I'm crocheting and need help with some of the lingo that it asks for making this doll.?

Question

It's working in the round, and I have sc 6 into the magic ring like it asked. But in the next rows, it's confusing on what I do.

Row1: sc6 in magic ring, slst to close {6}

Row2: ch1, sc1 in same, [inc] around, slst to close {12}

Row3: ch1, sc1 in same, inc, inc, sc3, [inc] 3 times, sc3. slst to close {17}

I realize what most of this says, but what's the difference when it says [inc] and inc? And what does sc1 in same mean?

And how do I increase and decrease exactly?

Answer 1

This is how I read the instructions. You are starting out with the 6 single crochets and slip stitch to close the ring. Then you chain 1 and single crochet 1 in the first stitch of the magic ring. That is the increase stitch [inc], which you are going to do in each of the single crochet stitches in the magic ring. That is how you end up with 12 stitches (one sc and one ch was put into each base stitch). Slip stitch to close.

For row 3, I think you chain 1 and single crochet one in the first stitch of row 2, which is the same as the [inc] performed in row 2. The "inc, inc," part means that you will do the same thing (increase) in the next two stitches so that you end up with a chain and single crochet in each of the first 3 stitches of row 2. (Row 3 now has 6 stitches in the first 3 stitches of row 2.) Now do one single crochet in each of the next 3 stitches. Those 9 stitches are the new [inc] for row 3. You will do the same thing (ch1 & sc1 in 3 stitches, then just sc in 3 stitches) three times for that row, ending with 3 single crochets and slip stitching to close the ring. You should have 17 stitches at that point.

Good luck!

Answer 2

On the second row, they want you to chain 1 and single crochet in that same space (not in the next stitch).  Then they want you to make a single crochet increase in every space around.  What that means is you will be putting TWO single crochet in each stitch, not just one.  The twelve at the end means that you should have 12 sc at the end of that round.

For round 3, chain 1 then sc in the same space.  In the next stitch, put 2 sc, then do it again in the next stitch.  In the next three stitches, put only 1 sc in each; then with the next three stitches, increase with each one (2 sc in each stitch).  Single crochet in the next three stitches and join with a slip stitch to the first sc (not the chain 1).  That should give you the 17 single crochet that it says you should have.

When you see things in [brackets], usually they want you to make those stitches all in the same place or that they want you to work that series of stitches the number of times it is stated.  In the case of this pattern, it doesn't say which, so I'm assuming you are supposed to increase in each stitch.  This pattern does seem a little confusing, but I hoped I helped a little.

Increasing is basically when you put two stitches in a space instead of one.  Decreasing is when you either skip a stitch (which it will specify if that's what they want you to do) or you don't "finish" off the stitch before making the next one.  Here are some videos on how to do decreases because it's easier to watch it than for me to describe it.

Double crochet increase and decrease:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxwqTkbx4...

Single Crochet (this video is actually how to make a triangle, but the decreases she does at the beginning and end of each row are the done the same way):  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ubRL7O2u...

~Happy Crocheting!~