I don’t understand the pattern.

Hi everyone. 
I’m just stuck. 
What does the pattern mean?

3) Double the 1st stitch. 6 sc, double the next 4 stitches, 6 sc, double the last stitch = 24 4) 1 sc, double the next stitch, 6 sc, *** 1 sc, double *** 4x,  6 sc, double the next stitch, 1 sc = 30 5) 1 sc, double the next stitch, 7 sc, *** 2 sc, double *** = 4x, 8 sc, double the last stitch = 36

I understand 3), but with 4) I don’t quite understand the part in the asterisks and after it, and with 5) I can’t get the stitch count either. 

I hope you can help me. 
Best regards 
Denise Birckenstaedt 

4) 1 st, increase 1 sc, 6 sc, then crochet 1 sc and 1 increase four times, then 6 sc again, increase 1 st and crochet 1 sc — that makes 40 stitches.

For step 4, you crochet:
1 sc, double the next stitch, then crochet 6 sc.
Now comes the part in the asterisks:
1 sc, double
the next stitch. You do this a total of 4 times
and now to finish the row (round?):
6 sc, then double 1 stitch, and then 1 more sc.
You’ve now increased by a total of 6 sts, meaning you’ve gone from 24 sts to 30 sts.

Similarly for step 5:
1 sc, double the next one, 7 sc.
Then repeat the section in asterisks: 2 sc, double the next one.
Crochet this section a total of 4 times,
then 8 sc, and double the last st once more.
You’ve increased by 6 sts again, so you now have 36 sts

I hope this helps?

For step 5, you need to crochet the instructions between the * a total of four times. So: 2 sc, double one st, 2 sc, double one st, 2 sc, double one st, 2 sc, double one st. At this point, you’ll have 26 stitches. 8 sc will bring you to 34 stitches, and then double the last stitch.  That makes 36 stitches.

Hope this helps.