Help with a pattern

OK I’m trying to continue a tradition started by my mother who passed away in 2009. She would either knit or crochet afghans for special folks she thought deserved them. These afghans were always either Angels Everywhere or Captive Hearts from Shady Lane. I’m doing the Captive Hearts Afghan and am having a little trouble trying to figure out how to complete a row.

The first 3 rows are all single crochet and I have those done. Its the 4th row I’m having trouble with. The pattern reads:
Join CC with sc in first st (I get this part). The trouble comes here,[B] dc in fl of next 2 rows below,[/B]. Is there a video somewhere that shows how to do this? There are a couple pictures on the pattern showing what to do but I can’t seem to get my brain wrapped around the concept.

This is the first pattern of this type I’ve tried to do but so far I think I like it. Its really easy to figure out what row your on since each row is cut and finished off. All you have to do is count the fringe ends. Both the Angels and the Hearts patterns are made in a similar fashion so once I get this part figured out the rest should be a breeze. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Have you figured out the ‘fl’ means ‘front loop’? You might be able to find a video on youtube by searching for ‘front loop dc’ or spell out double crochet. Usually in crochet you would put the hook through both loops of the stitch on the previous row, the chain - but for the fl you only putt into the loop that’s facing you. There’s also some stitches where you would make the stitch in the back loop only.

The pattern has an explanation about the fl being front loop. Its the 2 rows below I’m having trouble with. I will look at the piece I’ve made so far and see if I can figure out just where the front loop is on that row 2 down.

Yes, doing it on the stitch 2 rows below will make an elongated stitch or a folded up one. It may also mean the same as ‘front post’ which doesn’t mean to make the stitch in the top loop, but in the vertical loop of a dc instead.

I found a picture, and it looks like the regular rows are done through the back loop, leaving the front loops free. Or is it Tunisian crochet? In that case there would be a front loop to work into.

That picture looks to be the same pattern but it says to work the fl of the row 2 below. SC’s are worked into the back loop. I will have to look at Tunisian Crochet to see if this is what they’re talking about.

Yes, if you work the stitch into the loop of the stitch 2 rows below, you’ll have that vertical line that appears.

Is it possible for you to link to the pattern or a picture of it? I did a search and came up empty handed for the pattern.
I don’t think it’s Tunisian, you’d know it was not ordinary crochet because in Tunisian you work the stitches in two passes, the first picking them up and holding them on the needle much like knitting and the second to work them off. However, I have been wrong once or twice…maybe even three times in my life.:wink:

Tunisian simple stitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFdI5fc_iDE
This video is working in the back loop but maybe it will help you see what you need to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu2GzJHCgwE

HTH

Its not possible to link to the pattern due to copyright.

15th set down the page
http://www.shadylane.com/afghanspg2.htm

The picture suzeeq linked to looks the same but closeup.

In the notes of the pattern it states: [B]All sc’s are worked in the back loop. All dc’s are worked in the front loop of st of 2nd row below the one being worked.[/B]

I’m wondering if I need to frog these 3 rows of sc I’ve done so far. These were done as regular sc and not using the back loop. I was thinking the back loop would be used when the actual pattern started.I’m now wondering if it does indeed make a difference.

I’m wondering if I need to frog these 3 rows of sc I’ve done so far. These were done as regular sc and not using the back loop. I was thinking the back loop would be used when the actual pattern started.I’m now wondering if it does indeed make a difference.

Yes, it does seem to make a difference. Crocheting in the back loop only is what produces the ridges on the front that can be seen in the close up.

All dc’s are worked in the front loop of st of 2nd row below the one being worked.

That’s a drop stitch, worked in the front loop only. I knew it had a name, I finally stumbled across it. This video is for working in both loops but you can easily work it front loop only I bet.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhZ5f-NRXY
HTH

I love that pattern, if I ever do a real crochet project again that may be it.

Thank you. I’m going to try this and see if it works. I’ll redo the first 3 sc rows by using only the back loops.

Ok I got the drop stitch mastered somewhat and ran into another problem I think. In the pattern it says:
[B]SC, *DC, (sc, dc) 9 times, 19 sc, repeat from * 5 (other afghans 3) more times, (dc sc) 10 times.[/B]

If my little brain is reading this correctly I should sc, then dc, then sc 9x for a total of 18 dc’s separated by a sc between each one??? do this 5 times. What the heck is the 10 times thing? this afghan is not THAT big.

The parts in parentheses are for the other sizes that can be made with this pattern according to the notes.

means this:
SC
*DC
sc, dc
sc, dc
sc, dc
sc, dc
sc, dc
sc, dc
sc, dc
sc, dc
sc, dc
19 sc
*
work from * to * 5 [B][I]more[/I][/B] times (so you do the above section 6 times total)
dc, sc
dc, sc
dc, sc
dc, sc
dc, sc
dc, sc
dc, sc
dc, sc
dc, sc
dc, sc

for a total of 249 stitches in this row. If you’re using small-ish yarn, that’s not all that big.

This section of the pattern must also be used for other patterns as well, and in those other patterns, you would do the to section only 3 times.

If any of you other crocheters read this differently, please feel free to correct!

Hope this helps!

MGM

I agree with MGM. I couldn’t figure out how to say it. That works well!

OK that’s why it looks funny. I think I doubled it up so its off to frog it again. There singular rows are easy to pull out but its still a pain. Luckily its only 6 rows.

If I’m understanding you correctly the 2nd half of the row is worked backwards to the end. How can something so simple be so confuzzling?

Well not exactly. It’s more like repeating sections of single/double and just single, so one row would look like this, where s=one sc and d=one dc and it’s all strung together in one row:

sdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssssdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssssdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssssdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssssdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssssdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssssdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsd

Hope this helps visualize it.

MGM

To clarify it a little further:

[COLOR=“Indigo”]s[/COLOR][COLOR=“DarkOrange”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR][COLOR=“Green”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR][COLOR=“Blue”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR][COLOR=“Magenta”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR][COLOR=“DeepSkyBlue”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR][COLOR=“Purple”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR][COLOR=“Red”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsd[/COLOR]

Each color change is a section of the instruction, and this is all in one row

MGM

Let’s try that again…

To clarify it a little further:

[COLOR=“Indigo”]s[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“DarkOrange”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“Green”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“Blue”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“Magenta”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“DeepSkyBlue”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“Purple”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsssssssssssssssssss[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“Red”]dsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsd[/COLOR]

Each color change is a section of the instruction, and this is all in one row

MGM

I sure wish you had written this pattern cause you make it so easy to understand. I may get this done in time to be mailed off before Christmas. Thank you so much.