Looking for help with a crochet baby blanket?

Question

I've crocheted before but it's been years, so I need help with basics once again...

Here's my pattern: http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=4017

The very first step is to Half Double Crochet (hdc) a chain of 143. Hdc is done by inserting the hook into the third chain. How many chains are you supposed to have in the first place? Also, how tight should they be? I'm afraid of it being so lose that it won't turn out, but at this point I'm struggling to even get my crochet hook into some of the chain because it's tight...

One last question: When doing a hdc, you're supposed to draw through all three loops on the hook but I only have two.

Any crotchet expert who can speak to me in layman's terms would be greatly appreciated. Once I get it going I'm sure I'll be fine, I just don't know where I'm going wrong.

cathy · Accepted Answer

Your chain is 143, but you insert the needle in the third chain.  Therefore, your first "HDC" for that row is the two chains.  So the total hdc's you'll wind up with is 142 (141 of them are actual hdc's).  Now, a hdc is started as a double crochet, but you just draw thru it once, not twice like a dc.  In other words, you already have one loop on the hook, now yarn over, then insert the hook into the chain and pull out the yarn for the third loop,  and now you have 3 'loops' on the hook.  Draw thru all three at once.  If your chain is too tight to insert your hook, save some time and aggravation and start over.  Loosen your grip on the yarn and relax when making the chain.  As for the tension, that's just something that needs to be practiced.  You've crocheted before, so it will come back to you.  Try a small practice piece to get into the rhythm of crocheting, like a chain of 15 and some hdc, before you start the blanket.

cocoflorida2003 · Answer

I recently did the same thing as you and it gets so frusterating when you get stuck but just keep going because as you know, you CAN do it.

I found that what best helped me is:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjw1963#grid/user/690A55EC532071F0


http://www.youtube.com/user/tjw1963#play/user/690A55EC532071F0/3/dz86_EM_Zks

If those dont work for you go to
www.youtube.com 
and type in:
tjw1963

This lady is awesome and has really helped me a lot.

Good luck to you!

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Looking for help with a crochet baby blanket?

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