Curling? Tension?

[mrsnjonesjr]

Okay ladies I need your help. My jumbo granny square is curling. Is this a tension issue or did I mess up badly? I know you can't exactly tell what I'm doing wrong but is the general rule a tension issue???? Boo! I'm still learning.

 

 

***EDITED to add photo****

 

 

EEK!

[Itchycrochet]

Can you post a photo?

[redrosesdz]

Curling could be tension, wrong hook size for your yarn or not enough stitches (or something I didn't think of.)

 

Since you're doing a giant granny square, here are some question for you...

 

1. What round did it start curling?

 

2.  Is it curling at the corners or elsewhere?

 

3. If it's the corners, how many chains are you doing between the 6 dc?  You may need to add a couple of chains.  If it's elsewhere, how many chains are you doing between each 3dc?  You may need to add a chain.

 

4. How often are you turning?  The bias might have something to do with the curling, too.  Turning cancels out the stitch bias.

Without turning, the stitches look like this...

////////

////////

////////

With turning, the stitches look like this ...

////////

\\\\\\\\
////////

 

5. What weight yarn are you using and what size hook?

 

A picture would really help answer your problem.

[mrsnjonesjr]

Can you post a photo?

[mrsnjonesjr]

Can you post a photo?

I uploaded a photo it looks curled or winded on one side really bad. You know I think I may have stopped turning too.

[mrsnjonesjr]

Curling could be tension, wrong hook size for your yarn or not enough stitches (or something I didn't think of.)

 

Since you're doing a giant granny square, here are some question for you...

 

1. What round did it start curling?

 

2.  Is it curling at the corners or elsewhere?

 

3. If it's the corners, how many chains are you doing between the 6 dc?  You may need to add a couple of chains.  If it's elsewhere, how many chains are you doing between each 3dc?  You may need to add a chain.

 

4. How often are you turning?  The bias might have something to do with the curling, too.  Turning cancels out the stitch bias.

Without turning, the stitches look like this...

////////

////////

////////

With turning, the stitches look like this ...

////////

\\\\\\\\

////////

 

5. What weight yarn are you using and what size hook?

 

A picture would really help answer your problem.

Hi! Thank you for replying. I will try to answer your questions but I'm a little bit of a novice at crocheting.

 

Honestly, I don't think I turned at all. 

The yarn is a medium worsted (sp)

Hook is H8/5.00

I'm doing 2 chains in my corners

2 chains in between my 3 dc

It didn't start curling until I got to the black border. 

It's mostly on the sides - rolling in. 

 

Sorry, I would have responded in order in numerical order, but getting ready for an appointment and in a rush.   Thank you for any help - I'm teaching myself. 

[Granny Square]

For ruffling -  2 chains between the 3-DCs sounds like too many (and, too many stitches around causes ruffling).  Also, only 2 in the corners sounds like too few, since you are stuffing twice as many stitches into the corners as you are in the side spaces.  I would try 1 chain on the sides, and 3 in the corners.  The only round you would put normally put the same number of chains between each set of 3 DCs is the first round, because each space is a corner in that round only.  After that, you have 4 corners and a growing number of side spaces.

 

I am also seeing a little bit of biasing, or a spiraling look, causing the corner lines to be more S-shaped.  That's the /// thing described above.

 

When you make a little granny square the bias isn't obvious.  When you keep going, the bias compounds itself.  And, some people seem to have more bias than others, I think it may have to do with one's vertical tension - some people make taller stitches than others.  Granny square patterns never tell you this, but if you turn each row, the bias cancels itself, and the blanket becomes reversible.

[redrosesdz]

I agree with Granny Square!  It's ruffling (too many stitches) on the sides and curling (too few stitches) in the corners. 

 

Also, I haven't done a granny square in a long time, but I was taught to turn every round.  Some turn every other round.  I never knew why I turned, until I read Granny Square's explanations.  She is a true expert on the subject (as well as all of the other crochet subjects!) 

[mrsnjonesjr]

Okay! I think this makes sense to me! Thank you.   

 

I think now I should remove all the black (that's when things started really getting weird) and start turning and add 3 chains on the corners and 1 chain in between on the sides. Or, I just completely start over. Since, I'm learning and don't have a specific project maybe I should start all over again. 

 

Do you typically fix your mistakes (unraveling previously worked stitches) or start your whole project again? I guess it would depend on the project. and how far along you were when you noticed you messed up.

[Granny Square]

Your last sentence exactly (on ripping etc.) - it depends.  Sometimes you can get away with 'fudging' to correct a minor boo-boo, sometimes you just have to rip.  And don't be afraid of ripping, if I could have 'banked' all the stitches I've ripped over my crocheting and knitting 'career', I'd have a few blankets' worth.

 

Try ripping the black and see what happens.  By the way, I just noticed, is the black yarn thicker than the blue?  This might also be part of the ruffle problem--thicker, bigger stitches would add more distance and possibly start a ruffle.  Also, if you reduce the number of stitches at this point, it may cause the blue part to pucker (bubble up, or 'cup' slightly at the point you made the change)

[mrsnjonesjr]

Your last sentence exactly (on ripping etc.) - it depends.  Sometimes you can get away with 'fudging' to correct a minor boo-boo, sometimes you just have to rip.  And don't be afraid of ripping, if I could have 'banked' all the stitches I've ripped over my crocheting and knitting 'career', I'd have a few blankets' worth.

 

Try ripping the black and see what happens.  By the way, I just noticed, is the black yarn thicker than the blue?  This might also be part of the ruffle problem--thicker, bigger stitches would add more distance and possibly start a ruffle.  Also, if you reduce the number of stitches at this point, it may cause the blue part to pucker (bubble up, or 'cup' slightly at the point you made the change)

Oh, man! I'm thinking I should start "ripping" and start over again.   I think the black yarn might be a little bigger. I don't really understand the yarn weights yet and used scrap blue yarn and I don't know the weight of that one. It was tag-less when I picked it up. 

I went to the library today and got some books on granny squares and tips on crocheting. I need all the help I can get. LOL. 

[redrosesdz]

Someone once told me that if a project is worth doing, then it's worth doing right.  Every time I spot a problem, I think about that.  So, 99% of the time, I rip it to the problem part and redo it.  Sometimes I try to fudge it, if it's a long ways away or I've already cut the yarn.  However, then I know there's an error and it drives me crazy.  If I can't forget about it, I'll go back and redo it.

 

The other thing to remember is that unless an error is glaring, you're the only one that's going to know it's there.  Someone from my yarn group brought in a cabled afghan.  It was her first cabling and she left several errors in it.  She asked us to spot them.  All of us really looked hard, but didn't see them, until she pointed them out.  If most us that do the craft don't see it, do you think that those that don't work with yarn will?  You're the only one that knows whether or not you can live with an error.

 

Most acrylic and cotton yarns are very forgiving when it comes to ripping.  It can be used over and over.  It's why they are such great yarns for learning.  However, when you get to the animal fibers, some yarns can be ripped and some can't.  If you're working with an expensive yarn and you need to rip, test ripping just a couple of stitches to see how it holds up.  If a yarn tears apart, gets to fuzzy or looses it's elasticity, then don't rip it.

[Granny Square]

The other thing to remember is that unless an error is glaring, you're the only one that's going to know it's there.  

This is so true.  Sometimes, if the error or fudge is small enough and you know it's there...somewhere...in this corner....it might even take YOU a while to find it after the project is done.