Crocheting is easy, so why do I find it so hard to read a pattern?

For a start, there are a lot of words.  I'll skip over every single one of them to get straight to the one word: BEGIN.  If I'm lucky, someone will have written that word.  Most often they don't.  So I'm looking instead for "Chain x number of stitches".  Well, shucks, it's not there either.  Where the dickens do you start this thing??

Skip first stitch?? Help!

The picture looks so easy.  I think I can do it without the pattern.  To pot with it, I'll make it up as I go.  I'll make a chain and see how it works out.  Okay, what hook size should I use?  Where is that written?  On one of those thousands of sentences near the top of the page?  God, I hope so.  I'm beginning to think this is too hard for me.  Do I even have the right weight of yarn?

Picture looks so easy.  So why is the pattern so hard to read?

So let's rewind here a second.  You probably didn't actually read the pattern at all until this point.  You looked at the pretty picture and bought the yarn.  That was fun!  But now it's gone to hell in a handcart because it suddenly feels like work, all rules and regulations.  I hate patterns!!

But stop a second.  Someone - like me maybe - sat down and wrote all those words for a reason.  And you've bought those words, also for a reason.  Maybe they could be clues to an easy ride here.  And they are in English.  I know it might look like a code for the Illuminati but I can assure you it's just a few simple abbreviations.

Is crochet a secret code known only to a select few?

So, here you go: Ch118 (or a muliple of 6 +2 (add 2 for turning chain). Why are you telling me this??!!  Stop trying to confuse me!  Do I chain 118 or not??

I've a few ideas as to why a crochet pattern is hard to read and why so many people come to me with amazing crochet skills without ever having mastered reading a pattern.  And the good news?  It's not your fault!  Which is also the bad news, because if it's not your fault, then it must be the fault of whoever wrote the pattern.  And there are trillions of folk writing patterns right now.

1) People who write patterns are not always qualified.  There are so many free patterns out there, written by generous enthusiasts who just want to help you make what they have made.  But they might forget to tell you a few important facts, omit whole sections of the pattern by accident, or just genuinely not be able to translate action into words.  You were looking for the the instruction "tr2Tog"? Forget it, this girl has just told you to "decrease three times evenly across the row".  Whaaaa?? And you said you can crochet? Tspfff!!
And just for added confusion, the American patterns have slightly different names for the stitches, so you have to keep your wits about you.

FREE patterns in USA terms from http://www.redheart.com/

1a) There are a few quick ways to recognise an American pattern:

1. Americans have a stitch called "sc - single crochet".  We don't say that.  We in the UK call this stitch a double crochet.
2. Americans say "ch3, counts as first dc".  Well, no it doesn't, because the American "dc" is our UK treble.  We say, Ch3 counts as first treble
3. Americans say "sl st" for a slip stitch.  We say "ss"for a slip stitch.  But even this can be unreliable if our amateur pattern writer is a little confused herself.
4. Americans say "hdc".  We don't have that stitch.  We say "htr "for a half treble.  

1b: Conversion Chart 

American Terms UK Terms

chain(ch)                              chain(ch)

single crochet (sc)                 double crochet (dc)

double crochet (dc)                treble (tr)

half double crochet(hdc)         half treble (htr)

triple crochet (trc)                  double treble (dtr)

slip stitch (sl st)                     slip stitch (ss)

2) Some crochet patterns are written by knitters, a similar discipline but a totally different skill.  So they might tell you to "work in Patt to last 4sts, ending with 2dc, ss to top of last st".  What???  What Patt?  A minute ago I was following precise instructions and now I'm suddenly flying solo?  Where did the pattern go?

  Where did my instructions go?? Who the heck is Patt?

3) There is no universal language for crochet.  It's crochet is relatively new skill, (well a new internet boom has cause a craft-exchange explosion) and it's so fashionable right now that everyone seems to be giving it a go.  Patterns can be written by non Native-speakers, or be rough translations (eg from the French such as Bergere de France).  The visually transmitted skill it once was has no reliable trace.  Vintage patterns can differ widely from modern patterns.  What used to be a common dc, is suddenly a modern extended double crochet.  What your granny did for a dc, is today a much taller stitch.  It's just not the same.
Beware the online video tutorials, hosted by so-called experts.  They work and talk so convincingly that you'd swear on your mother's life that you've seen it done properly on YouTube. However I've noticed there are quite a few out there who could benefit from a couple of formal lessons.  In fact, you yourself could already show them a few easier ways!

4) Your crochet stitches may not be perfectly formed, especially if you're a beginner, and so when you're asked to, for example, "skip the next Cluster and work 2dc into next ss", your tricky cluster may look more like a gorse bush in bloom by the time you were done with it, and your slip stitch so tight there's so way you're getting anything finer than a toothpick into that space. And now you're hunting for a toothpick when you should be getting down to business.  In crochet, the better you are, the better you are.  It's a steep learning curve.

Too few stitches on left, two many stitches on the right

5) Knitting patterns are easier to read because all your stitches are waiting in line on the needle.  Easier to count, easier to see, easier to skip and knit together.  With the exception of having to pick up dropped stitches, knitters get it easier than crocheters, who are half blind by what seems like endless counting, without ever getting the same number twice.  So does that chain count as a stitch or not??

6) Only some patterns will tell you the whole story, but most will leave you to make serious assumptions.  For example, pattern says:

"Ch3, skip next stitch, 1tr in next stitch"

So where should you put your hook? Doubt abounds.

But if they said:  

"Ch3 (counts as first treble), skip next stitch, 1tr in next stitch (i.e. 3rd stitch along)" 

all your doubts would be quelled.  Because in a long row of 118ch ripping back is a most unwelcome task.  Lazy pattern writing is NOT cool.  And please be kind enough to tell us how many puffs/clusters/spaces we should have at the end of the row.  It's not much to ask and it would help us  a lot.

7) Charts in crochet can be a big help, but not all pattern writers have the software to help here.  There are those of you out there who will see a chart and instantly shut down, fearing it is another hieroglyph for intellectuals, but actually these charts are the best invention and your best pal as you work.  They are never wrong (well, hardly ever wrong) and you can see at a glance what you're meant to be doing.  I highly recommend you start with an easy one and go from there.

Crochet Chart pattern

I write patterns every week and publish them on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/nancysaid.  After actually crocheting, it's one of my favourite things to do. And as the years have gone by, it's getting easier and I think I'm getting better.  There are some parts I seem to write over and over for every pattern, therefore I can concentrate on the harder sections.
My most recent pattern for The Bazaar Tote (coming soon, still in the checking phase) has been the most convoluted yet, but even so I've tried hard to make it as simple as possible.  Being a crochet teacher helps, as I know where you might go wrong.  I try hard to eliminate where you might struggle.  I really want you to have fun and be happy as you work!

New pattern of The Bazaar Tote is most complicated to write to date, though hopefully simple to read

The Bazaar Tote - Pattern coming soon

As an incentive, I'm offering one my Zen Spirit - Easy crochet pattern for you to try at just 99p.  I hope you find it a joy to make.  Certainly most of those who have tried it, have made it more than once.  I hope you give it a go.  And let me know if a well-written pattern has made a difference to your crochet-mojo.  Download offer available until 8April 2018 https://goo.gl/dHETbE

Zen Spirit Scarf - Easy crochet pattern available for instant download 99p https://goo.gl/dHETbE - offer ends Sun 8 April

Thanks for reading and happy crocheting!
Nancy xx

I love helping to take the mystery out of crochet