HELP PLEASE!

[Barb80]

Hello I purchased a crochet bunny kit to make for my daughter. I am having serious issue with it. I am crocheting in the round, using a safety pin as a marker. Every round says to sl st. I find with every new round my previous round the holes are getting so tight I can hardly fit the hook. It is frustrating as no matter how loose I make each stich this keeps happening

[Barb80]

Yes exactly.

[magiccrochetfan]

you only need 1 ch as your turning chain before a round of sc.

 

What exactly does it say on your hook?  I can't quite read it in the photo.  

What did it say on the hook you broke?  

the most important thing to know is the mm measurement.

 

What information do you have about the yarn....what does the label on the ball of yarn say?  

 

Also please tell us the name of the kit and the source you bought it from?  

[Barb80]

After rnd 4 the count keeps going up by one so rnd 6 it is ch1 6sc 2sc in next sc repeat 3 times and so on. When I put my marker in the chain one spot also the last count ends before the chain one marker. Is this normal when working in the round? Also could I try starting the pattern with a chain 2 and 6 sc in the first chain although it says start with adjustable ring?

[redrosesdz]

Welcome to Crochetville!

 

What you're doing is standard for amigurumi.  I love doing amigurumi, but it can be frustrating at first.  I suspect you're losing count.  But, it might be your stitches, too. So, I'm going to tell you how I start, how I do the stitches, how I count and most importantly, how I keep track of rounds.  I'm hoping that something that I do will help you!

 

All amigurumi starts with a tight round, increases, and finally decreases and a close.  Some start with the adjustable ring, but I find that frustrating.  I chain 2 and then crochet the first 6 SC in the first chain.  Make the first chain loose. It's important to capture the tail in your first round.  Before the second round, pull the tail taught, but not tight.  After the second round, pull the tail tight.  You don't have to worry about weaving the tail in, because it's already anchored and it will be hidden in amigurumi.

 

I see that you broke a hook.  That means that you're making stitches too tight or using a Boye style hook.  You need a hook that doesn't have a big bulb at the end.  I use Clover, but Susan Bates or any style other than Boye would work.  When I insert my hook and draw up a loop, I make sure that my hook is on top of the stitch before the YO and draw through two loops.  The hook should lie parallel on your work.  That makes sure that the loop is 1 stitch high.  Also, under the hook there is a skinny part, called the throat, followed by the actual diameter of the hook.  All stitches need to be done past the throat and on the actual diameter.  You should never have to struggle inserting or pulling the hook through a stitch.  Don't yank on the yarn after a stitch.  The rule is taught, but not tight.

 

It's really easy to get lost in the count, especially when the increases (2 stitches in the same stitch) are evenly spaced.  During the first 3 rounds, I count all of the stitches.  After that I count in groups.  For round 4, I would count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, increase and repeat that count out loud 6 times.  As long as you're increasing evenly, the repeat will be 6 times (sometimes 3 times to start a curl.)  For rounds with evenly spaced increases, it doesn't matter where the increases are, as long as they are spaced evenly around.  For rounds that have detailed counts, it's important to follow the instructions exactly to get the right shaping.  If you lose count, count the stitches at the end of the round.  If it's not right, redo that round.

 

Here is the most important piece of advice...

Use a running stitch to keep track of the rounds.  Get a piece of waste yarn that will be easy to see (light colored, if you're working with dark yarn or vice-versa.)  At the beginning of round 2, lay the waste yarn across your work with the tail towards you and the longer part away from you.  Capture the waste yarn under the first stitch of round 2.  When you get to round 3, flip the yarn towards you and capture it under the first stitch of round 3.  Keep doing this for every round.  Make sure that it doesn't fall out in the first few rounds.  When you're done and fasten off, pull out the yarn.  This makes tracking the first stitch easier, plus you'll be able to see how many rounds you've done.  Also, when the yarn flips towards you, it's an even around and vice-versa.

 

I really hope that some of my hints help you!  Amigurumi can be a lot of fun to do!  Good luck and post a pic when you're done. 

 

ETA:  If you're going to sew the piece onto another piece, make sure that your final tail is long enough to do the sewing.

[Barb80]

Thank you so much for all the advice magiccrochetfan I keep taking it all apart. redrosesdz the hook I brook was a cheap plastic hook that came with the kit. How ever I am going to try what you have posted. I'm was really excited to make this for my daughter and now I'm frustrated I have worked in the round once before I made my daughter a pair of slippers and the turned out beautiful. However i will try again and cross my fingers.

[Granny Square]

Good tip above re: making sure you are making stitches past the throat of the hook; this was my problem as a new crocheter.

 

I don't think one brand of hook (we're really talking about hook shape and throat style, all hooks fall into one or the other shape trait) is inherently worse than the other, however many crocheters swear by one and hate the other (the favorite probably is whichever style a person started learning with - true with me at least).  Bates style is basically a tube with a slash forming the throat, the tip and 'nose' are as broad as the shaft;  Boye style tapers width-wise at the tip (the tip in profile is the size of the shaft, same as Bates, but is overall smaller because it's narrower 'head-on') and the 'nose' is correspondingly narrower.  It might not hurt to try a hook of the other brand, it may or may not make a difference for you.  

 

I suspect that those that don't form stitches past the throat might create even tighter stitches with Boye because the tip and throat is narrower than Bates.  But on the other hand, a Boye hook might be easier to 'get into' a tight stitch because the tip is smaller.

 

I have trouble with too-tight slip stitches, too; if it is something where the back side doesn't matter (like a stuffed toy), I sometimes just use the front loop of the slip stitch.  

 

In the pic, blue is Boye and Bates is gold for comparison of throat and 'nose' shaping.

[Barb80]

The hook that was provided in the kit was very small and I had issues with that hook I have been using one of the hooks I already own and still having same issue. I am going to attempt it one more time after I buy a new hook lol. If it does not work I shall just give up for awhile and set it aside go back to it at another time. Not sure how to add a pic or I could show the hook I am using.

[Granny Square]

If you can get a picture file onto your computer (sorry I'm not too savvy about phones and tablets), go to 'more reply options' at the bottom of a new post box, then at the bottom left you'll see a spot to upload a photo (choose file)  then, hit 'attach this file'.

[Barb80]

 

That is the hook I'm using it is a 4 and the pattern came with a 3 should I just go buy a new 3 ?