hi sweaterbabe,

i know this is going to sound dumb but i am trying to teach myself how to crochet. i started an afghan and it says to do 3 sc in a stich and i don't understand after the first sc where to place the hook to start the next on.

do i place it at the bottom where i started first one or up under the two new st that was made by the first sc stich? thank you for helping

-- terry

and from another crocheter:

Ok, so I am just starting and i don't understand how to follow these instructions... 3 dc in next ch How can you work 3 dc in one chain? Could you help me out? Thanks

-- Meghan

Dear Terry and Mehan,

It's easy to work multiple dc's or sc's in a single place, though I guess it seems strange at first!  But it does make for very pretty stitch patterns.

Anyhow, to work a second sc in the same st as the first one, just insert your hook in the exact same space/st as you did for the first sc.  If you can, imagine that the first sc never happened and just put another sc in the same place.

So, more specifically, insert your hook into whereever you'd like to place the sc.  In this case it's just the same place as you put the last sc.  Complete your sc as usual - yo, pull loop through, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook.  Your second sc is complete.

To do a third sc in the same space, insert you hook into that same sp again to position the next sc.  It might be a little tighter because that space is already used, but just use the pointy part of hook's tip to get in there.

The same idea goes for working multiple dc's in the same ch.  First, work the first dc in the chain, then yo (to start a dc) and insert your hook into the same chain (the exact same place you just used for the first dc) and finish the dc.  Repeat to put a 3rd dc in the same chain.

You now have multiple stitches that are gathered at the base because they are coming from the same st or chain, but are fanning out for a pretty stitch effect.

Hope that is clearer now!

-- SweaterBabe