I didn’t like crochet charts at first. But when I took a few minutes to learn how to read charts; once put into application-I learned to love charts. Charts make crocheting a pattern so much easier. Once you learn the abbreviations, symbols and terms you’ll wish every pattern had a chart. There’s so many benefits when you stitch using a chart: there’s no mistake of what stitch goes where, there’s little room for error, every stitch is pictured for you, and, charts are especially good for those;
who have a hard time understanding written instruction get confused on the number count of repeats are unsure at times where to put a stitch get lost easily when reading multiple line written instructions have problems reading small print who are visual learners
Here’s how to read a chart. First start reading from right to left on row #1. Then on row #2 read from left to right…third row? Again, read from left to right, and so on. Each row alternates stitching direction from the previous row when read: odd rows are right to left and even rows left to right. And, the first rows, as needed, or even all rows may be numbered for clarity. Charts are designed for ease of use. Just follow the arrows for the rows as you complete the stitches. The pattern will tell you where to start and how to follow the flow of the chart for each subsequent row. Any special detail will be included with a written explanation if necessary.
As for the stitches, each symbol on each line represents a stitch. Either a chain, single crochet, double crochet, triple crochet, etc. Place the appropriate stitch along the row, in order and above, the indicated stitch in the previous row. Follow row by row until pattern is complete. Some of the symbols you’ll see are the chain; which is an open oval shape, a slip stitch; which is a filled in oval shape, a single crochet; which is an “X” shape, a double crochet; which is a “T” shape with a bar across, and a triple crochet; which is the same “T” shape with two bars across… The symbols progress in a common sense manner. Charts are made easy, for just about anyone. See above? Image one is a depiction of a simple pattern. Image two is a depiction of a double crochet.
Advantages of Using Charts
Charts open a whole new world of patterns and designs. When you read charts you crochet in the language of International symbols. International charts generally use the same symbols, universally, or, there is a key legend. Just this week I bought my first foreign crochet patterns. The patterns are a Japanese stitch book, and, because of the chart (and international symbols) all the stitches can be easily worked. So if you decide to learn how to read charts, here’s some of the advantages you’ll enjoy,
Accuracy of stitch placement reduce or totally eliminate error- the pictures in a chart are literally worth a thousand words economy of space, as a “pie-slice” portion of most patterns is all that is needed ease of modifying a design because the stitch diagram lies before you ability to see whole pattern design at-a-glance facilitates pattern designing
And to get started there are free patterns with charts online. See the Resources section to the right? Click link #1 to be taken a good instruction on working crochet charts. Link #2, at the middle of the page, has another example of a crochet chart. At link #3 classes are offered for a nominal fee.