Headwater Wool
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Lesson 8:Reading crochet charts

It is safer to follow charts then written instructions even it looks like charts are more complicated to understand. Any written instruction is prompted to human errors. You do not want to stuck in the middle of your project because of the mistake in the pattern description.

Start from easy-to-follow charts. Pay attention to symbols. Here is what you should be able to interpret:

How row ends
Usually all charts are written from right-to-left with odd rows at the right side and even rows at the left replicating steps of your hands. Different charts can be described differently. In many descriptions stitch, loop and wrap is the same and describes a stitch.

Here are examples of crochet symbols and their interpretation in writing:

	example of how to start row skip 3ch, 1dc into next st (also can be written as 1dc into 4th st from hook)
	1dc into each of next 4 sts, 3dc into next st, 1 dc into each of next 4sts
	sc into next st, 4ch, skip 7sts, cluster 3tr, 2ch into next st, cluster 3tr, 2ch into the same next st, cluster 3tr into the same next st, 4ch, skip 7 sts, sc into next st *Cluster 3tr = work 3tr into next st (always keeping last loop of each stitch reserved) and then join all stitches into one stitches by drawing a yarn into all these reserved loops
	dc into next of each 2 sts, 3dc into next st, dc into next of each 2 sts
	example how to end row: 2dc into last st, 3ch turn , skip 3 sts, 1dc into next st
	example how to start row: R1: skip 7 sts, 5tr into next st, skip 3sts, tr into next st
	2ch, skip 2 sts, 1dc into next st, 2ch, 1dc into the same st, 3ch, skip 4sts, 1 dc into next st, 2ch, 1 dc into the same st, 2ch

Abbreviations
R: row, ch: chain, sc: single crochet, dc: double crochet, tr: treble crochet, st: stitch, sts: stitches

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