Question about crochet pattern

Hi everyone!

So, I haven’t been crocheting for very long, but I think I’ve got the basics down by now.
I’m currently trying my hand at making a dove, and it’s going well so far, but the pattern for the tail feather is giving me trouble. I hope you can help, so I’m just going to write it out here:

- Chain 12 and 3 chain stitches for turning -> Question 1: So, chain 15 in total?

- Work 1 single crochet in each chain stitch of the previous row, 3 single crochets in the last one -> Question 2: So, 14 single crochets, plus 3 in the last chain stitch? Or is this where the first mistake is?

- Continue on the underside: Work 1 single crochet in each chain stitch until 2 stitches before the end of the row. Turn with 2 chain stitches, then work single crochet stitches into the back loop. Work 3 single crochet stitches again into the middle of the 3 single crochet stitches from the previous row. -> Question 3: Which 3 single crochet stitches from the previous row? You’ve clearly crocheted more than 3 there...
- Continue until 2 stitches before the end of the row. Turn with 2 chain stitches.
Continue working this way until the feather is big enough. End 2 sts before the end of the row. -> Question 4: From which point should you continue working this way? From “Continue on the underside”? Or from the step after that?

I hope you can help! I’ve tried crocheting this thing several times, and it always looked weird : ) )

By the way, it’s supposed to look like this:

Edit Michaela:
Image removed for copyright reasons.

Hi,

1st question: Exactly, chain 15 in total.
2nd question: I assume you’re supposed to skip the 3 turning chains and only then crochet the single crochets. That would already make your count incorrect. You’d need to crochet 11 single crochets plus 3 into the last chain = 14 single crochets.
3rd question: That means the 3 single crochets that you crocheted into the last chain in question 2. Mark them to be on the safe side, then it’ll be easier for you. You’re probably supposed to crochet into the back loop so it creates a nice texture.
4th question: In this case, the turning chains also mean the beginning of a new row. So a row is finished when you reach the turning chains. In the middle of the row, you always increase by crocheting 3 single crochets into the middle single crochet.

I hope this helps you.

Best regards
Michaela

Dear Michaela,

Thank you so much for your answer! I’ll try working through it step by step based on your instructions and will ask again if it doesn’t work out.

Thanks a million! :)

So, everything is clear up to the 3rd question now. I’m still having trouble with the increase where I’m supposed to work 3 sc back into the middle of the 3 sc from the previous row. I’ve even marked the middle one, but of course it’s at the end of the row because at the beginning I worked it into the last ch-st. That’s why I don’t understand how I’m supposed to keep going until 2 sts before the end of the row, because by then I’m already there. Do you know what I mean?

The spot where you crocheted 3 sc into one should be the middle of the row. It says there that you crochet the ch-chain from both sides, so I assume the 3 sc are supposed to form the middle of the row.
When you start the chain, mark the very first chain stitch. That’s where you’ll crochet the 3 sc in row 2. Mark the middle one again, and in the next row, you’ll crochet 3 sc into that one, and so on.
Try it that way. 

The middle part makes more sense, that’s true. I’ll give that a try! For me, 3 sc in the last ch-st was just the last ch-st of the row, i.e., the end.
Thanks again :))