Can anyone please explain these crochet instructions for me? I will be pathetically grateful!

[sybilvimes]

I am very new to crochet but very keen.

I have a really nice pattern for a knitted and crocheted christmas wreath (yes I know it is August, but I am a beginner and plan to make several - be kind!)

Anyway, it is meant to be easy, and I have knitted the wreath cover and made the crochet flowers without any problems but I am completely stumped on the pattern for the leaves.

I am going to copy it down and would be really grateful it anyone could explain it for me more clearly. I get the inital 15 ch bit, but after that it says to spiral, but doesn't indicate ss into a loop and it goes on to talk about 'the other side of the chain' which I just don't get. I can do all the individal sts. i just can't understand what I am meant to be doing from beginning!

make 15 ch and work in spiral as follows:
1dc into 2nd ch from hook, working 1 st into each ch work 1 htr, 3 tr, 4 dtr, 3 tr, 1 htr and 1 dc, 3 ch, then working 1 st into each ch on other side of starting chain work 1 dc, 1 htr, 3 tr, 4 dtr, 3 tr, 1 dc, 3 ch, 1 dc into first dc at beginning of spiral, 1 dc into next htr, 1 picot (1 dc into each of next 2 sts, 1 picot) 6 times, into 3 ch sp at point of leaf work (1 dc, 4 ch, ss into 3 ch from hook, 1 ch 1 dc), (1 picot, 1 dc into each of next 2 sts) 7 times, ss into 3 ch sp.

Sorry, i know it is long, but if anyone can help I will be very very grateful!

Thank you.

Hope I explain this ok. Basically when you get to the end of your 15 ch with the stitches you then continue on the bottom/side that would normally be the bottom of the piece as you crocheted on. Think of the 15ch as the centre or stem of the leaf. The first set of stitches is one side of the leaf, the second set is the other half.

I think the mention of the spiral is referring to how it will look (not a stitch you need to make itself).

HTH. And good luck. I'm currently working on a crochet reindeer, so not the only one starting early ;-)

RunsWithScissors - thats really kind of you to help me, thank you!

If I still can't figure it out I am going to come back to you, I hope that is ok. Good luck with the reindeer by the way, they sound very cute!

I'll do my best to help :-) frustrating trying to put things into words when you know if you could show someone what you mean it wouldn't take long.

This might help!
twogirlsbeingcrafty.blogspot.com/2011/02/mini-tutorial-how-to-crochet-leaves.html

link

That link is brilliant!

thanks for your help, I need to go to bed now but I am going to take a crack at it tomorrow and I will let you know how I get on!

:-)

Success!!

Thanks so much RunsWithScissors, you have been incredibly helpful. The link particularly was fab.

Yay! Glad to hear it. Best of luck with your project. Careful, crochet can be very addictive!