Help! Circular afghan is NOT flat.

[Leslie Carver]

Help!!!  I finished this afghan a while ago, and it's insanely wrinkled.  It looks to me like the outside is WAY tighter than the inside.  It's all the same weight acrylic yarn, same hook all the way through, and I'm pretty sure my stitch count was right...anyway, for whatever reason, it's *WONKY*.  I put it away because it discouraged me so much, and now I've lost my crochet confidence.  I want it back, and I want this afghan to be as pretty as I know it can be - I want to be proud of it! 

 

I tried soaking it and hanging over my shower curtain rod so it could stretch, but I can't tell that it made any appreciable difference.  I tried pinning it out on a king-sized mattress, but the tension was SO much that I kept bending pins.  It's been suggested that I try to block it a section at a time - either from the inside out, or 1/4 or 1/8 sections.  Does anyone have any hints, advice, ANYTHING???  Please help!

[Avon Lady]

Did you increase regularly in each row around?  Say you start out with 12 dc in the first row.  On the second row, you make 2 dc in each dc around.  Third row, dc in first dc, 2 dc in next, and repeat.  Fourth row, put 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, 2dc in next st. and repeat around.  You continue this pattern, increasing each round by 6 sts.  If this doesn't make sense--let me know, and I'll try to make it clearer.  Good luck!

Collette

[Leslie Carver]

I used a pattern for this one.  Lemme see...here it is!  Round We Go, from Annie's Attic.  It had pretty regular increases, as I recall.  I'm not *totally* beyond ripping out rows (and rows and rows) to fix this, but I'd REALLY rather fix it with blocking or something, if I can!

[Granny Square]

Ravelry comments from others who've made this:

-one had to use a G hook instead of the 00 size the pattern called for to get gauge

-recommendation to carry unused colors loosly

-count stitches each round

-one noted that the 'first big circle that ends in DC' should have been omitted, as she thought it caused hers to buckle.

 

Yours may have 'gone wrong' in the area where there are 2 groups of short radiating lines, blue, then red, not quite halfway thru the diameter.   Your piece doesn't quite resemble others' photos in that area (including the pattern photo) , your lines are very straight, which 'shouldn't be'; if there were increases in that area the lines, and/or space between them, wouldn't be uniform .  In other photos the red lines are askew from the blue ones. 

 

I hate to say this, but I don't see how this will block out because it's severely cupping on the inner half and slightly ruffling on the outer half.  (I've found) blocking helps more with ruffling than cupping.  And...acrylic doesn't really block like natural fibers will.  I don't think 'killing' the acrylic would entirely help, either.

[Leslie Carver]

I'll have to check the "first big circle" bit; I know I counted right, and I think I ended up using a G hook, also.  I know mine looks different in the spot you mentioned; I *wanted* those lines to be straight (I'm an engineer, what can I say?), so I carefully modified the pattern.  I know I got the stitch count right, though; I checked and rechecked!  I know you're probably right, and I'll have to redo....but I hope you don't mind if I hope you're wrong! 

[Aggie May]

Help!!!  I finished this afghan a while ago, and it's insanely wrinkled.  It looks to me like the outside is WAY tighter than the inside.  It's all the same weight acrylic yarn, same hook all the way through, and I'm pretty sure my stitch count was right...anyway, for whatever reason, it's *WONKY*.  I put it away because it discouraged me so much, and now I've lost my crochet confidence.  I want it back, and I want this afghan to be as pretty as I know it can be - I want to be proud of it! 

 

I tried soaking it and hanging over my shower curtain rod so it could stretch, but I can't tell that it made any appreciable difference.  I tried pinning it out on a king-sized mattress, but the tension was SO much that I kept bending pins.  It's been suggested that I try to block it a section at a time - either from the inside out, or 1/4 or 1/8 sections.  Does anyone have any hints, advice, ANYTHING???  Please help!

afghan.jpg

 

If you dampen it again and pin it out flat, stretching evenly as you go, you should be able to get it flat.

It should end up wider than it is now.

The centre circles look like they need to be made a bit more even so start from the centre, creating your circles, and work to the outside.

Create sections by working in quarters.

Leave pinned out until dry.

Hope this helps.

Have fun.

Colleen.

 

[RoseRed]

I don't think blocking or even killing will help.  There's just too much ruffle.

 

What size yarn did you use?

[Leslie Carver]

It's just worsted weight, probably 4 ply.  I found a lady on Ravelry who had the *exact* same problem and managed to fix it.  Hopefully I can, too!!

[RoseRed]

If you used 4ply ww with a G hook there's no play in the stitch to block it.  I usually use an I hook with 4ply ww/.