The Stitch Looks like a Waffle - to me

I don't fancy myself much of a writer. In fact, as I age, I find myself less capable (in my own eyes) of focusing on my thoughts. Continuing this blog is perhaps my best therapy.

In my crochet life, I have the most wonderful go-to pattern. I found it in a copy of either "Woman's Day" or "Good Housekeeping" from back in the 1980's.  Some friends, with whom I shared the original pattern, found it a bit confusing. So I wrote it in my own words. It is for a striped baby blanket, but I have also used it for making scarves.

For me it is a simple pattern, and it goes like this:

WAFFLE-LIKE STITCH BABY BLANKET (my version)  Corner-to-corner

In this pattern, INCREASES are done at the beginning and end of each row. In the first stitch, it is HDC, SC. In the last stitch, it is SC, HDC. 

Other than that, you will HDC in the SC from the previous row; and you will SC in the HDC from the previous row.  (working row starts on right)

(HDC/SC)   HDC   SC   HDC    SC              HDC   SC   HDC   SC   (SC/HDC)  << working row

   /|\              |          |         |          |                |          |         |         |         /|\

Hdc               sc      hdc     sc      hdc             sc       hdc     sc     hdc       sc        (prev. row)

It sounds complicated at first, but is really very easy once you catch the rhythm of the pattern (hdc, sc), hdc, sc, hdc, ….  (sc, hdc). 

Ch 2

Row 1:  in 1^st ch st:  hdc, sc, hdc; ch 1, turn – 3 sts

Row 2: in 1^st st (this will be a hdc from prev. row)  : hdc, sc (inc made);

            hdc in next (this will be in a sc st from prev. row);

            sc, hdc in last st (inc made) -             - - - -   5 st

Row 3:  in 1^st st (hdc, sc); hc; sc; hdc; (sc, hdc) in last st - - - - -  7st

Continue until the edge of the blanket is the desired length.

You should now realize that the st you SC in (from the prev. row) is not as deep as the st you HDC in.

The SC st is narrow; the HDC st goes into a st that is larger. Hard for me to describe, but should make sense by now.

DECREASING:   done at beg and end of each row; working row starts on right. 

 (SC TOG)    SC     HDC    SC       HDC        SC    HDC   SC    HDC    SC     (SC TOG)  << working row

    /     \           |          |          |            |            |         |         |          |          |        /      \                          

hdc    sc         hdc       sc      hdc         sc          hdc     sc      hdc      sc       hdc    sc     hdc      (prev. row)

So you will SC the first 2 sts tog at the beg and end of each row until you have 3 sts left. 

Then SC all 3 sts tog.  

I am loving my crochet life.  It makes me feel like I am really accomplishing something. 

Thanks for stopping by today.