Hi again,
I don’t know what that means…“skip next ch-3 space”
Thank you 
In the pattern where you found this instruction, there must be a segment of the previous row where you did a chain-3.
So you work the pattern up to the chain-3 space, then you don’t work any stitches into the space or hole made by the chain-3, but continue the pattern in the next stitch after the chain-3 space or wherever the pattern indicates to continue.
Does that make sense?
Maybe you could share the previous row instruction and the current row instruction to give us an idea of what’s going on in the pattern. Or a link to the pattern if it is online!
MGM
So you wouldn’t crochet into the chained stitches? You would skip them completely?
Row 1 WS: Sc in second chain from hook, Sc in next ch, ([U]skip next 3chains,[/U] 7 DC in next ch [shell made], [U]skip next 3 chs[/U], SC in next 3 chs)3 times, [U]Skip next 3 chs[/U], 4 DC in last ch
Row 2: Ch1, SC in first 2 DC, (ch3, dc7tog, ch3, sc in next 3 DC)3times, ch3, dc4tog, turn
Row 3: Ch3, 3 DC in first st ([B]skip next ch-3 sp[/B], SC in next 3 SC, [B]skip next ch-3 sp[/B], 7DC in next st)3 times, [B]skip next ch-3 sp[/B], SC in last 2 SC
Your right…in row 1 I have to skip 3chs, in row 3 I guess I just have to skip them when I get to them.
thanks!!
Heather
I think you’ve got the concept. But it’s the [B]ch3[/B]s from Row [B]2[/B] that Row 3 is telling you to skip.
What’s the name of the pattern you are working on? Sounds like some kind of fancy shell pattern. I might have to work up a sample!
MGM
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Yes, by skiping the 3 chains you bridge a space that allows the shell stitch to “fan” out at the top. In the pattern portion that Heatherg23 shows, row 2 then has puff stitches in the center (of 3) SC sts between shells of the previous row. These puff sts are also bridged with ch3 spaces before and after so the 3 SC are in the top-center three DCs of shell stitch in the previous row.
A tight chain 3 may cause this pattern to gather or bunch up, so one could use a loser tension on the chains or just add a chain to the spaces if needed.
ETA:
Okay I first called them popcorns then clusters then puffs, but after closely reading the pattern I see they are clusters. (I was wondering why it didn’ say “ch 3, sk 3” in row 2 before the dc7tog that I thought were “puffs” :doh:) That’s what I get for not reading carefully. I don’t have yarn and hook handy so I drew out the pattern in a symbol chart. :roll: Hey, puffs and fans would make a pretty pattern too, it just wouldn’t be this pattern that Heatherg23 is working.
The clusters will be like and inverted shell, I think. Then as MGM said in row 3 you skip the ch 3 spaces of row 2.
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How did you learn all this? Because now I’m feeling waves of confusion roll over me, gently. 
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Sorry, take it one step at a time and trust the pattern.
When I was learning, I found it much easier to watch it and then do it rather than to read about it and then try to do it. My mom is always crocheting, so I and my siblings and all our spouses have all received a variety of crocheted items. She has made everything from afghans to pot holders in sport team colors. 
We even have received one of those TP-roll covers; the doll with the big crocheted dresses. :roll: LOL
I’ve crocheted more than I’ve knit, and I can now visualize what something will look like just by reading the pattern or perhaps by drawing out [crochet symbols](Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos SYMBOLS) for the stitches.
This is a crochet symbol drawing of a granny square.
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Jack, do you know where I could get a crochet/knit symbol set for my computer? I could set up some patterns in Excel if I could get the symbols. I agree that it is easier to visualize the patterns than to read them one bit at a time.
I don’t know where but I do know how to look for them.
I’d do a search on symbol crochet fonts for the easiest solution. You might also want to search for New Hampshire Software’s SymblCro software. There are likely to be other software sources for both crochet and knitting design software that uses symbols.
I have the free download of SymblCro but have not yet installed it. I have read many positive review of that software that is for doilies and other in-the-round designs.
I do remember finding Windows fonts for free download that give you crochet symbols.
Good luck in your search. I don’t have any bookmarks and have had recent trouble accessing this site with Internet explorer so have no time to search and provide links. :shrug:
–Jack
I did some snooping around and think I’m going to research some software instead of using Excel. I did find some free fonts for download, but it’s pretty time consuming trying to use them. I’m finding that the more detailed projects require me to reduce the patterns to some kind of shorthand so I can grasp how they progress. Otherwise I end up making mistakes and have to do a lot of frogging.