Help with a crochet pattern

Hi everyone

I urgently need help with the crochet pattern for a “monster beanbag.” I downloaded the pattern here yesterday.

I definitely wouldn’t call myself a crochet beginner, but this pattern is more than confusing to me.

It starts with Basic Pattern A: crochet in rounds.

Then it begins:
“For the bottom, chain 16 and crochet around them with single crochet, working 4 stitches into the 1st and 17th chains respectively = 36 stitches.”

Does that mean a normal increase in the round (doubling all stitches, then doubling every 2nd stitch, etc.) plus the 4 stitches into the 1st and 17th chains? How else do you get 36 stitches?

“These 4 stitches each form a semicircle, and the 14 stitches on each side form a straight line. Continue working in Basic Pattern A, increasing 3 stitches in each semicircle, distributed evenly, in each round 10 times, and 2 stitches in each semicircle, distributed evenly, in each round 10 times = 136 stitches.”

Do I now keep increasing in rounds and distribute 3 additional stitches over the semicircles for 10 rounds, and then another 2 stitches over the semicircles for 10 rounds? It also has to get much bigger along the straight sections. It’s basically a cover for a beanbag.

Sorry this got so long. I really hope someone can help me with this confusing pattern.

Thank you very much and best regards

You need to chain 16 stitches. In the 2nd chain (counting from the hook), work 4 single crochets. In each of the next 14 chains, work 1 single crochet, and in the last chain, work 4 single crochets again. Now you’re at the end of your foundation chain and need to continue crocheting along the underside of the chain , working 1 single crochet into each of the following chains. Then you’re back at the beginning of the round and have crocheted 36 sts.

In the next round, increase 3 sts at the beginning and in the middle of the round (where you crocheted 4 sts into one st)—for a total of 6 sts increased. Continue this pattern for 10 rounds.
After that, increase only 2 stitches at each of the same spots (for a total of 4 stitches per round). This way, after 20 rounds, you’ll have 136 stitches.
The increases are only at the semicircles.
I hope this helps.

Great explanation, Ruthk!

Thank you so, so much. I’ll try it out right away