Expert: Marla - 5/26/2011

Question
Hello - I have a problem with understanding how to crochet a Picot Cl (Picot Cluster) in a 3-chain space. My directions state: Ch 4, picot cl (picot, sl st in top of last cl made)in next ch-3 sp, ch 4. My instructions say that a picot is: Ch-4, sl st in last st made before first ch of ch-4. If this is true....then, my full instruction would be: ch-4,(ch-4, sl st in last st made before first ch of ch-4, sl st in top of last cl made) in next ch-3 sp, ch-4. Say what??? At the end of this row, the instructions state that I should have a total of 44 picot cls (44 picot clusters). I'm not grasping what a picot cluster is and how to do it in the ch-3 sp, with the information provided by the book, as instructions for each of these type stitches (picot versus picot cluster). HELP!!!

Answer
Hi sheryl!
Thanks for asking. I have found picots to be a little awkward sometimes. It looks almost like parts of the instructions are missing, or badly worded. Did you get this off the internet or from a booklet? It looks like you first make the picot, like the instructions say: Ch-4, sl st in last st made before first ch of ch-4. For a cluster, it depends on how many picots make up a cluster. It is usually three or more, so a 3-picot cluster would be: (Ch-4, sl st in last st made before first ch of ch-4) three times. So when you ch 4, and slip stitch, you are making every sl st in the same stitch. But since the total is 44 clusters, I suspect there are 4 picots to each cluster. In that case, you would do it 4 times instead of 3.  It may be too that there is a ch 4 after each cluster, which may cause the confusion. If you tell me where you got this pattern, and I have it, or can locate it, I could look at the picture a get a better idea of what is going on.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you need anything further, or if this is still too confusing. Good luck!

Marla