Wimpy, at the bottom of the page I'm giving you the link for, there are some hints on reading crochet patterns. Other helpful stuff there, too. The key is to know what the abbreviations mean. And that can vary sometimes in patterns.

Here is a link that might be useful: help

Mary, I tried to respond to your email, but it was returned to me. I would love to help you. Could you be more specific as to exactly what the problem is? I guess I don't quite understand.

Hello Donna--When I was learning to read a pattern, I did 2 things--first was to read it all way thru to end--then started over and repeated one section out loud to myself until it made sense-and then tried to do it--but you do have to know the names of the basic stitches--the other thing I did, was to write down each row or round on a pad and then I could read it aloud, do it, and then check it off when I finished it--I used a pencil so I wouldnt get ball point ink on my work. Sometimes a pattern has a repeat rows # to # for pattern--so I would list the rows, without the directions so I could keep track of where I was when I put it down and picked up the project at a later date--It may sound silly, but since I am both a visual and listening learner, it helped me--it doesnt take long to get used to stitch patterns, etc--and after awhile you wont need to say it to yourself--but do read a pattern all the way thru before you decide to do it--sometimes you realize it is more complicated further into it and you dont want to tackle it at the time--keep crocheting--it does get easier and you will enjoy creating things. Once you learn, it stays with you even if you dont touch it for several years--KarenNY

Hi there. I've always had a problem reading patterns. I much prefer patterns done in symbols. Maybe I'm just dyslexic -- but I find the symbols much easier to follow.

I subscribed to a couple of crochet magazines (Magic Crochet and Decorative Crochet) for a couple of years that wrote out instructions for the first few rows and then you had to rely on a drawing with symbols for the rest of the pattern. I could do it, but it was more difficult for me. I'd rather not have to count how many *:* or whatever I had to do. I like it spelled out. But I say, "Whatever works" is best for you.

Well, I'm kind of a beginner crocheter. When the instructions are confusing and they're written all together in one paragraph, I re-write them on a piece of paper like this:

Row 1: I write out the instructions
Row 2: I write out the instructions
and so on

Then I take a post-it note and put it right under the instruction for the row I'm working on. Then, when I finish that row, I move the post-it down to the next row. It makes it easier for me to see exactly what I am supposed to be doing. This method works well to mark your place when you lay your work down and then pick it up again later.

When I first learned to crochet, I had my DH read the instructions to me a little at a time while I worked on the project. Example:

DH: Ch (chain) 4
me - chaining 4
DH: Join with sl st (slip stitch)
me - joining the two ends together with a slip stitch.

This worked better for me than trying to read and crochet at the same time. It doesn't take very long and you will be able to read the steps and crochet at the same time before you know it. Hope that helps ;0)