How to use a crochet pattern in English?

[Sheetaaa]

Hi!

I know my question must sound weird but... I'd like to know how to read a crochet pattern... in English!

I'm French and I know how to read it in my own language, because they always start the same way ("7 chain stitches, then 7 single crochet" etc). I opened an English pattern and horror happened

I'm not even sure about some stitches actually, but I still can watch them on Youtube to see how they're translated.

To be more specific, maybe I should show you an example of a free pattern! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library ... gel-statue

Let's start with the beginning of the head: "Make a magic loop" (okay but which size?) "and ch 1." Does it mean I have to chain... one... no I don't even understand xD

Also, is "[dc2tog" "double crochet to... to what? Tog?"

Every pattern looks like this so I'd be bleeeessed to understand this one first! I hope it's not too much to ask (but I'm 100% sure it will save the life of many French people here).

Thaaanks!

[Eliste]

If no one can answer you here, try www.ravelry.com Its the biggest repository of crocheters and knitters I know of and they're always very nice.

[Kujikiri]

I believe the 2tog means '2 stitches together', since the dc2tog means a double crochet decrease. Similarly, sc2tog is a single crochet decrease over two stitches. If it uses 3tog, it's a decrease over three stitches. Though, it might change from pattern to pattern, since when I did crochet, they always abbreviated decrease as 'dec'.

As to ch 1, that simply means a single chain stitch. If they wanted ch 6, that means to do six chain stitches, because in English to "chain six" means to make six chain stitches.

Usually (from what I've seen) magic circles are however big you want them, but they're usually 6 single crochet stitches in a single chain stitch.

I've used http://www.anniescatalog.com/crochet/learntoread.html to learn the abbreviations, but they don't seem to use the 2tog.

[Sheetaaa]

Double crochet decrease... I still have to learn a lot of things xD

[Sheetaaa]

Spoiler

Weeeeeeell THANK YOU EVERYONE for your help ! I guess it was priceless