help with afghan

[amymichelle]

i'm trying my hardest to get this giant granny square afghan up and going. i've torn it out so many times because i wasn't happy with the way it looked. and i'm just unsure of what to do next. i have good tension, i turn every row so it doesn't twist. but its still not completely square. any ideas?

[LI Roe]

From what I can see, it looks fairly even. I did a count of each side and the same amount of dc groups are there. I, personally, don't turn granny squares, either the little ones or one giant as you are doing now. Are you possibly adding a ch 1 between some of the dc groups and not others? I, again and it is a personal preference, do not ch 1 between dc groups.

 

Often it will look a little off until it is finished and either blocked or just laid out and pulled to make it even. I don't see any glaring discrepancies in it. Looks great (love the color combination also).

 

Maybe someone else sees something I may be missing but I think it looks fine.

 

LI Roe

[nancybanta]

You're not adding or skipping stitches so the only thing it can be is your tension.  You might THINK you have good tension, but if you were a little more tense in doing some of the stitches, it's going to pull everything in a bit.

 

I personally don't think it looks bad - but you're your own worst critic.

 

What I would do if I were you is just keep going and if it doesn't straighten itself out, I'd take a steam iron and LIGHTLY steam it to straighten it out and it'll be fine.

 

BTW - what is that variegated yarn you're using?  I LOVE it!

[RoseRed]

It looks like you need to drop down a hook size.  I hate when the centers of the sides suck in like that.

 

What yarn and hook are you using?

[Real Deal]

If your corners are growing outward faster than the sides, you can try this:

 

Instead of using the standard (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corners, cut back to (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc). This will take out some of the bulk. If the corners start to curl, it means too many sts are being taken out, so, since you are turning each rnd, you can do (3 dc, ch 2, 2 dc). This way, the corner sts even out over 2 rnds.

[amymichelle]

thanks all for the opinions.

 

LI Roe: i've read other things about blocking which i've never done. does it work for acrylic? i'm only chaining between the stitches on the corners cause thats what i read online to do. another time (bunch of times really) it was much too wavy and wonky. so i elminated the chain 1's and it seemed to lay better.

 

NancyBanta: thanks for the thoughts! i don't know what yarn it is because someone gave it to me with their scraps.

 

RoseRed: it was worse with a smaller hook. i just started over with a size up. and it is doing better but i dunno. do you know if the sides always sink in like that? i have acrylic yarn and an h hook

 

real deal : okay i tried the two  chains/two stitches with the smaller hook i was using but not the H yet. maybe i could try that. it did curl up with the g hook though. thanks!

[nancybanta]

I always use either a J or K hook for my afghans.  Most times I just use a K hook.

[amymichelle]

oh wow. i was trying to make my yarn go farther because these are mostly scraps that someone gave me so i don't have whole skeins. i'm just unsure about the whole thing. its got me pretty discouraged.

[RoseRed]

I usually use an I or J.  I like the Bates Bamboo handled J because it's it's closer to in the middle (or at least my tension is when I use it lol)

 

Using a smaller hook will use more yarn. You need more stitches to fill the same amount of space.

 

Steam blocking acrylic is called 'killing' (I don't know why).  You basically kinda melt the stitches into place.  You have to be really careful when you do it.

[Granny Square]

(my opinion) it's called 'killing' because you 'kill' the yarn's elasticity.  I could see doing it for a blanket, scarf or shawl, because 'killing' changes the piece so it acts like a piece of fabric versus the stretchy thing it was before.  I'd never do it do a sweater, hat socks, anything wearable or that you'd want to stretch and spring back.

 

I think it looks great by the way, I don't think the concavity is bad at all.  The colorway is making a really interesting effect!

 

Good luck, I hope the suggestions in the above posts will help.

[Avon Lady]

I always use either a J or K hook for my afghans.  Most times I just use a K hook.

And here I thought I was a weirdo, Nancy!  Everyone always acts so amazed that I almost always use a K hook!!

Amymichelle--your afghan is beautiful!!  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!!

[LI Roe]

I always use either a J or K hook for my afghans.  Most times I just use a K hook.

When I do afghans for the charitable organizations and can make them any size (love using patterns that give multiples) my favorite hooks are J and K also.

 

LI Roe

[LI Roe]

thanks all for the opinions.

 

LI Roe: i've read other things about blocking which i've never done. does it work for acrylic? i'm only chaining between the stitches on the corners cause thats what i read online to do. another time (bunch of times really) it was much too wavy and wonky. so i elminated the chain 1's and it seemed to lay better.

 

NancyBanta: thanks for the thoughts! i don't know what yarn it is because someone gave it to me with their scraps.

 

RoseRed: it was worse with a smaller hook. i just started over with a size up. and it is doing better but i dunno. do you know if the sides always sink in like that? i have acrylic yarn and an h hook

 

real deal : okay i tried the two  chains/two stitches with the smaller hook i was using but not the H yet. maybe i could try that. it did curl up with the g hook though. thanks!

I'll be honest, I have never blocked an afghan so I am not sure if it can be done with acrylic. Any blockers out there who can answer this question for her?.

 

However, you need to chain in the corners since that will make it lay flat and not curl. I also tend to ch 1 in the corners since I like a tighter look but some do ch 2 or ch 3. After a while, you will just know what looks right for your work.

 

LI Roe

[FlossiePotts]

I block the acrylic baby blankets that I sell, but mainly just to make them look finished. I use those interlocking foam blocks for children and pin it out to shape, then spray it quite heavily with water and a few drops of fabric softener in the spray bottle. I have a very sunny dining room, so it put it on the table and it usually dries that day. 

 

I think with your corners going out it is because of the 3 chain stretching from the weight of the quite large blanket. I only ever do 2ch in the corners, unless I am using very fine yarn and a small hook.

 

Although, no one but you will ever notice that.