Ok, here's a copy of my OLD entry--hope this helps all my friends in Christ who are struggling with this nerve-wracking pattern!
I feel compelled to speak my mind in regards to that Serafina shawl pattern. Perhaps my musings will spare others the torture I (and I know I'm not alone) I am going through with this damn pattern. One thing is for certain: The written instructions suck. Plain and simple. Row 8 is the worst. If you make it to row 8 confident that you are more than halfway to row 11 (the end of the challenging portion) you better swallow that pride and take a close look at the diagram before you get too cocky. Heres what I've discovered. More thoughts will follow, but this is plenty for now. Always remember to ch 1 before and after the shell at thepoint. The instructions fail to note this after row 5. I don';t know why, but if you don't do this, you'll be screwed. Always ch 1, then make a v-stitch in the SPACE at the end of each row. Not in the STITCH--the SPACE. Same goes for the beginning dc at the start of each row. Mistake on row 6--skip 2 dc's , not 1, after the V-stitches. Follow the photo and you will have an easier time seeing where the new sequences form. Only refer to the written instructions as a guide. Set a goal for yourself to complete 2 rows, then walk away from the bleepin' thing. Go for a walk, pray, eat something fattening. Forget about the pattern as long as possible. If you limit yourself to completing 2 perfect rows per session, consider that a big acomplishment! Yes, its a daunting pattern, but its not impossible. We CAN do this, fellow crocheters! We are not going to let ourselves be won over by a stupid shawl pattern, right? RIGHT! I'm on row 10 and will post a pic as soon as I get the batteries recharged for my camera.