Crochet help please

[SwimmingCait]

Having loved crochet pre DC, I have started again in lockdown. I am following a pattern for only the third time, making hexagons for a blanket.

I read through before buying the wool DD wanted and thought I understood it but am really struggling with this instruction about breaking off and attaching yarn at the end of row 1/beginning of row 2

1st row : Make a magic circle, 3 ch, (counts as first dc), into the circle 2dc, 2ch, 3dc,2ch repeat from to 4 times. sl st into 3rd ch of first 3 ch stitches. break off yarn.

2nd row : attach yarn into last 2 ch space of 1st row. 3ch, ( counts as first dc), 3dc into each dc of previous row. 1dc into next 2ch space. 2ch. * 1dc into same 2ch space, 3dc into each

I can see that basically I need to start again from slightly further back for the next layer but am genuinely lost for how to break off and reattach yarn. I am worried I will do it wrong and it will just unravel.

Can anyone explain to me in words of one syllable please?

Hmm, that sounds frustrating.

Could you use a stitch marker or small piece of yarn to hold the loop of row 1 while you work on the second, then it might all become clear as you go?

I've crocheted for a while (not a super expert but reasonably experienced) and I can't remember coming across "break off yarn" as an instruction. Good luck!

Basically when you break off the yarn, you will need to weave it in using a needle when you have finished the hexagon. So basically each colout has a start end and a finish end to weave in....that can be hundreds in a blanket. Doing it is tedious and needs wine.

So nothing will unravel, because you will carefully fasten in each end.

So to break off, leave a tail long enough to thread through a needle, and fasten off securely so about 4-5 inches or so. When you restart leave a similar length piece before you attach it to the work (with a single knot) so you can weave it in.

Dont weave in until you are happy with the hexagon, it is really hard to frog something if you have weaved in the ends.

Thank you mermaidbutterfly.

I think I am getting closer to understanding. So am I effectively pulling the 4-5 inches of yarn through the loop on the crochet hook and ending up with no loop then somehow making another loop when I re-attach it with a single knot?

I understand everything else about the pattern and it will be beautiful when I have finished all 300 ish hexagons but I don't want to get soemthing which is essential to all the hexagons wrong right from the word go!

Ah. Think I have found reattaching on youtube now. Thank you both for such quick replies!

Joining last to first stitch in round: I slip stitch to the top of the chain, (1 loop on hook) cut yarn with a 4 inch tail, pull tail through the loop on the hook. Makes a firm sort of knot. You can feel a slight lump but it stays crocheted.

Your best bet is to find some simple videos online and watch. Doesn't need to be the same pattern but it will give you an idea.

Is this because you are changing the yarn colour? If you do the hexagon all in one colour you can just carry on with the pattern (although it might take a little working out at first).

If you want to change the yarn, the pull-through method already mentioned is good, then make another slipknot as if you were going to start a chain and either slipstitch it to the space or slip the knot off the crochet hook, put it behind the work and pull it through the chain space (I'd still slipstitch if you do this).

Enjoy the crocheting! I did some hexagons recently, then decided they all needed the same colour as the last row to join them, still working my way round them all again

I was going to same the same as above poster - it sounds like your pattern is for stripes but it can be adapted for single colour to avoid breaking off and reattaching.