Expert: Marla - 5/18/2011

Question
I'm new, and working on a childs sweater.  How do you do this: ch 3, turn, skip first ch-1 space, skip next dc, (bobble, ch 3, bobble) in next dc

Answer
Hi Jeanette!
Thanks for asking! Welcome to crochet! It is my favorite hobby.
First of all, when you ch 3, that usually counts as the first dc. So to turn, means to turn your work so you are stitching back along what you just crocheted. It looks like you made a “ch 1” at the end of the last row, so you skip this ch 1 space, and the next dc. Now as far as a bobble, I’ve ever heard of this referred to as a bobble stitch. I have heard it called a puff stitch, but I guess it is the same thing. It is the same thing. I went online, and found a website that actually shows how to do it. The website is: http://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-bobble-stitch But here are the instructions.
For a 3 dc bobble:
1:Yarn over, insert hook into the designated stitch or space, yarn over and pull up loop (you now should have 3 loops on hook).
2: Yarn over and draw the hook through two loops, like you are starting to make a dc.
3: Yarn over again, but this time, insert hook again into the same st or space.
4: Yarn over, and draw the hook through like you were starting to make another dc. There should be 4 loops on hook.
5: Yarn over and draw through two loops on hook there should now be 3 loops on hook.
Then repeat 3-5. You should have 4 loops on the hook. Then Yarn over and draw hook through all the loops. If the pattern calls for more stitches for the bobble, just repeat 3-5 for each additional stitch. For each additional stitch, there will be another extra loop on the hook.

Then, in this case, following the pattern, you make a bobble, then ch 3, and then make another bobble again in the same dc. It may seem crowded with al those stitches,  but it sometimes ends up that way.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you need anything else. Good luck!

Marla