Need a little bit of crochet help

[kimchi-and-me.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone.

I've just started picking up a hook, and have the stitch 'n' b(don't want to post possibly offensive word), plus a ravelry account.
And yet, and yet, I am struggling. I have a couple of questions.

Firstly, in which direction should you wrap the thread to prepare for a double and triple crochet? And how do you stop if from just unraveling? (I'm using US terms here).

Secondly, I'm working on this http://cornflowerbluestudio.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/how-to-crochet-heart-photo-tutorial.html

and I'm stumped - do I work the dc stitches into the one chain stitch? Or does it mean to put them into the same stitch, or just into the chain?

One final question - how do you stop the stitches from being too tight and unworkable?

Upcycled Crop Top

[jerricajaneen.livejournal.com]

Inspired by a photo she saw, a close friend of mine asked me to customize a shirt for her. The picture consisted of a shirt with an open panel centered down the back, held together with strips of fabric (pinched in the center to create the look of a bow). She left the colors and details to me, but she explained that she preferred it to be a crop top and have the "bows" closer to the top.

It was a simple DIY project, as I already had a beige crop top I never wore from H & M and old ivory lace curtains, and there was minimal sewing. See the end product:

Side view:




( See the full BACK view here :) )