Finally getting started!!

Warning: this post is picture heavy! But it sort of needs to be...so I hope you understand everything. If not leave a note in the comments and I'll try to answer them the best I can!

So if you haven't already go on over to Ohmygoodknits and save, print, or bookmark yourself a copy of her mary jane slipper pattern. She asked nicely if people would simply link back to her pattern instead of copying it and reposting it. So you may need to refer back every once in awhile. But I will work line by line and explain everything in laimans terms!

This pattern starts by crocheting in the round. So you work in a circle rather than line by line up to a certain point. Then you will go line by line.

So we will start by making a magic ring. The "old way" of working in a circle would have been to chain so many stitches, join them to make a circle and work 8 stitches into this teeny tiny circle. Which generally resulted in the ripping out of hair. Because you want the circle to be tight and the last couple stitches would be very difficult o get in there. BUT whoever invented the magic ring is genius! It is adjustable and you tighten it AFTER you get all of your stitches into it! A very big excitement for me...I only wish I'd have known that after making 50 stars for an American flag blanket using the "old way" of crocheting in the round.

The pattern says to start by working 8 dc (double crochet) into a magic ring.

So...

Basically just pull the back yarn (or yarn attached to the ball, not the tail) forward through the ring. 

I start EVERYTHING with the magic ring whether I am chaining to start (like for a blanket) or working in the round. At this point if you were going to chain you'd pull your tail and keep chaining. But were not so don't pull your tail just yet!

Lets make our first of 8 double crochets!

So you pull your "yarn over" through the next two loops. The two loops closest the end of the hook.

Remember your yarn should be BEHIND your hook you are bringing it over the hook toward you.

Repeat this until you have 8 double crochets in your magic ring.

The very first little "v" we did.

Now you can pull your tail and tighten your magic ring. Pull it as tight as you can without breaking the yarn off! haha that wouldn't be good! So this is your first round of stitches. 

This is 8 dc worked into a magic ring. 

Before moving onto the next round make sure you count your little "v"s to make sure you have 8. This is important if you mess this up now it will cause you many a headaches trying to get the right stitches later on in the pattern.

Got your 8? Good! 

Let me show you this. I used a bigger hook so that you could see the stitches a bit more easily. If you click on it you can see a larger image. It is important to know which space is where you joined and where the next stitch is. 

Ok, now that we've got that sorted out lets start the next round.

This is called a chain. In the pattern it says "chain 2", or "ch 2"

The next part says "2 dc into each stitch" So lets start with one dc.

I think you guys can take it from here and finish up to the toe section on your own. 

Let me explain a bit more about the next round. Anytime you see a asterick * it means this is where you start the repeat. So Line 3 says "1 dc into same space" this means after you chain 2 put one dc into the joining space or the "v" space from the picture above. Then the directions say "2 dc into next stitch" so work your two dc into the next stitch. Then you see the * this means pay attention you will repeat this all the way around. She says "*1 DC into next st, 2 DC into next*" So you will do 1 dc into the next then 2 dc into the stitch after that. Repeat this until you are back at the beginning. The last part of this line is to "slst into top of the first DC, ch 2". Slip stitch into the top of the first double crochet, then chain two. You should have 24 stitches at the end of this round. Be sure to check your work!

The next round (4) I think you guys can handle! 

Finally round 5 and 6 say "work 2 rounds even". Which means work one stitch into each stitch all the way around. 

At this point your little cup should fit over your toes. 

Sunday we will pick back up and finish off the main portion of the slipper!