Expert: Ed Matos - 7/4/2010

Question
So I'm doing a Throw, and it's kind of zigzagy.
The pattern goes like this:

Ch 224
Row 1: work 1 dc in fourth ch from hook, *(ch1, sk next ch, 1 dc in next ch) 3 times; ch1, sk next ch, dc2tog skipping 3 chs in between dcs; (ch1, sk next ch, 1 dc in next ch) 3 times; ch1, sk next ch, in next ch work (1 dc, ch3, 1 dc)* Repeat from * to * across ending with (1 dc, ch1, 1 dc) in last ch.

Row 2: Ch3 and turn. (1 dc in dc, 1 dc in ch-sp) 4 times; *dc2tog skipping (ch, dc2tog, ch) between dcs; (1dc in ch-sp, 1 dc in next dc) 3 times; in ch3-sp work (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc); (1 dc in ch-sp) 3 times* . Repeat from * to * across ending with (1 dc,ch1, 1 dc) in last ch.

Row 3: ch3 and turn. 1 dc in first dc, sk ch ch1, *(1 dc, sk 1 dc, ch1) 3 times. dc2tog skipping (dc, dc2tog, dc) between dcs; (sk next dc, ch1, 1 dc) 3 times, ch 1; in ch 3-sp work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc), ch 1* Repeat from * to * across ending with (1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc) in t-ch.

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until thro measures desired length. Fasten off and weave in all ends.

I am really confused when it says "dc2tog skipping 3 chs in between dcs." or when it says dc2tog skipping (ch,dc2tog, ch) between dcs." What does it mean by between dcs? first i thought i do a dc2tog and then skip 3 chs...but then it didn't come out like the picture, like a zigzag...so i thought, maybe it means to skip 3 chs when i do the second dc in the dc2tog....but then in Row2 it says to "dc2tog skipping (ch dc2tog, ch) between dcs" i did the same thing as before but then i just got a knotted mess.

I understand  that dc2tog means that i double crochet 2 stiches together....but where exctly am i suppose to skip? between what stiches?

I don't know if i was clear....but im gonna try to figure this out.
thanks for your time.

Answer
Martha:

Thanks for the question.

a zigzag or ripple as its also called its a set of stitches that are brought together and then others are fanned out, creating the ditch and mountains.

I this case, when you do the dc2tog - you will make sure to start the one stitch, then you will skip the next dc, dc2tog and the dc following that, and finish the dc2tog with the dc following all that. This way you will get that nice ditch, per this pattern.

The decrease (dc2tog) is done over a dc, the dc2tog, and a dc so in reality, since the dc2tog becomes one dc, you are skipping 3 spaces and finishing the dc2tog at the 4th one from when you began the first leg of the dc2tog.

I hope I was able to help. Should you need any assistance, please let me know.

Happy Hooking

Ed