Help needed with crochet patterns

[Poppy4lee]

I recently downloaded some free crochet patterns and was rather pleased with myself until I tried to actually crochet them. Well, I am a novice but I really can't make head nor tail of them . I'm sure it's due to my inexperience, I've tried my best but to no avail!! Are there any kind people, who know how to crochet, that would be prepared to 'translate' the patterns into a format for dummies?? I'm more than happy to pay you for your trouble I've posted the links for the patterns below:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/we2/potpourrieheart.html
http://www.crochetmemories.com/archive/april7.html

Many thanks x

[Phoenixjewellery]

No problem I can do it for you. What crochet terms are you familiar with so I know where to start? Can you make chains do double crochet, trebles, slip stitches? Once you let me know I will start to make sense of the pattern for you.
Janice

[Mrs T Riddiough]

Both patterns are in american terms, if you have trouble getting someone to translate them into english then just shout.

[Moonbeam Angel]

I havent looked at the links but I guessed they may be American. I too could translate for you if need be

[silvermaid]

Here is a good site with clear drawings of the basic english stitches.
http://www.learn2knit.co.uk/crochet/basic-stitches.php

The americans - just to be different I suspect - call our double crochet a single crochet and so each one all the way up is different.
US - UK
slip stitch = slip stitch
single = double
double = treble
treble = double treble

Hope this helps

Melanie

[Poppy4lee]

No problem I can do it for you. What crochet terms are you familiar with so I know where to start? Can you make chains do double crochet, trebles, slip stitches? Once you let me know I will start to make sense of the pattern for you.
Janice

Thank you so much Janice I've pm'd you. Thank you to everyone else as well, I'm really sorry I haven't replied before now but I've been plagued with headaches and haven't been able to use my computer. I can do all the basic crochet stitches but I find following a crochet pattern virtually impossible!! I can follow knitting patterns with ease, so, I assume that crochet patterns must be set out differently, or, there must be a knack to reading them...is there a simple way of 'cracking the code' ?

[silvermaid]

The two patterns you have linked to are quite complicated for a beginner so why not have a go at making a simple granny square first.
http://www.ethknits.co.uk/How-to-Cro...to_crochet.htm
This also has some good pictures so you can see what the pattern is like.

Most patterns are a combination of doubles, trebles and chains. Everything inside brackets is repeated so (3 treble, 2 chain, 3 treble) into next two chain spaces means that in the next chain space you do 3 treble then 3 chain then 3 treble and then you go on to the next chain space and do the same again.

Once you get the hang of it you will be able to work out the stitches by looking at the pictures.

hope this helps.
Melanie

[Moonbeam Angel]

[quote=silvermaid;176796]The two patterns you have linked to are quite complicated for a beginner so why not have a go at making a simple granny square first.
http://www.ethknits.co.uk/How-to-Cro...to_crochet.htm
This also has some good pictures so you can see what the pattern is like.

Most patterns are a combination of doubles, trebles and chains. Everything inside brackets is repeated so (3 treble, 2 chain, 3 treble) into next two chain spaces means that in the next chain space you do 3 treble then 3 chain then 3 treble and then you go on to the next chain space and do the same again.

Once you get the hang of it you will be able to work out the stitches by looking at the pictures.




See now I knew that but could I think of a way of wording it to make it easy to understand??? no I couldn't, well done! (don't think I would make a good teacher!!!!)
hope this helps.

[Poppy4lee]

Thank you Moonbeam Angel and Silvermaid, I've made several granny squares and filet bookmarks, I've even crocheted a cat basket (my own pattern, I hasten to add), so, I can do the basics, it's just following patterns that throws me . Phoenixjewellery has very kindly offerred to simplify the pattern for me, so, I'm sure I'll be OK. Maybe, when I've got the simplified version I'll be able to relate it to the original version and that should give me a good idea of where I've messed up in the past

[Alice21]

When I download a free pattern off the net and it is American I copy and paste the text into Word then if you click on edit and replace you can change sc to dc. dc to tr and so on. I also find it useful for making the text bigger and easier to read.

Alice

[Poppy4lee]

When I download a free pattern off the net and it is American I copy and paste the text into Word then if you click on edit and replace you can change sc to dc. dc to tr and so on. I also find it useful for making the text bigger and easier to read.

Alice

That's a really good idea

[Enfys]

When I download a free pattern off the net and it is American I copy and paste the text into Word then if you click on edit and replace you can change sc to dc. dc to tr and so on. I also find it useful for making the text bigger and easier to read.

Alice

Yes, that is how I do it as well. However, it is important to do it in the right order as if you change sc to dc, then all dc to tr, you end up with everything in tr.

I recommend you do it this way -

The easiest way to convert the patterns is to copy and paste the text into a word document, then use the "Replace" tool.

Make sure you set it to "Find whole words only" other wise you will end up changing letters in the middle of other words. Click on "More" to find this option.

It is important to change the stitches in the right order.
tr - dtr
dc - tr
hdc - htr
sc - dc
skip - miss
yo - yoh

Hope this helps.

[lilacjojo]

When I download a free pattern off the net and it is American I copy and paste the text into Word then if you click on edit and replace you can change sc to dc. dc to tr and so on. I also find it useful for making the text bigger and easier to read.

Alice

Alic, that's a really good idea - will definately do that next time a download a patterns.

Thanks
Jo