crochet help!

piratemel · 12-20-2008, 10:12 AM

Hello, I have just finished making a knitted cardigan and now the final touches are to crochet around the edging. The only problem is, I'm new to crochet, lol. I have managed to rejoin the yarn and ch 1. But now it asks me to work in dc along the cast on edge, and I'm stuck. Can anyone help? This is suppost to be a x mas present and I'm running out of time, lol. Please help?!

catlvr · 12-20-2008, 04:41 PM

Does it say to dc in each cast on stitch or to dc evenly along cast on edge? Sometimes you have to space the dcs out so it won't ripple or "bunch up" Do you know how to dc? You yo your hook, go into the stitch, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on your hook, yo, pull through the last two loops. dc made. I assume the edging is on the front and back of the cardigan to you probably start at one side seam or front edge and go all the way around. When you get to the end, just cut your yarn leaving a tail, pull through your last stitch and weave in the ends.

MGM · 12-20-2008, 05:55 PM

Hey Piratemel, I have done some videos showing how to crochet onto a knitted piece and how to do double crochet. If you want to take a look, click here and look down in the post under the heading of "Learn to crochet video tutorials" and you see one for double crochet stitch and one for how to crochet a border around a knitted piece.

If you are interested in other crochet techniques, the other videos might be helpful too.

Email if you have questions or post here. Good luck!

MGM

catlvr · 12-21-2008, 04:21 PM

Great videos MGM!!

piratemel · 12-22-2008, 12:30 AM

Thank you both so much for your help.

I've managed to double crochet the borders around my knitted cardigan, but now I've hit another problem. I have to make button holes. The pattern says. (Work 2 ch, miss 2 ch). I think I understand the 2 ch, but how do I miss 2 ch. I know I probably sound really silly, but I'm struggling with this whole crochet thing. Please help?

MGM · 12-22-2008, 01:45 AM

Well, if you have already crocheted around the sweater and you are happy with the result, then you are doing just great! I admire your sporting spirit!

I think what that pattern is telling you to do is to work 2 chain stitches, then skip two stitches before working your next double or single. So you would be crocheting along in each stitch, then at the point where this instructions indicates, instead of working single or double crochets into each of the next two stitches, you would skip them and work two chain stitches to span that space, then continue crocheting in the third stitch.

I'm guessing you would do another row or two after the buttonhole row. For that row, you would work into the two chain stitches just as if they were singles or doubles.

You are basically making a hole by skipping some stitches and using the chains to span the space.

I hope this is helpful and not too confusing.

MGM

MGM · 12-22-2008, 01:48 AM

Piratemel, are you in England? If so, your instructions for crochet might be slightly different from American instructions as far as what we call the different stitches. I think in British instructions, what you call a double is our single.

Just something to keep in mind when asking for help or reading other people's suggestions.

MGM

piratemel · 12-22-2008, 12:54 PM

Ahhhh, thank you so much! I thought maybe that's what it meant, but wasn't sure. Sometimes the way they write it, just sounds so confusing. Yeah I'm in England, I didn't realise that so many of you are over seas. I can't be the only crocheter in England, lol! Maybe they should come up with termanology that everyone across the world can understand, lol.
Thanks again for all your help, you've been wonderfull, Mel.
P.S. Where abouts are you from?

MGM · 12-22-2008, 02:56 PM

Hi Mel, I'm from Leominster...but not England! Leominster, Massachusetts. I think those are the only two Leominsters in the world. Are you near Leominster England?

We have about 20 inches of snow here from the past 2 days! Winter has arrived with a vengeance.

I posted another crochet video on my website today if you want to take a look.

I found this chart online that you might find helpful for comparing American English crochet terms...I once crochet an Irish lace collar for my daughter's Irish step dancing dress which was written in English terms and had to convert the whole thing before making it. That was quite a project, but turned out very nicely and made me aware of the differences. Here's a picture if you would like to see it. It's the one on the green dress in the middle of that post.

Let us know how your project turns out!

MGM