Hi, I’m new to crochet (started in December) and wanted to make a twisted scarf/cowl. The pattern is in a picture and I really don’t understand the rows or how to read it… Would anyone be willing to help or translate it into normal crochet abbreviations?
Crochet DROPS moebius in “Baby Merino”
Thanks for the help… I learned to knit from this site and so I thoght this would be the best place to ask. 
Well, for starters this pattern uses British crochet terms, which are different from American crochet terms.
You can find the conversion chart here: http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/includes/chart_crochetterms.php
HOWEVER (you’re probably not going to want to hear this) I would [B]highly[/B] recommend doing several patterns written in American crochet terms first; otherwise, you may royally confuse yourself and get the stitches mixed up for ever after!!
Converting this pattern would be somewhat challenging for me, and I’ve been crocheting for many, many years.
Have you looked for a similar pattern that’s completely written out using American terminology? I’d be willing to bet that there are lots of them!
I’m not really bothered by the terms as I am used to changing between languages. I learned to crochet from a friend in Swedish, a UK knitting magazine and an American crochet book. All in the same weekend. I have my cheat sheet with terms in all three and use it to get my head going in the right direction whenever I start something new.
I just don’t know where to begin with the symbols. At all.
I have looked for a somewhat similar pattern and ended up making some kind of cross between the two. Kind of. I think it worked out okay.
Any ideas for learning to read such a diagram? Previously I have seen them (not quite this complicated) and just assumed it was too hard and that I couldn’t do it, but I’d love to learn.
I’m glad to hear that the cross-cultural crochet terms aren’t throwing you off! That’s great. But this chart is atrocious! Charts aren’t difficult to read, but this one has to be one of the most confusing ones I’ve ever seen!
The main pattern looks like an 8-dc cluster (that has 4 dc, ch 2, 4 dc) in the center of the cluster below it. Then there’s a double crochet between each 8-dc cluster, but what really confuses me are the dotted lines on the right side and what to do when you turn!! Based on the atrocious chart, it looks like after you make the last 8-dc cluster in a row, you single crochet in the last stitch. But that would seem to make the rows uneven on either end. So instead of doing a single crochet as last stitch on the row, dc in last stitch, turn your work, chain three (for first dc), and start with the 8-dc cluster in next cluster again?
Perhaps try this and see if it works.
[COLOR=“Navy”]Ah, I didn’t expect Norwegian crochet symbols to be different from the symbols I knew. (I think Japan has kind of set the standard on crochet symbols from what I’ve ‘heard.’ Their patterns seem to be exclusively in symbols. No matter, I find it as easily to translate as UK to US. 
[U][B]International symbol chart[/B][/U]:
[B]DROPS’ notes on symbols:[/B]
(valley) [B]V[/B] sl st (US symbol dot or solid oval)
(line) [B]—[/B] ch (US symbol hollow oval)
(Tall T) [B]T[/B] dc (US sc, symbol [B]x[/B] or [B]+[/B], note no yo at start.)
(vertical bar) | tr (US dc, symbol [S]T[/S] 1 slash indicating one yarn over YO to start the stitch.)
(Vertical bar,
1 crossing) | dtr (US tr, symbol [B]T[/B] with 2 slash, indicating two YO to start st)
The [S]good news is that there is a written pattern right above the diagram[/S]. Oh, no. :sad: I see it is only the stating three rounds and then it says to follow the M.1 diagram.
[U][B]Pattern and diagram on DROPS[/B][/U]:
Here is how I’d translate the M1 diagram using US crochet abbreviations.
Round 4: sl st to middle of next ch 3 space (sp), ch3 (counts as DC between shells), *now work 3 dc, ch, 3 dc all in next ch3 sp (one shell complete), dc in next ch3 sp, repeat from * 62 more times around, (3 dc, ch, 3 dc) all in last ch3 sp, sl st to top of starting ch 3.
Round 5 & 6: ch 3, *(3 dc, ch, 3 dc) all in top of ch space of next shell, dc in top of dc, Repeat from * 62 more times, (3dc, ch, 3dc) in last ch3 sp, sl st to top of ch 3.
Round 7 & 8 only differ with the shells being (4 dc, ch, 4 dc) all in ch spc of next shell.
Round 9 adds to the ch sp in the shell: (4 dc, 2 ch, 4 dc) all in ch spc of next shell.
Round 10, 11, 12 changes to tr [I]treble crochet US[/I] shells: so start of with ch 4 (as your first tr between shells) and each shell is (4 tr, 2 ch, 4 tr) all in ch sp of next shell of previous row and uses tr in top of next dc in previous row.
If you’d like more detail on rows 7 to 12, just ask and I’ll send it via PM.
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