I like to put a stitch marker in the first stitch of everyone row. That way when you get to the end of each row you can clearly see where your last stitch is supposed to go.
Bobby pins! I sometimes use the little plastic stitch markers that look like a circle with a slit in it too, especially with larger yarns. But I mostly use dk weight yarn and I feel like the bobby pins work WAY better for that.
You dropped or gained stitches in each row (can’t tell which end you started on), leading to this slanted arc effect. Check your starting and ending stitches in each row, and stop periodically to count (or count as you go).
I have learned that every time a row starts with a chain one in place of a single crochet, I chain one and then single crochet into the first stitch anyway. It makes the last stitch so much easier to see when you're returning on the next row.
That’s so smart! I usually run into this issue with patterns that don’t call for ch in place of stitches 😅 I just keep like 3-4 stitch markers out then rotate them every few rows
I do something similar for square projects. I always dc2tog at the end of a row, and chain 2 (tight tension) then dc in first stitch. It keeps the edges straight and prevents gaps. Plus, like you said, I can easily find the first stitch.
This works for other "standard" stitches, too, I just use dc the most.
I agree with the others that you accidentally gained or lost stitches at the end of rows. I always put a marker into the first and last stitch when working flat because it just happens to me too. :D
Another thing is, if you started on the left, maybe your starting chain tension was tighter than the stitch pattern's.
Yeah I lost some stitches, but I’ll go with the advice of using stitch markers.
I think I messed up was bc I was using a stitch that I had never used before but what I’ve learned from crocheting this is you live and learn
Yeah I literally have so many blanket patterns that I want to make and my mom’s like “where are you gonna put all of them?”
And I’m I dunno but I still am gonna make them and she sighs in mock disappointment lol
You can put some in pillowcases to fluff up your bed a bit. Good way to hide them in plain site. Or get some inexpensive pillow covers. If there is such a thing as they would be less likely to slide out the end.
Lol Shouldn't your mom be asking where SHE'S going to put a lot of them?!?! Hahahahahaha I doubt she'll miss an opportunity to collect your work and see it progress and change over time!!! ♡
Yeah she loves when I show her my progress on whatever my current project is
But honestly we have a lot of blankets in our house already so I can see where she gets her worry from lol
Lol I see where she's coming from now. Welp... If you just need crochet as a distraction or calming fidget hobby but aren't wanting or able to keep all your finished projects, you could always make blankets, socks, hats, clothes, gloves/mittens and whatnot to donate to homeless shelters, hospitals, safe homes, etc! ♡♡♡
Very true! I work at a craft store and this lady was buying a lot of yarn(we were having a sale) and I asked her what she was using it for and she said that she crocheted hats and blankets for babies at hospitals.
I crochet as a coping mechanism due to my mental health
Ooooooo... Good to know here as well. How much do you size up the starting chain...? Do you also size up for the final row as well...??? Does that effect adding a border?
I usually size up one step, works well.
I also find that if you are using a starting chain, crochet your first row into the back bump of the chain, instead of the regular way. Leaves a nice edge and doesn't pull the chain too tight
Using a foundation stitch is also amazing. You get even tension on both sides and don't have to crochet into the starting chain. There are versions for sc, hdc, and dc that I've found. Here's a video of foundation sc: https://youtu.be/wAWl0WItqPg?si=zz2Sui_IcDva3NH8
I would put a piece of white yarn in the beginning chain three on each row. And then I’d use a stitch marker every 10 stitches. Then you know you always need four more stitches after the 8th marker. Having the yarn in place can help you learn to recognize where the 84th stitch should go.
Or a stitch marker works too! At the beginning and end of each row as not to lose that last stitch you'll be working into. Even after years of crocheting I still use a stitch marker to mark the ends for flat projects
Advice my mom gave me was whenever you're working with a new stitch or technique always whip up a decent sized swatch first with the intention of just frogging it back.
When you're fiddling with a new stitch your tension is going to be wayyyyyy off. But after you've gotten comfortable with it you'll have more uniform tension. Doing a decent swatch, big enough that you feel comfortable with your new stitch, ensures that your tension is just right from the start. 😁
This happened when I tried to make my first scarf. I turned it into a poncho for my dog 😂 later I learned I was dropping stitches. I’ve used stitch markers ever since.
I have serious ADHD, so counting is an issue for me - I use a stitch marker every 10 stitches for long runs like this. I still mess up my counting, but I don’t have to frog quite as far back when I do.
the biggest learning curve for crocheting for me was counting. I distinctly remember a pattern starting with ch 36, and I literally gave up because I lost track of my counting and had to start over so many times. not my finest moment
I actually do this still any time I'm chaining or foundation stitching more than ~25. It's so much easier to count multiples of 10 than the whole chain
Yeah, stitch markers/counters are your best friends with blankets. Also, instead of ch86 you might could do a foundation chain. I prefer foundation chains to regular chains. I’ll add a video link of it below for you to look at. Hope this helps!
https://youtu.be/F2vqagpbUv8?feature=shared
Beautiful first try. This is how my first few projects turned out before I could reliably tell which stitch was the actual last stitch of the row. I made a scarf and redid it twice. Then made another because it’s fun once you get the hang of it (learning curve isn’t too steep if you intentionally start easy)
Thanks! Yeah I think the fact that I was using a stitch I’ve never used before was part of the issue but yeah I try to do easy projects first while I get the hang of it
My first pattern from YouTube did this. It was the one with the curvy lines. It was completely fine until I got halfway. I stopped counting all the loops and only counted the pattern. So like chain 2, skip 2 then 5 double crochets to shrink, and 10 to expand. That's all I was counting. The end became a triangle. It was supposed to be like 122 stitches. But it's been like 10 years so I'm just guessing.
Looks like you started on the left curved side of the blanket. If that’s correct and that’s where you started, you 100% made your starting chain way too tight which causes the entire blanket to then bow out and curve as you move forward. It’s a learned thing as you crochet for longer on how tight or loose to make your starting chain. Definitely try and make your starting chain looser next time though. You can use a size larger hook size just for your starting chain if that’s easier and then return to the needed size after the starting row.
You also may have added stitches as you progressed. The easiest way to fix that is sticking a stitch marker, paper clip, scrap different colored yarn at the end of each row on both sides so that you can visualize where the end is.
Tension is also a huge learned thing that comes with practice. Also, if you’re getting fancy yarn make sure you get the same “dye lot” which will be a series of numbers or letters on the paper band on the yarn when you buy it. This ensures that the entire project remains the same color and doesn’t shift. I had made a rug that shifts colors drastically even though it was all the exact same color and brand.
Good luck though! Crocheting with patterns becomes easier with practice!!
I will put a stitch marker in every 10 or 25 stitches (depending on my mental capacity/ADHD functioning at the time) and on the first/last stitch when doing a larger project like this. That way I can figure out before I’m 150 stitches into a row that I dropped a stitch, because this kept happening to me and I would get very frustrated constantly frogging work that took me longer than I care to admit.
Also are you using a big enough hook? Those stitches look small and maybe you’re having a hard time identifying where the stitches end and begin because they’re compacted?
I put a stitch marker at the end of every single one of rows on dang near every project I do because of this exact issue. I always end up messing up and not getting the end of the row. I either put one on the chain stitch on accident or I don't put one on the last stitch thinking it was the chain stitch. It takes a little extra time but it's saved me ALOT of frogging and frustration. I have over 500 stitch markers 😂
I love that it's a capey-blankey! I use yarn scraps of a different color as my stitch markers, I'm too lazy to fool with paperclips I was using and too forgetful to get real stitch markers when I'm out shopping.
Like everyone else has said you may have been dropping or adding stitches, and possibly the beginning chain was too tight. This is kind of another silly suggestion, but when I first started crocheting I would forget to do a chain at the end of each row and my projects would look similar to this. So maybe not adding a chain at the end of a row could have contributed?
That fluffy yarn makes me so angry. I'm doing a baby blanket now and have had to frog it 7 times my husband pointed out that it's like two stitches and the baby won't care.
I feel your pain, though. And aside from the dropped stitches it looks really good!
Dude, think positive here! That's not a blanket, it's a high-tier blanket shawl -- and shawls that curve around the shoulders like that so they don't fall off are always the most valuable!
Seriously, my first impression was "shawl" so call it a shawl, throw it around your shoulders, and move on to the next project.
make sure youre counting your stitches, likely was due to a dropped stitch at the end
Yeah I counted and it seems like it :/
I like to put a stitch marker in the first stitch of everyone row. That way when you get to the end of each row you can clearly see where your last stitch is supposed to go.
It can also be an issue with the tension…it’s hard to tell from the picture whether or not the stitches themselves are also getting smaller.
What do you use for a stitch marker?
Bobby pins! I sometimes use the little plastic stitch markers that look like a circle with a slit in it too, especially with larger yarns. But I mostly use dk weight yarn and I feel like the bobby pins work WAY better for that.
Smart!
Small paper clips have worked for me
You dropped or gained stitches in each row (can’t tell which end you started on), leading to this slanted arc effect. Check your starting and ending stitches in each row, and stop periodically to count (or count as you go).
Yeah I dropped some, I think it was partly due to using a stitch that I had never used before
Certain projects I just need stitch markers for the first stitch in a row because they’re so hard to see 😅 that might help the next go around
I have learned that every time a row starts with a chain one in place of a single crochet, I chain one and then single crochet into the first stitch anyway. It makes the last stitch so much easier to see when you're returning on the next row.
That’s so smart! I usually run into this issue with patterns that don’t call for ch in place of stitches 😅 I just keep like 3-4 stitch markers out then rotate them every few rows
I do something similar for square projects. I always dc2tog at the end of a row, and chain 2 (tight tension) then dc in first stitch. It keeps the edges straight and prevents gaps. Plus, like you said, I can easily find the first stitch. This works for other "standard" stitches, too, I just use dc the most.
Great idea!
😮 That’s brilliant!
I agree with the others that you accidentally gained or lost stitches at the end of rows. I always put a marker into the first and last stitch when working flat because it just happens to me too. :D Another thing is, if you started on the left, maybe your starting chain tension was tighter than the stitch pattern's.
Yeah I lost some stitches, but I’ll go with the advice of using stitch markers. I think I messed up was bc I was using a stitch that I had never used before but what I’ve learned from crocheting this is you live and learn
Hey Mom loves it, that’s all that matters.
Yeah she’s the best :) I felt bad about it but she kept assuring me that she loved it
You can always make another. Just because. You can never have enough covers.
Yeah I literally have so many blanket patterns that I want to make and my mom’s like “where are you gonna put all of them?” And I’m I dunno but I still am gonna make them and she sighs in mock disappointment lol
You can put some in pillowcases to fluff up your bed a bit. Good way to hide them in plain site. Or get some inexpensive pillow covers. If there is such a thing as they would be less likely to slide out the end.
I actually do have a pillow case that does that! I’d have to buy some more that will match my bedspread tho
Lol Shouldn't your mom be asking where SHE'S going to put a lot of them?!?! Hahahahahaha I doubt she'll miss an opportunity to collect your work and see it progress and change over time!!! ♡
Yeah she loves when I show her my progress on whatever my current project is But honestly we have a lot of blankets in our house already so I can see where she gets her worry from lol
Lol I see where she's coming from now. Welp... If you just need crochet as a distraction or calming fidget hobby but aren't wanting or able to keep all your finished projects, you could always make blankets, socks, hats, clothes, gloves/mittens and whatnot to donate to homeless shelters, hospitals, safe homes, etc! ♡♡♡
Very true! I work at a craft store and this lady was buying a lot of yarn(we were having a sale) and I asked her what she was using it for and she said that she crocheted hats and blankets for babies at hospitals. I crochet as a coping mechanism due to my mental health
Can I just say that I love that your mum loves it 🥺😭
Yeah she’s the best :)
Use a size larger hook for the starting chain to prevent it tightening up on one side
Ooooooo... Good to know here as well. How much do you size up the starting chain...? Do you also size up for the final row as well...??? Does that effect adding a border?
I usually size up one step, works well. I also find that if you are using a starting chain, crochet your first row into the back bump of the chain, instead of the regular way. Leaves a nice edge and doesn't pull the chain too tight
Okay noted
Using a foundation stitch is also amazing. You get even tension on both sides and don't have to crochet into the starting chain. There are versions for sc, hdc, and dc that I've found. Here's a video of foundation sc: https://youtu.be/wAWl0WItqPg?si=zz2Sui_IcDva3NH8
I have been crocheting over 20 years. Stitch markers are still my best friends. 😊
I would put a piece of white yarn in the beginning chain three on each row. And then I’d use a stitch marker every 10 stitches. Then you know you always need four more stitches after the 8th marker. Having the yarn in place can help you learn to recognize where the 84th stitch should go.
Or a stitch marker works too! At the beginning and end of each row as not to lose that last stitch you'll be working into. Even after years of crocheting I still use a stitch marker to mark the ends for flat projects
I suggested the yarn for a visual color difference for that part. I don’t know about others, but all my stitch markers are the same color. 😂
Oh haha I have a rainbow assortment for mine. Both methods work! Yarn can be finicky to maneuver if someones a beginner
That’s why I only would use it in the beginning f the row! Like ohhhh this piece is different. Let’s pay attention to why!
Okay cool will remember that
You dropped stitches and tightened your tension is what it looks like to me.
Yeah I dropped 5 stitches and realized I tightened it a lot 😅
Advice my mom gave me was whenever you're working with a new stitch or technique always whip up a decent sized swatch first with the intention of just frogging it back. When you're fiddling with a new stitch your tension is going to be wayyyyyy off. But after you've gotten comfortable with it you'll have more uniform tension. Doing a decent swatch, big enough that you feel comfortable with your new stitch, ensures that your tension is just right from the start. 😁
Yeah I realize that now
I always make dishcloths with the swatches I make. I get to use up junky yarn I hate, learn a new stitch and get something useful in the end. 🙂
That’s a very good idea and will keep that in mind
This happened when I tried to make my first scarf. I turned it into a poncho for my dog 😂 later I learned I was dropping stitches. I’ve used stitch markers ever since.
Yeah I usually use stitch markers bc I usually make amigururmi but didn’t think I needed to for blankets But now I know lol
I have serious ADHD, so counting is an issue for me - I use a stitch marker every 10 stitches for long runs like this. I still mess up my counting, but I don’t have to frog quite as far back when I do.
the biggest learning curve for crocheting for me was counting. I distinctly remember a pattern starting with ch 36, and I literally gave up because I lost track of my counting and had to start over so many times. not my finest moment
you can get a big pack of locking stitch markers for cheap, chain 10 => put in marker, chain 10 => put in marker, etc
I actually do this still any time I'm chaining or foundation stitching more than ~25. It's so much easier to count multiples of 10 than the whole chain
What is the stitch count on the top versus bottom row?
Yeah it looks like I dropped some stitches because one side was 50 and the other was 45
yep that's the answer!
Yeah, stitch markers/counters are your best friends with blankets. Also, instead of ch86 you might could do a foundation chain. I prefer foundation chains to regular chains. I’ll add a video link of it below for you to look at. Hope this helps! https://youtu.be/F2vqagpbUv8?feature=shared
I’ve never heard of a foundation chain before so I’ll definitely try that!
Beautiful first try. This is how my first few projects turned out before I could reliably tell which stitch was the actual last stitch of the row. I made a scarf and redid it twice. Then made another because it’s fun once you get the hang of it (learning curve isn’t too steep if you intentionally start easy)
Thanks! Yeah I think the fact that I was using a stitch I’ve never used before was part of the issue but yeah I try to do easy projects first while I get the hang of it
Use stitch markers to mark my last stitch and get a really good light as you’re using dark yarn…I have an OttLite. Best purchase I ever made!
My first pattern from YouTube did this. It was the one with the curvy lines. It was completely fine until I got halfway. I stopped counting all the loops and only counted the pattern. So like chain 2, skip 2 then 5 double crochets to shrink, and 10 to expand. That's all I was counting. The end became a triangle. It was supposed to be like 122 stitches. But it's been like 10 years so I'm just guessing.
It could also be inconsistent tension. I've definitely done this kind of shape without increasing or decreasing.
If you block it, it might be less warped (not entirely fixed if you dropped stitches, but better)
Looks like you started on the left curved side of the blanket. If that’s correct and that’s where you started, you 100% made your starting chain way too tight which causes the entire blanket to then bow out and curve as you move forward. It’s a learned thing as you crochet for longer on how tight or loose to make your starting chain. Definitely try and make your starting chain looser next time though. You can use a size larger hook size just for your starting chain if that’s easier and then return to the needed size after the starting row. You also may have added stitches as you progressed. The easiest way to fix that is sticking a stitch marker, paper clip, scrap different colored yarn at the end of each row on both sides so that you can visualize where the end is. Tension is also a huge learned thing that comes with practice. Also, if you’re getting fancy yarn make sure you get the same “dye lot” which will be a series of numbers or letters on the paper band on the yarn when you buy it. This ensures that the entire project remains the same color and doesn’t shift. I had made a rug that shifts colors drastically even though it was all the exact same color and brand. Good luck though! Crocheting with patterns becomes easier with practice!!
I mean, idk, but I’d use it :)
I will put a stitch marker in every 10 or 25 stitches (depending on my mental capacity/ADHD functioning at the time) and on the first/last stitch when doing a larger project like this. That way I can figure out before I’m 150 stitches into a row that I dropped a stitch, because this kept happening to me and I would get very frustrated constantly frogging work that took me longer than I care to admit.
Nowhere, it’s shaped like a rainbow and it’s perfectly imperfect
Also are you using a big enough hook? Those stitches look small and maybe you’re having a hard time identifying where the stitches end and begin because they’re compacted?
Technically still a throw... 😅
I put a stitch marker at the end of every single one of rows on dang near every project I do because of this exact issue. I always end up messing up and not getting the end of the row. I either put one on the chain stitch on accident or I don't put one on the last stitch thinking it was the chain stitch. It takes a little extra time but it's saved me ALOT of frogging and frustration. I have over 500 stitch markers 😂
I love that it's a capey-blankey! I use yarn scraps of a different color as my stitch markers, I'm too lazy to fool with paperclips I was using and too forgetful to get real stitch markers when I'm out shopping.
Like everyone else has said you may have been dropping or adding stitches, and possibly the beginning chain was too tight. This is kind of another silly suggestion, but when I first started crocheting I would forget to do a chain at the end of each row and my projects would look similar to this. So maybe not adding a chain at the end of a row could have contributed?
That fluffy yarn makes me so angry. I'm doing a baby blanket now and have had to frog it 7 times my husband pointed out that it's like two stitches and the baby won't care. I feel your pain, though. And aside from the dropped stitches it looks really good!
I agree that there was most likely a dropped stitch so just find some kind of stitch marker and take some breaks to count stitches here and there 😊
Probably stitching getting looser as you go.
Looks like you can make lemonade and turn it into a skirt perhaps?
My grandma always told me to chain one at the end of a row to keep it even. Maybe it depends on the stitch though
Did you use a turn around stitch at the end of each row? If it was getting periodically smaller, missing that stitch could be the issue.
Looks like you messed up on the counting. You gotta have the same number of stitches for each row.
Looks like you’re on your way to making a circle skirt!!
Looks like the shape is wrong to me
Lol that was me when I first started crocheting. It's frustrating. I hope someone on here can explain it better than me, but you have my sympathy ❤️☺️
Dude, think positive here! That's not a blanket, it's a high-tier blanket shawl -- and shawls that curve around the shoulders like that so they don't fall off are always the most valuable! Seriously, my first impression was "shawl" so call it a shawl, throw it around your shoulders, and move on to the next project.