answer Hi Anitha!
I am back again
This is what I got for row 19: first a shell, then the beginnings of a pineapple; shell; the 2dc; shell; beginnings of a pineapple; shell; shell; beginnings of a pineapple; shell; the 2dc; shell; then that ch 3 series; shell; the 2dc; shell; again, that ch 3 series; and I ended with a shell.
Row 20: Shell; that ch 3 series; 3 shells; that ch 3 series again; 3 shells; pineapple; shell
Row 21: shell; pineapple; shell; dc group; shell; the ch 3 series; shell; 2dc group; shell; the ch 3 series; shell.
I'll send you more as I go along.
What has helped me tremendously (and maybe you do this already), is that after losing my place so many times and getting confused over the instructions, I write the instructions out on paper, using say one line for each step, like the ones in (). That way, if my dog needs attention, I get an important phone call, or my husband is telling me something important, I can stop, maybe make a pencil slash where I am at in the instructions without having to unravel a hole bunch of crochet.
