Crochet-Along Clue 2: Spoilers and Photos

[Shandeh]

Bernat is recommending that you leave 12 inch tails at the outside edge for seaming later.
Some of us are not doing that, though. So, it's your decision.

Thank you for your quck response.

That was supposed to be "quick"

Hey, I figured it wasn't "quack".

By the way, you can edit previous posts. No need to post again to make a correction.

[Shandeh]

Hi Everyone!!
I am having so much fun being reunited with my crochet hooks to participate in the CAL. I don't think I have crocheted anything for over a year! My clue 1 squares came out fine but I am also am having problems reaching 11 inches for my #2's. I started out with the H, tried the I and tonight had to go to the store to purchase the J hook and am still not at 11. Wondering if I should go for the K next! The J hook measurement comes to almost 10inches, still not quite enough. I don't know how much looser I can make my stitches!

Hey, if you want to add an extra row of single crochet all around, I won't tell!
They are YOUR motifs, my friend. Do what you want with them.

[Shandeh]

I'm frustrated with round 5. I have tried and frogged like 3 times. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. Is anyone else having issues with that round? Please help.

Yah me too Heather. I can't seem to figure out the line where it states rep twice in brackets.
Does it mean all of it in the ch 5 sp? or only part of it? and which part?

The soft bracket( or...

The hard bracket { ???

Grrrr..

Kelly

Yes. All of it goes in the chain 5 space. The part that is repeated is within the parentheses ().

[Mist8012]

Oh Thank you!
I'll have to start over but now I have a clue for clue 2! lol

I'm frustrated with round 5. I have tried and frogged like 3 times. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. Is anyone else having issues with that round? Please help.

Yah me too Heather. I can't seem to figure out the line where it states rep twice in brackets.
Does it mean all of it in the ch 5 sp? or only part of it? and which part?

The soft bracket( or...

The hard bracket { ???

Grrrr..

Kelly

Yes. All of it goes in the chain 5 space. The part that is repeated is within the parentheses ().

[karenarp]

For every one struggling with tension / gauge I have a whopper of a tip that I accidentally discovered while trying to figure out how to hold my yarn for knitting.
I crocheted for years always wondering why it was so tight all the time. I like to have control of my yarn. I want to feel it go through my fingers. I wrapped it around in a stair step pattern before and I really believe that was why I was always so tight. I Used to have it wrapped over the front and back of my hand, Not easy to put into words..

I then held it just looped over my pinky then up and over my pointer finger in my opposite (left for me) hand. I squeezed my ring finger gently to lock the yarn.
This was really odd for me and felt way wrong. Took making 18 of last weeks motifs before I got the hang of being looser. It felt wrong. But I measured my motifs and they were all 4.5 once I loosened up.
Pulling my stitches through felt like they would fall off the hook but I prevailed. At first I panicked all the time that I was going to be too large when done. So, one loop only and don't worry, the stitches will stay.

[eesmy]

So I had to go from a 5.5mm to a 8mm hook to get the right size!!! Now to just do the other 4!!!

The instructions said to use an H or an 8 mm hook for this clue.

I really like your colors, but as a beginning crocheter, this pattern is kicking my butt.

I wish the pattern would give you a stitch count at the end of every row, so I could see if I'm even close. might give up on the first one and switch colors to see if that helps. (who knows - different color, different perspective???)

The second page of the clue provides a diagram and you can check the stitches there. I'm finding it easier to follow the diagram over the written instructions.

[katydid]

For every one struggling with tension / gauge I have a whopper of a tip that I accidentally discovered while trying to figure out how to hold my yarn for knitting.
I crocheted for years always wondering why it was so tight all the time. I like to have control of my yarn. I want to feel it go through my fingers. I wrapped it around in a stair step pattern before and I really believe that was why I was always so tight. I Used to have it wrapped over the front and back of my hand, Not easy to put into words..

I then held it just looped over my pinky then up and over my pointer finger in my opposite (left for me) hand. I squeezed my ring finger gently to lock the yarn.
This was really odd for me and felt way wrong. Took making 18 of last weeks motifs before I got the hang of being looser. It felt wrong. But I measured my motifs and they were all 4.5 once I loosened up.
Pulling my stitches through felt like they would fall off the hook but I prevailed. At first I panicked all the time that I was going to be too large when done. So, one loop only and don't worry, the stitches will stay.

I was taught years ago by family members to loop over pinkie and forefinger, but found this to be too awkward, and have always crocheted with the yarn over my forefinger, and have very little trouble with tension and guage. Mostly it's what you get used to. LOL

[Lynnie]

Thanks for the tips and just wanted to let you know I am at 10.5 with the K hook and that's good enough for me! It's time to go to bed!!

[yarn4deb]

I started my crocheting late today and only got 2 blocks made, one in each color. But I love the shape and pattern. My blocks are a bit smaller than the template but think they will pull out nicely when I block them and I used the H hook. I do crochet loosely most of time, I've come along way from when I learned and many of my stitches were to tight to get the hook into, but that was a very long time ago.

For those of you having trouble with following the repeats, it can also help to actually write it all out for the 5th rnd: [1dc, ch2 (1dc, ch1) twice] in same ch5 sp *[1 dc, ch1, 1dc, ch2 (1dc, ch1) twice] in next ch5 sp. rep from * around

becomes [1dc, ch2, 1dc, ch1 (1st time) 1dc, ch1 (2nd time) in same ch5 sp *[1dc, ch1, 1dc, ch2 ,1dc, ch1 (1st time) 1dc, ch 1(2nd time) in next ch5 sp. rep from * around. Hope this helps.

[erin557]

Finally got one the right size. I used the H/8 hook first. Which had worked perfectly for my gauge swatch and for all squares in clue one, so I didn't even think about it when picking it up for this piece. When I was done it measured only 9 1/2" across. I had broken off after the flower, so I only unwound to that part and started the outer rings with a I/9 hook. This is what I ended up with.

clue #2.jpg

I think this will be perfect once blocked. I guess I will continue with the H/8 for the flower and the I/9 for the rest. I think I will try sliping up the flower next time though, as some have suggested. The less ends I have to weave in, the happier I will be. This one is in my MC. Think I am off to bed now. Will make more tomorrow.