Expert: Marla - 1/6/2009

Question
Hi Marla,
I'm on the border part of a baby blanket and I don't quite understand the pattern.  Here it goes: Rnd 1: With RS facing, join C in top left-hand corner st, ch 1, 2 sc in each row-end dc across side edge, 3 sc in corner st, sc in each ch across bottom edge.  I understand that RS means right side facing and join C is the yarn color.  After that it's a little hairy.  I'm having a hard time with what row-end is?  Thank You for any help on this!

Answer
Hi Lisa!
Thanks for asking! Yes, I have found that crocheting a border does get a little hairy, and is not one of my favorite things to do in crochet.
First of all, to “join”, I have found that unless specified, you join with a slip stitch. To do this, you have the slipknot on the hook like you were going to start a chain stitch. Put the hook into the corner, yarn over, and pull the yarn through the corner and the loop on the hook.
“Row-end dc is a little misleading, if not confusing, because each end has a dc or chain stitch. It looks like this refers to the dc you made at the end of each row and the ch you made at the turning to start a new row. I think it meant to say “each row end dc and beginning chain”.
If you look at the double crochet stitches, they look sort of like “posts”, and are referred to that in some patterns. And then you’ll notice the chain stitch (which is, of course, at the beginning of every row), which is often referred to as “counts as the first dc”.
What you do is do make two single crochets around the “post” and then do the same with the chain stitch. By “crocheting around” I mean to put your hook under the “post” (you are looking at it sideways when doing the border) like you would a single crochet stitch, and then continue as you would for a sc.
I hope this helps, and I didn't make it more confusing. Please let me know if you need any thing else! Good luck with the blanket! It will make a baby very happy!

Marla