Lesson Info
12. Tips for Reading a Crochet Pattern
Lessons
Class Introduction
00:48 2What You Need To Get Started
12:59 3The Yarn Label and What is Gauge?
08:01 4How To Chain Stitch
04:32 5How to Single Crochet Stitch
07:55 6How to Half-Double Crochet Stitch
06:17 7How to Double Crochet Stitch
06:01 8How to Triple Crochet Stitch
06:17Lesson Info
Tips for Reading a Crochet Pattern
Alright, we've learned all of the basic skills. We've worked on small project and now we're thinking of putting all those stitches together and working on a project that we can wear and show off at least a couple of the stitches that we've learned. I've created a project that uses both, I believe, half double crochet and triple crochet. And it is this great scarf. Super simple. I used a yarn that had different shades of one color of the teal. You can tell I enjoy that color palette. So that the yarn does a lot of the work. But you're alternating in different blocks of half double crochet and triple crochet. So this pattern is a bonus, it's in the bonus materials. You can find that through the course page. You can download it. I want to make sure that you feel totally comfortable so you can have a successful first project. Because what I'm hoping is that you'll make this, you will wear it, you will snap a picture of yourself, and you will tag @vickiehowell and @creativelive so we can se...
e it because I love seeing the projects that students have made. Let's go through this project or through the pattern. So written pattern looks something like this. This is pretty standard for magazines, books, tear sheets that you might find at a crochet place. You're gonna get a written pattern like this. That just means instructions for how to build or how to make a project. The first thing that you'll see, that you'll notice is there will be a material section, sometimes also called a supply section. The first thing that will be listed is yarn. We talked earlier, way earlier about why you would need to know how much yardage that there is in a hank, or a ball or a skein of yarn. This is where it would become helpful knowledge. Let's say that you do not have access to, I use this yarn called Dream in Color. the brand is Dream in Color, the yarn is called Calm. So let's say that you didn't want to wait to order it online because you want to start this right this very second. I totally get you. Or your local yarn store doesn't have it or it's a little above your budget, whatever. You can't use this particular yarn. So here I have that you need two hanks of that, but you're not getting that yarn so how do you know how much yarn you're gonna need if you use a totally different brand. It's totally fine if you want to use a different one. You should use whatever you can get your hands on that gets you crocheting. It is important that you read some of this information. The first thing that's important is it tells you to use this yarn but then it says or equivalent, worsted weight yarn. They won't always include that in a pattern. They might now always say that. Sometimes you have to do a little bit detective work to find out and that's what you're smartphones are for, look up the yarn and see what it says. If it says worsted weight, sport weight, whatever. You want to look and see what the description of that yarn is and then you find another yarn that fits that same weight description. I'll also say you can look and see if the gauge is the same but as we mentioned earlier, often crochet stitches are not included in the gauge on labels. So just look it up online. This says that you need two hanks but each hank is 240 yards. That's almost 500 yards of yarn so you know that you're gonna need the equivalent in another brand of yarn. That could mean that you need two hanks or you might need four balls or we don't know. It depends on different yarns come in different amounts. This is the empowering number right here. If you don't know how to do this translation or if you feel uncomfortable with it, just ask the staff members at your local yarn store or at your craft store. That's what they're there for, they're there to help. Don't be afraid to utilize that. This is a worsted weight yarn so we're gonna do that. Then it says what size hook. This calls for a US I or a 5.5 millimeter, depending on where you are geographically, you will either call it by the letter or the millimeter size. Normally, it doesn't say it for this pattern because as I said before if you have a scarf and it's supposed to be eight inches wide or this one is supposed to be seven inches wide and yours ends up being eight inches or six inches, does it really change how it's gonna look wrapped around your neck. Not enough. I wouldn't really even worry about the gauge for a project like this. But if this were a sweater or something, the words that would come after it would be or size needed to obtain gauge. So you might have to try one, two or three different size hooks to get the exact gauge that the pattern calls for. That gauge number is listed over here. I did not list the row number, the row gauge because again it doesn't matter. You're just gonna keep on going until it gets to the length that you want. I just gave you the width gauge. This says 12 stitches equals four inches or 10 centimeters in triple crochet. If you are looking at a label and it does actually have a crochet gauge on it, the gauge stitch that they'll tell you how many stitches will always be single crotchet. It's just the standard. So in the pattern, it's gonna tell you if the gauge is done in a different stitch it will tell you right there so you know what to practice to figure out if you're getting it. So this is basically it's three stitches per inch. That is what 12 stitches for four inches works out to be. Then you've got the measurements. This will just tell you how wide and how long it is. I gave you the measurement excluding the fringe because you can make the fringe as long or short as you want or you can skip it all together if you're not a fringe type of guy or gal. Go with it. Then it's time to dive in with directions. It starts with CH 22. CH is the abbreviation for chain. All the abbreviations are bonus material as well and you can find that through the material and you can print that out. You don't have to decode this in any way, shape or form. It's almost never is written out in a pattern. It mostly has to do with real estate space, even though that's not really as issue online. For magazines and books, they wanna kind of just make it really succinct so they can get as much material as possible on those pages. So chain 22. Then you're gonna work through the rows. This one says Row one Hdc, that's the abbreviation for half double crochet in the third ch means chain from hook. Then you're going to work all the way to, you're gonna half double crochet in every chain to the end and then you're gonna turn. Rows two to four, rows that you do the exact same thing will often just be grouped together like this. For the next few rows, you're gonna chain two and this is gonna count as a half double crochet. And then you're gonna half double crochet in the next stitch and then every stitch to the end. Turn, so that just means flip the piece over. Rows four to five, so this is the triple crochet section. So you're gonna chain four, that's CH 4. And here within these little parentheses it reminds you that is gonna count, that those chains are gonna count as that first stitch, that first triple crochet. Then you're gonna triple crochet and next ST is the abbreviation for stitch and to every stitch to end, turn. From here that's the established stitch pattern for the entire scarf. So here it tells you that you're gonna repeat one through six, rows one through six until the scarf measures 66 inches or 167.5 centimeters or two inches less, 5 centimeters less than how ever long you want it to be. So if you decide you're making it for a guy who happens to be six foot tall or whatever, you're gonna want a longer scarf that this. The general rule for scarf is you should make it for a person for as tall as they are. If you don't have access to their height, I would not fret over it. If you were wondering about that, you could go with that. 66 inches is probably shorter than most men. So if you're making a guy scarf I would probably go at least until 72 inches. Then you're gonna repeat rows one through four. Those are the half double crochet rows that we started with. I'm just gonna pull this in really quickly. So these half double crochet rows that we started with, we're also gonna end with. So that will be a nice book end or an edging for these. Then we're gonna fasten off, you know how to do that. Then it goes down it finishing. Make fringe. The directions are all there for you to know how to make fringe. It's all pretty self explanatory. You're gonna add those and then you're gonna weave in ends it says which I just showed you how to. Then you are done. You've got this great scarf. This is gonna be a go to project. You've learned this awesome skill. You can actually wear something that you made. That's gonna feel pretty awesome. You know what feels even better? Making it and then giving it to someone else and them loving it. That's kind of the best feeling there is. Thank you so much for going on this whole crochet journey with me. It's been super fun. I can't wait to see what you make. Please again tag me @vickiehowell and @creativelive and any pictures that you take of your, even of your works in progress, if you're working on the way, I love seeing that stuff. Tag us and if you're having a great time, if you think you are gonna be, you're in it for the crochet long haul, please check out my next step course. It's crochet maker 102. I hope to see you there. And if not, I will see you hopefully online in all those great pictures. Thanks for being here.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
Corrine Radergraham
Excellent presentation by the instructor. Clear, concise and perfect for a beginning crocheter. Informative tips and tricks. Vickie is a sparkler! Check out her knitting course too, it's equally well done.
Shyma Shukri
I loved this course!! Everything is clearly explained. Thank you Vickie💕
Lindsey Little
I'm completely new to crocheting and this class was extremely helpful. It was concise and thorough at the same time. I feel confident that I can complete the sample projects included in the course and I can't wait to get started!