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Learn To Read Crochet Symbol Charts for Beginners - Part 1
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May 17, 2024
get the Free PDF symbol chart here: https://www.jspcreate.com/best-beginners-guide-to-crochet-symbol-charts/ Find the Complete Written Pattern on my blog https://www.jspcreate.com/crochet-willow-granny-square/ This series will walk you through making a Simple Granny Square using a Symbol Chart contains affiliate links at no cost to you Find more Classes from me over on Skillshare https://www.skillshare.com/en/r/user/jspcreate?gr_tch_ref=on Website https://www.jspcreate.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jspcreate.crochets Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jspcreate.crochets/
View Video Transcript
0:00
Hey everyone, Jane back with the start of a special series this week
0:03
I get a lot of questions about following symbol charts. I use them with all my granny squares
0:08
and include them in all my full pattern versions in my shop. So I've decided to do a step-by-step
0:13
walkthrough of one of my more popular squares, Willow, but this time we'll be following the
0:19
symbol chart. Symbol charts are my go-to. In fact, once I've created a new square
0:23
my first step is to chart it and from there I write up the instructions. I'm a really visual
0:29
person and I love lots of visual aids, so pictures, diagrams, that kind of stuff
0:34
The symbol chart for me is like a map of the square. The written instructions are good for
0:38
indicating repeats and if there are specific stitches to work into. It gives you the bird's
0:43
eye view of how the stitches and rounds all fit together and, like a map, it helps you see where
0:49
you are in relation to the rest of the square. The symbols are a bit like their own language
0:53
but once you pick them up, the chart can be much easier to read than the written pattern
0:57
and a great quick visual guide to keep you on track. And I've left information in the description
1:02
below on how you can get a printable version of this chart so that you can follow along as I
1:07
explain the symbols and as we work through the square. This series will be broken up into a few
1:12
videos, starting with an explanation of the symbols themselves and then working a few rounds
1:17
at a time. This way I can explain the symbols as we use them. It also will give you the information
1:22
in bite-sized pieces. As with any new language, it can be a lot to take in at once. Today I'll go
1:28
over the symbols and how they relate to each other. This video is a good one to bookmark so you can
1:32
come back to it throughout the series to familiarize yourself with the symbols. So the symbols I'm going
1:37
to show you today are only the ones we'll be using in this specific chart for Willow. There are many
1:42
more symbols and many combinations of them out there, but let's stick to just the square for now
1:48
You can find more information about this square in the description below. I'll put a link to the
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written instructions and I'll also put a link on how you can get the symbol chart for this square
1:58
as well. So the layout of the chart in the round is set round on top of round, working its way from
2:05
the center outward, just like the granny square itself. It's a symbolic representation of the granny
2:11
square in every way. In fact, if you hold them beside each other, you'll see the resemblance
2:15
or at least once you get the hang of symbols, you will. Each round has a round number and this will
2:20
be the place to start each round. To help visualize, the symbols themselves are often alternate colors
2:26
set out by round, say with one being black, as in this case, and the alternate rounds being in red
2:32
This helps you distinguish which stitch belongs to which round and helps your eye find the proper
2:37
round that you're on. Some designers work their chart symbols in the color of the yarn that they're
2:42
using. I like to do my colorways keeping the color in the background and the symbol rounds still
2:47
alternating between black and red or black and gray. This way, if two adjacent rounds have the
2:52
same color, the symbols are still differentiated by round and you know which round each symbol
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belongs to. I find the background color on my symbol charts a really good reference to see what
3:02
color I'll be using next and where I am on the square itself. So before we get to working on
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the square, we'll spend this lesson getting familiar with the symbols. Each square starts with a
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foundation. This will either come in the form of a magic ring, which is what I use mostly. This is
3:19
represented by the large solid circle placed directly in the center of the chart. The other
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option is a chain foundation ring, such as this four chain which is slip stitched into a ring shape
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It can be any number of chains that you need. In our willow chart, we'll be using the magic ring
3:35
which is the solid round circle. Next, we usually have a beginning chain. So this can be of various
3:41
sizes depending on the stitches we'll be using in that round. A regular single crochet round will
3:47
just start with a chain one, which is an upright oval such as this. It does not count as a stitch
3:54
it just sets up the single crochet stitch. A beginning chain two is used when the round starts
3:59
with a half double crochet stitch and it counts as the first half double crochet stitch of the round
4:06
Likewise, a beginning chain three is used when the round starts with a double crochet stitch
4:11
and it counts as the first double crochet stitch. So you can see that the number of chains pertains
4:17
to the height of the stitch. So finally, a beginning chain four is used when the round starts with
4:23
treble crochet stitches, which is the tallest stitch we'll be dealing with, and it counts as
4:28
the first treble crochet. So when I say it counts as a stitch, it means that in your stitch count
4:33
that beginning chain counts as one full stitch. Next, we want to look at the stitches themselves
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and these are going to become very familiar to you. They are the symbol you're going to see the
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most of. First, we have the single crochet stitch, which is a plus sign or a small cross
4:47
This is a basic single crochet stitch. Then we move on to the T-shape, which is the form for
4:53
a number of stitches. The basic T-shape is a half double crochet stitch. The double crochet stitch
5:00
is also a T-shape, but with a slanted cross stick on the stem. The length of the T can be slightly
5:06
longer as the stitch itself is slightly higher than the half double crochet. And then we also
5:11
have the treble crochet, again another T. So this has two additional slanted cross sticks on the stem
5:18
and the stem itself is again probably slightly longer than the last one because the stitch
5:24
itself is a little bit higher. The stems may vary depending on where they fall in the chart. So the
5:28
stems will be the length they need to reach the symbol in the round below that they're working
5:33
into, so they're more dependent on what's happening in the chart. But the important part to look at is
5:38
the number of cross sticks on the stem. So now we move on to chain spaces. These are different than
5:44
beginning chains in that these stitches create the holes around the piece that give it space and
5:49
detail. These ovals will lie on their side and again are pretty self-explanatory as far as chain
5:55
one is one, chain two is two, so chain three is three, and they're usually lying flat but they can
6:04
also be arced. In the case of a corner chain space such as this chain three corner space, they arc
6:10
around a corner shape. So the chains can be shaped, they can be flat, but what you're looking at is the
6:16
number of ovals attached to each other. Finally we have a few important symbols left. First is the
6:22
solid circle. This one's filled in and this represents a slip stitch. You'll find it at the
6:28
end of every round because you are joining every round with a slip stitch. So if you started with
6:33
a beginning chain three, say, then the dot will be in between your last stitch and the third chain
6:39
of that beginning chain three, indicating that you will slip stitch into that third chain
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Each round usually has a number to help you find where you are on the chart. These are often just a
6:49
number with a circle around it and they can be found at the beginning point of each round. They're
6:54
also very helpful for you to find out where you're starting the next round. And lastly I have a
6:59
combination symbol that is used in our willow chart. There are many of these and sometimes you'll
7:04
have to break them down to determine what's being asked. There'll be mixes of chain stitches and
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regular stitches put together and then you'll know what they are, but this one in particular looks a
7:14
little different. It is an actual single crochet, chain two, single crochet that's worked into a
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corner. The single crochets are slanted together to form a V and the little cross
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sticks are a little shorter because otherwise it would get all jammed up and hard to read
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So because the single crochets are so short, this is actually a short form for working two single
7:34
crochets into the same stitch and the chain two creates that corner. So that was a lot of symbols
7:40
to take in, but that addresses all the symbols that we'll be using in the willow chart. Now that
7:45
you're familiar with them, we can get going on our square. So don't worry, I'll be calling them by name
7:50
as we come across them and giving you a little more explanation as we use them. So you'll be
7:56
getting used to seeing them and before you know it, you'll be reading the charts like a pro. So that is
8:02
all for this lesson. I think that's a lot of information to take in and the next lesson we'll
8:07
get working on our willow square. So thanks so much for joining me today. Remember if you enjoyed
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this tutorial, please hit the subscribe button and you'll be notified of all new tutorials as
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they come out. Enjoy and I'll catch you in the next crochet tutorial
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