Expert: Ed Matos - 7/17/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi Ed,
I'm having trouble with making this round ripple afghan.
The first 3 rows seem to turn out right, but when I get to rnd. 4 I don't have enough sts, don't know where I'm making the mistake.
It starts with ch4 join with sl st to form a loop.
ROW 1. ch 4 (to stand as 1 DC & CH 1) *1 DC INTO LOOP, CH1*, REPEAT* TO * 7 times more, CH 2 JOIN WITH A SL ST INTO 3RD CH.
ROW 2. SL ST INTO FIRST SP, CH 3, 1 DC INTO SAME SP, * CH2, 2DC INTO NEXT CH SP*, REPEAT* TO * 7 TIMES MORE, CH 2 JOIN WITH SL ST AS BEFORE.
ROW 3. SL ST INTO NEXT DC AND INTO NEXT SP, CH 3 1DC, CH2, 2DC INTO SAME SP, [2DC, CH2, 2DC](SHELL MADE) INTO EACH SP TO END OF ROW, JOIN AS BEFORE.
ROW4. SL ST INTO NEXT DC, CH3, SHELL INTO NEXT SP, 1 DC INTO NEXT DC, *SK NEXT 2 DC, 1 DC INTO NEXT DC, SHELL INTO NEXT SP, 1DC INTO NEXT DC* REPEAT* TO* TO END OF ROW, JOIN AS BEFORE
ROW 4 FORMS THE PATTERN.
My question is when I get to row 4 & it says sk next 2 dc, I do that & then it says 1dc into next dc, shell into next sp the 1 dc into next dc goes into the shell part of the st , is that how it's suppose to be? And also when I sk the 2 dc instead of that beening even it goes up on the other side toward the shell that is made. One sk st is at the bottom of ripple & the other is going up the side of the ripple.
Hope you understand what I'm asking.
Thanks Kathy

ANSWER: Hello Kathy:

Sorry for the delay. But by just reading the pattern I could not see any issues, so found me some thread and needle, and trying out the pattern.

Row 1: You should have 8 dc (since the chain 3 counts as one) seven ch1 spaces and one ch3 space.

Row 2: You should have eight 2-DC on each of the previous ch2 spaces and eight ch2 spaces.

Row 3: You should have eight-2dc, 2ch shells. NO SPACES IN BETWEEN.

Row 4: This is where you are having the issue at: So let's see. I think I may have where you where wrong. The beginning of the row, you only sl st to the next DC, NOT to the space, then do a 3ch, then do a shell, then do a dc on the dc after the space. (So this is a now a 3dc, ch2 shell), now when you count the 2 dc, it will place you in the dc before the spacing, so you would do a dc, then a shell and then a dc on the next one, skip the 2 dc, etc etc..

I hope this make sense. I do not like when a pattern does not say what you should have at the end, since this is a good way to gauge if you did it right.

Should you need any assistance, please let me know.

BTW, this pattern looks very nice.

Happy Hooking

Ed

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Ed, It's me again, the one question I asked you on this pattern worked out for me now I'm having trouble with it laying flat after so many rounds, is there something I can do to have it lay flat instead of puckering & ruffing too much?
  Thanks so much
  Kathy

Answer
Kathy:

Thanks for the question. You need to block the piece. This will help with that issue.

I found this site that explains blocking very well, and it also has picture (love that)

http://www.crochetme.com/blogs/kim_werker/archive/2007/4/14/how-to-spray-block-c

Should you need any assistance, please let me know.

Happy Hooking

Ed